Administratively, watershed projects can be highly efficient. They encourageorganizations to focus staff and financial resources on prioritized geographic locations andfacilitate coordination of resources among interested parties. Also, they provide local agencieswith an opportunity to take leadership roles in ecosystem protection. Individual watershed projects can supply critical information to a state's major river basinplans, for example, as new models are developed and new watershed-level managementapproaches are tested. Stakeholders are individuals and organizations that have an interest in identifying andsolving water quality problems and in monitoring the effectiveness of these solutions over time.
Local stakeholders are particularly important in targeting their local problems.
They bringknowledge and concern for specific waterbodies to the forefront. They serve as organizers in thearea and keep interest alive and active. They are also effective in educating friends, neighbors,and government officials and putting action on the local, near-term agenda. Ground water concerns are important in nonpoint source watershed projects around thecountry. The Clean Water Act discourages nonpoint source controls that protect surface watersat the expense of ground water.