Developing Practical Guidelines for Watershed Improvement

Abstract

Although information on best management practices (BMPs) for stormwater and watershed protection abounds, there is far less information on practical methods for setting performance guidelines for the combination of BMPs in any watershed protection plan. Furthermore the typical yardstick for measuring the health of streams, water quality standards, do not provide useful information for measuring practical watershed conditions. In Gwinnett County, a combination of biological (benthos and fish), habitat, and water quality information is being used in an integrated manner to provide a rational basis for setting watershed improvement guidelines. These guidelines, based on statistical correlations between the parameters and professional judgement, allow utilities, governments, and stakeholders to make pragmatic decisions about what is achievable and desirable in their streams. This paper describes the development of watershed improvement guidelines in Gwinnett County as part of the county-wide watershed assessment and modeling project.