The framework s goals are to enhance cooperation between government agencies, develop stronger partnerships among state and local governments and other organizations, and encourage citizen participation in watershed planning. Major river basins in the state are assigned to five basin management units. Each management unit has a basin coordinator and a basin team. Members of the team come from state agencies and other organizations in the partner network, and serve as a technical resource group. The watershed framework operates on a five-year cycle.
State agencies focus their monitoring activity, in turn, on each watershed management unit.
The basin team and the basin coordinator compile and distribute information about watersheds in the basin. The team uses this information and the input of local stakeholders to target watersheds for action. Local Watershed Task Forces then draft and execute action plans to address problems. Task forces are drawn from a broad spectrum of stakeholders in the local communities of the watershed.