Watershed Stewardship Action Strategy: A multi–media (TMDL, habitat, wetland and carbon reduction) incentive—based decision and implementation process

The economic impact of TMDL implementation, and how well it is managed, can significantly influence how competitive an organization can be over the next 20 years.With many watersheds throughout the country currently exceeding or approaching their pollutant loading capacities, or Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs), watershed management is becoming an increasingly pressing issue, especially with new TMDL regulations expected to be promulgated within the next year. For many watersheds this will require restoration of wetlands and riparian vegetation. The new TMDL regulations will potentially have a major impact on the treatment costs for both point source dischargers (PSDs) and non-point source dischargers (NPSDs). At the same time EPA estimates a major funding “gap” of 34 billion per year in capital spending for the next 20 years (Water Infrastructure Network, 2000). Managers are now faced with several potentially conflicting objectives: