Flooding, streambank erosion, and threatened and endangered species are issues that concern both the local community and government agencies. In this case, a l ocal steering committee will set priorities for the watershed and determine how activities will be completed. The payoff from involving the public early on in watershed efforts is real and measurable. Volunteers logged more than 22,500 volunteer hours in clean up and protection efforts throughout the Valley during the past year. The primary undertaking of River Action Team members is to persuade potential local partners that solving water resource problems is important to meeting their own economic, social, and environmental needs, as well as the needs of their community.
Agencies can provide valuable technical assistance and funding for specific projects.
But a support base of interested citizens, local officials, landowners, and others is the key to the long term success of any water quality conservation project. A Cooperative Water Resources Program Federal, state, and local agencies have different water quality needs and priorities. Under the program, local and state agencies provide at least one hal f of project funds and USGS provides consistency in data collection and archiving by completing most of the work. Program studies are directed to address potential and emerging, long term water problems, such as water supply, waste disposal, ground water quality, and the effects of agricultural chemicals. Study results provide information that serves as the foundati on for many water resource management and planning activities.