The Watershed Management Program includes assessing the condition of the County’s 17 watersheds and developing plans to protect, restore, and improve them. To assess each watershed, we complete the following process:
- Stream walks: Assessing the physical health of the stream by evaluating the beds, banks, and buffers by walking the entire length of each stream.
- Sampling: Conducting grab sampling on each stream to gather data about the chemical health of the stream.
- Modeling: Determining the amount and sources of pollution in each stream by entering the data we have gathered into a computer model. The model will help us evaluate options for reducing pollution.
- BMP Selection: Selecting Best Management Practices (BMP), including physical, educational, and legal, to best improve and protect watershed health.
Watershed Management Plans (WMPs) have been developed for 15 different watersheds in Athens-Clarke County (plans for the three remaining watersheds will be updated and posted here soon). Some of these plans are still in draft phase and will be finalized within the next few months. Click the links below to view and/or download the plans. If you have any questions or are interested in seeing appendices, please email stormwater@accgov.com.