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Watershed Plans

Salt Lake County's integrated watershed planning process provides a framework of goals and policies that are intended to forge water quality stewardship consistent with Congressional goals and representative of the needs of the local population.

As part of an ongoing commitment to protect natural resources, Salt Lake County has developed integrated watershed plans using the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's nine-element watershed planning process. These plans include input and involvement from watershed partners and local, state, and federal agencies operating within Salt Lake County.

Overall goals of the watershed plans:

Build partnerships
Assess waterbody and watershed conditions
Prioritize implementable recommendations and management actions to address water quality concerns in the watershed
Identify milestones and indicators to measure progress as projects are implemented

Plans

Planning Process

Salt Lake County's integrated watershed planning process provides a framework of goals and policies that are intended to forge water quality stewardship consistent with Congressional goals and representative of the needs of the local population.

The overriding goal is to improve watershed functions:

  • Water Quality
  • Hydrology
  • Habitat
  • Social and Recreational Services

Specific implementation activities, to be completed during each planning cycle, are designed to restore and protect the watersheds of Salt Lake County.

In addition, the integrated watershed plan meets the following requirements of the Clean Water Act:

  • Section 208, which is required because Salt Lake County is the regional water quality planning authority, as designated by the Governor of Utah in 1978.
  • Elements of a Watershed Plan, which allows Salt Lake County to obtain funding from both state and federal entities.

Integrated planning elements:

  • Evaluation of implementation activities (since last plan update)
  • Stormwater, wastewater and drinking water review
  • Pilot project evaluations
  • Policy guidelines
  • Public outreach and education program
  • Stakeholder coordination
  • Monitoring
  • Plan amendment and update process
  • Implementation recommendations for the next planning cycle