![]() The Watershed Management ApproachĪ watershed management plan is one strategy for effectively protecting and restoring aquatic ecosystems, protecting human health, and preserving other natural resources. In particular, the EPA has been working with federal, state, and local governments to customize activities and services for local watersheds and affected groups. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has joined with other public and private entities to promote community-based watershed management programs as a means to further restore and maintain water quality, protect sensitive habitats, and preserve land resources. Today’s problems call for more creative, comprehensive solutions. While pollution from factories and sewage treatment plants, soil erosion, and wetland losses have been dramatically reduced, runoff from city streets, rural and agricultural areas, and other diverse sources (commonly referred to as non-point sources) continue to degrade the environment, thus putting drinking water supplies, aquatic habitats, and other water uses at risk. A good example is Ventura County’s Annual Coastal Cleanup Day (most recently held on September 15, 2018) when nearly 2,900 volunteers removed almost 12,000 pounds of trash and over 700 pounds of recyclables from 43 miles of our local coastline.ĭespite these public and private efforts, about 40 percent of our nation’s waterways are still unsafe for fishing or swimming. Much of this progress is a result of tighter controls on pollution from industry and sewage treatment plants, with some improvements a direct result of citizen involvement and volunteers who serve to improve the water quality in their local or regional watershed. Since passage of America’s federal Clean Water Act in 1972, regions throughout the country have made significant progress in protecting and restoring the health of the nation’s waters. As a result, physical, chemical, biological, and human activities within a watershed can directly affect water volume and quality, land value, and various natural resources. As runoff flows downhill (or downgradient in the case of groundwater), the once-pure snow or rainwater picks up pollutants, sediment, and debris. When rain falls or snow melts, the liquid water either flows downhill until it eventually reaches a lake with no outlet or the ocean, or percolates through the soil and replenishes groundwater. A watershed encompasses all the lands that drain by sheetflow or stream flow to a common waterbody such as a lake, river, estuary, lagoon, or ocean. Watersheds are defined by the natural boundaries of a surface runoff area. Accela Citizen Access – County Permit System.Matilija Dam Ecosystem Restoration Project.Construction & Demolition Debris Management.Integrated Waste Management Division (IWMD). ![]() Transportation Operations and Maintenance.Private Property/Roads Frequently Asked Questions.Capital Improvements Projects – Five Year Plan.The official website of the Ventura County Public Works Agency.
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