Watershed Assessment and Planning

The National Water Management Center (NWMC) has expertise in all types of natural resource planning, including but not limited to: PL83-566 small watershed projects, including supplements; river basin studies; floodplain management studies; environmental impact statements and other environmental and planning documents.

Flood Plain Management

The NWMC staff is currently working with Alaska NRCS to provide a floodplain management study for the Village of Unalakleet. The NWMC is providing the planning specialist and hydraulic engineer, and will produce the final document. Alaska NRCS is providing biology, soils and other engineering expertise. The Village of Unalakleet will provide office space, surveying support and take the lead in public participation. The long range goal is to provide Alaska NRCS the training to conduct floodplain management studies for other villages, utilizing their own resources.

PL-566 Watersheds

The NWMC worked with the Hawaii State Office and the Hilo Field Office to study and prepare reports for two key watersheds. The study for Wailuku-Alenaio was to determine the potential for changing the location of previously approved diversions in a PL83-566 Flood Prevention Project. The Waiakea Stream Study was to determine the potential for a multi-purpose PL83-566 Watershed Project. A planning team from the NWMC along with various technical specialists from Hawaii NRCS worked closely in order complete these reports in a timely manner.

A team consisting of NWMC, New England Interdisciplinary Resource Technical Team and Massachusetts NRCS personnel completed a Plan of Work for a Program Report for the Clam Lake Dam Site, one of the structures in the Clam River Watershed Project.

We have provided assistance to Pennsylvania NRCS on the Neshaminy Creek Watershed Project in order to produce a revised plan with up-to-date environmental documentation.

Comprehensive Watershed Analyses

Assistance to Puerto Rico involves NWMC staff participating in the assessment of the potential impacts of the Guánica Lagoon Habitat Restoration Plan on agricultural lands and the local economy.

The NWMC is assisting the Virgin Islands (VI) Conservation District in providing supplemental irrigation water to limited resource farmers. The staff conducted a rapid assessment of irrigation water needs and environmental concerns on the islands. Concerns include, lack of surface water storage, saltwater intrusion into ground water, inadequate water delivery systems as well as degradation of coral reef and mangrove ecosystems resulting from rapid surface water runoff.

Rapid Watershed Assessment

Rapid watershed assessment provides technical guidance in HUC profiling and technical assistance in Rapid sub-basin assessments.

Contacts:
Tim Sweeney    501-210-8917    tim.sweeney@ar.usda.gov

< Back to NWMC Accountability - Briefing Sheets