Watershed Assessment

One of the objectives of the Partnership for Coastal Watersheds Steering Committee is to develop a common understanding of the current conditions in the project area with the use of a watershed assessment. The assessment includes maps and summaries of ecological and physical data, such as stream temperature, fish presence, and landslide risks derived from an extensive monitoring program designed to evaluate conditions in the South Slough and Coastal Frontal area. These evaluations will form the basis of an initial baseline assessment of the project area and contribute to a biennial State of the Watersheds report. A baseline assessment is essentially a snapshot of the current conditions in the watershed and usually, but not always, is based on data collected over a relatively short period of time. On-going status and trends monitoring programs generate data collected over longer time periods which can define trends and help quantify changing conditions. Click here for more about monitoring.

The Coos Watershed Association (CoosWA) has developed watershed assessments in other areas adjacent to the Coos estuary. CoosWA developed the Coffee Klatch program in 2005 as a way to incorporate landowners’ watershed concerns and property management goals into watershed sub-basin assessments. Information is collected from landowners in a series of meetings, and is used to help characterize land use issues in the assessment area and prioritize potential projects. A similar process is envisioned for the Partnership for Coastal Watersheds project.

By contrasting current conditions with desired future conditions identified as part of a community vision (click here for more about community vision), the Partnership Steering Committee will have the opportunity to help develop voluntary management and adaptation actions to address current or anticipated changes in the watershed.

For more information about the Coos Watershed Association’s watershed assessment and Coffee Klatch program visit the CoosWA website. (http://www.cooswatershed.org/outreach.html)