Home » Stewardship Handbook » Water Resources

Water Resources

Contents

Display to header level

Intro sentence: Clean water resources are critical to the health of plant communities, wildlife, and people. It is also important for supporting recreation. Stewardship of waterways and surrounding areas can protect and improve water resources.  

Qualities and Benefits of Clean Water and Healthy Aquatic Ecosystems 

Key Features 

Inventorying 

Water Quality and Condition of Aquatic Ecosystems 

Good—Obtain publicly available data or use online tools 

Better (in addition to Good)—Conduct a visual assessment 

Best (in addition to Good)—Field measurement of physical, biological, and chemical properties of aquatic ecosystems 

Streamflow 

Good—Use data available on-line from national monitoring efforts.  

Better—Measure streamflow in the field.  

Best—Install equipment in the stream to obtain continuous, accurate flow measurements.  

Water Resource Management Goals 

Key Strategies 

Management Opportunities 

Convert Ponds to Wetlands 

Management Objectives   

Monitoring Suggestions 

Protecting and Improving Riparian Buffers 

Management Objectives   

Monitoring Suggestions 

Addressing Issues 

Nonpoint Source Pollution 

Pollution in Stormwater Runoff 

Household Impacts 

Livestock and Pets in Streams and Wetlands 

Management Objectives   

Monitoring Suggestions 

Resident Canada Goose Populations 

Management Objectives   

Dams 

Management Objectives   

Monitoring Suggestions 

Thermal Pollution 

Management Objectives   

Monitoring Suggestions 

Climate Change 

Management Objectives   

Monitoring Suggestions 

Flooding 

Management Objectives   

Monitoring Suggestions 

Groundwater Depletion 

Drinking Water Supplies 

Stream Baseflow 

Management Objectives   

Stormwater Management