When all significant sources and stressors are understood, agencies are better able to focus on those controls that are more likely to produce measurable improvements in ecosystem health. Administratively, watershed planning is efficient. It encourages organizations to focus staff and financial resources on prioritized geographic locations and facilitates coordination and pooling of resources among interested parties. It also offers an opportunity for local agencies to take leadership roles in ecosystem protection. Stakeholders are individuals and organizations that have an interest in identifying and solving water quality problems and in monitoring the effectiveness of these solutions over time.
Local stakeholders are particularly important in targeting their local problems.
They bring knowledge and concern for specific waterbodies to the forefront. They serve as organizers in the area and keep interest alive and active. They are also effective in educating friends, neighbors, and local officials and putting action on the local, near-term agenda. Local interest and concern may, in fact, dictate which problems are dealt with first. Experience has shown that the degree of public education and participation can determine the success of a watershed project.