Watershed Management Plans

A watershed management plan is a strategy and work plan for achieving water resource goals for a geographically defined watershed. Plans include hydrologic and land use information and analysis, public involvement, and other resources which are used to develop the goals and best management practices best suited for a watershed. The main purpose of watershed management plans is to guide stakeholders in protecting and restoring our water resources. In other words, watershed management plans are a blue-print for improving our surface waters. The US Environmental Protection Agency sets guidelines for developing an approved watershed management plan. These guidelines are followed by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and other agencies when funding the development and implementation of plans.

Several watershed plans have been published within the St. Joseph River Basin, including The St. Joseph River Watershed Management Plan (2005), which covers the entire basin. Approximately 67% of the basin is managed under subwatershed management plans, providing the opportunity to identify subwatershed issues and goals while implementing site specific solutions. The map below displays the published watershed plans within the St. Joseph River Basin.