Watershed Management Areas

WATERSHED PRESERVATION AREAS

Watershed Preservation Areas are watersheds in which the streams are predominantly in good condition when measured by the habitat assessments and inventory of other stream influences. Generally, the streams within these areas have habitat assessment scores greater than 152 and experience minimal degradation due to problem areas (i.e. illicit discharges, streambank erosion, etc.). Therefore, very few corrective actions are needed within the stream corridors in these watersheds.

This designation is based upon the results of the stream assessments and inventories and is not subject to change until a watershed-wide re-assessment is conducted.

WATERSHED ENHANCEMENT AREAS

Watershed Enhancement Areas are watersheds in which the streams are predominantly in fair condition when measured by the habitat assessments and inventory of other stream influences. Generally, the streams within these areas have habitat assessment scores between 100 and 151 and experience moderate degradation due to problem areas (i.e. illicit discharges, streambank erosion, stream blockages etc.). Consequently, corrective actions are needed within the stream corridors.

This designation is based upon the results of the stream assessments and inventories and is not subject to change until a watershed-wide re-assessment is conducted.

 

WATERSHED RESTORATION AREAS

Watershed Restoration Areas are watersheds in which the streams are predominantly in poor condition when measured by the habitat assessments and inventory of stream influences. Generally, the streams within these areas have a habitat assessment score less than 100 and experience a significant amount of degradation due to problem areas (i.e. illicit discharges, streambank erosion, stream blockages, dumpsites etc.). Consequently, extensive corrective action is needed within the stream corridors.

This designation is based upon the results of the stream assessments and inventories and is not subject to change until a watershed-wide re-assessment is conducted.

URBAN MANAGEMENT AREAS

Urban Management Areas are corridors of intensely developed sites. The stream segments are predominantly in fair to poor condition when measured by the habitat assessments and inventory of stream influences. Generally, the streams within these areas experience a significant amount of degradation due to problem areas (i.e. illicit discharges, streambank erosion, stream blockages, dumpsites etc.). In many cases the streams have been altered by piping or paving. Consequently, extensive corrective action is needed within the stream corridors.

These areas were delineated along road corridors in the County and were based on developed parcels of office, commercial, and industrial land uses that existed at the time of program development. However, projects meeting one of the following may “opt into” an Urban Management Area:

1. Either the project is located on a previously developed parcel that is immediately adjacent to a mapped Urban Management Area; or
2. The project is located on an undeveloped parcel less than or equal to two (2.00) acres in size and is immediately adjacent to a mapped Urban Management Area.

Note that the mapped Urban Management Areas depicted on Map 2.2 do not change based on parcels that “opt into” the area.