Maryland has several interrelated watershed initiatives
underway:
Chesapeake
Bay 2000 Watershed Commitment Implementation and Tracking
Watershed management planning is also addressed in
the multi-state 2000 Chesapeake Bay Agreement. One commitment, in particular, states:
By 2010,
work with local governments, community groups and watershed
organizations to develop and implement locally supported watershed
management plans in two-thirds of the Bay watershed covered by this
Agreement. These plans would address the protection, conservation and
restoration of stream corridors, riparian forest buffers and wetlands
for the purposes of improving habitat and water quality, with collateral
benefits for optimizing stream flow and water supply.
Maryland has 127 watersheds (Maryland’s 8-digit
watersheds) within the Chesapeake Bay’s drainage. Maryland committed to develop and implement, by 2010, 2/3 of 127
or approximately 85 (8-digit) watershed management plans (WMPs) or strategies covering the Bay watershed.
Efforts to achieve this Bay Agreement commitment are
two-fold. DNR’s Chesapeake and Coastal Watershed Services continues to lead development
of locally-sponsored WRASs. At the same time efforts are underway to develop a system to recognize, count, and
help implement local watershed management plans resulting from various
other programs or requirements but which fulfill the requirements of the
2/3 commitment. These may include, for example, the WMPs developed
pursuant to NPDES storm water permit requirements or other programs. The
tracking system, beginning with an on-site survey of local watershed
management planning efforts, began in 2002.
Potential benefits to local governments will include: 1)
statewide recognition of quality work achieved, 2) ability for local
governments to be more competitive for receipt of CWA 319 implementation
funds and various other grant sources as well as technical assistance
services and 3) potential consideration as part of an applicable TMDL
(Total Maximum Daily Load) implementation plan or its equivalent (see
Program Integration section below).
Coastal
Bays Comprehensive Coastal Management Plan
In addition, outside the boundaries of the
Chesapeake Bay drainage area in Maryland -- in the Coastal Bays
watersheds-- watershed planning efforts continue with the
provision of state technical and financial assistance, and WRAS
Partnership development to help implement the Coastal Bays Comprehensive
Coastal Management Plan.
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Last
Updated:
05/14/04