Resources

New Resource Directory Provides Important Message About Building More Sustainable Communities

The Friends of Harbors, Beaches and Parks (based in Orange County) and its supporters have worked to create a Resource Guide to help cities create more sustainable communities.  The Resource Guide is intended to provide standardized policies for inclusion in General Plans and other land use measures to assist in meeting AB 32 and SB 375 regulatory compliance requirements.  For more information, visit the FHBP news site at http://www.fhbp.org/news/PDFs/GPRD-Press-Release-FINAL.pdf.

What Are Watershed Jobs and Why Does California Need them?

Download this short paper from the California Watershed Coalition to learn more.

Putting A Price On Riparian Corridors As Water Treatment Facilities

The monetary value of natural riparian environments that provide water quality treatment functions by processing nutrients, storing sediment, moderating temperatures, and other services can be estimated by calculating the costs associated with the construction of "brick and mortar" water treatment plants built to achieve similar functions. A demonstration urban runoff treatment plant built by the City of Santa Monica provides similar water quality services as a 4,000-5,000 lineal foot riparian corridor does, and has annualized costs of approximately $1.3 million per year ($2008) over a 50-year period. [Read more]

California Watershed Assessment Manual

The California Watershed Assessment Manual (CWAM) Team is pleased to make available hard-copies of the final manual. Volume I of the Manual was finalized in 2005 and is available online, on CD, and now in hard-copy.

Natural Resource Project Inventory

The Natural Resource Project Inventory (NRPI) is a comprehensive electronic database. Visit the NRPI website to search and view information regarding California watershed projects. Contact Ms. Kevin Ward with questions regarding NRPI at kcward@ucdavis.edu

USEPA Watershed Planning Handbook

The U.S. EPA Nonpoint Source Control Program has published the Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans to Restore and Protect our Waters. The Handbook (400-plus pages) provides detailed information that is intended to assist all manner of watershed planners, and others whose work intersects with watershed planning issues, on virtually all aspects of the watershed planning process. The emphasis is on the nonpoint source water quality aspects of watersheds, but much of the information is more broadly applicable. The focus is on technical issues, but there is also a generously sized chapter on how to "Build Partnerships.” Overall, it is designed to take the user through each step of the watershed planning process, including watershed monitoring and assessment, community outreach, selection and application of available models, BMP effectiveness data bases, implementation, feedback and plan adjustment, and more.