Fourteen councils have technical teams assisting them with assessments, planning, and project design, implementation and prioritizing. Fifteen councils are monitoring baseline conditions. Many of these projects were accomplished only with the support of private landowners. Concerns exist about funding for staff and the long-term viability of the council programs. The state s Watershed Assessment Manual was not available for use in 1997.
Some councils lack broad-based representation by stakeholder groups.
Some sites chosen for restoration have been prioritized based on landowner willingness rather than ecological need. In-stream habitat restoration Restoration within the stream environment involves projects that alter the physical habitat, such as placement of logs and boulders to create resting and hiding places for fish. Passive approaches to restoration include fencing cattle out of streams or altering land management practices. Nearly all projects met site selection recommendations. Less than half of these projects met the minimum guidelines for piece length and diameter.