Gaps in watershed assessments in Georgia: observations and suggested changes

Abstract

The University of Georgia Watershed Group began conducting State of Georgia mandated watershed assessments (part of the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System permitting process) in 1999. Since then, the group has conducted watershed assessments for small rural communities and highly populated urban areas. Based on these experiences, the group has identified problems in the watershed assessment process ranging from inconsistent standards for conducting the studies to generating public interest. However, the largest gaps are the result of problems associated with data collection and manipulation. As a result, the UGA Watershed Group offers recommendations for improving the process of future watershed assessments.