Watershed Based-Planning

Recent trends in water resource management have reflected an increasing recognition that a holistic, watershed-based perspective is required to accomplish and sustain water quality improvements. Regulation of point source discharges without complementary management of nonpoint source pollutant loadings will not only frustrate environmental stewardship objective but also lead to sub-optimal resource allocations. Unfortunately, the current regulatory framework does not accommodate this watershed management perspective, and potential point source regulations may impose significant new costs on Publicly Owned Treatment Works. In response to similar conditions elsewhere in the United States, progressive wastewater utilities have promoted collaborative approaches to the development of whole watershed planning protocols.

GBMSD has implemented watershed-based planning by working with regulators to adopt reasonable approaches to nutrient management through watershed based permitting; effluent trading; enlisting support from stake holds in the watershed to address these issues; and developing a long-term GBMSD watershed improvement program.

Implementation and Update

GBMSD has initiated implementation of components of its strategic investment portfolio. The following describes what has been accomplished to date:

• Working with a statewide municipal utility group on nutrient limit regulations
• Working with federal, state, and county agencies and educational institutions on the development of a total maximum daily load and education outreach for the lower Fox River basin
• Contact with non-governmental environmental organizations to identify common areas of interest.