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Developing an Approvable Watershed Management Plan
Introduction
Watershed management planning is essential to helping communities understand and address the impacts nonpoint source (NPS) pollutants have on local rivers, lakes, wetlands, and groundwater. Watershed management plans are living documents that provide a strategy for local partners to address water quality goals to protect and restore waterbodies within a geographic area. Michigan's NPS Program promotes the development of watershed management plans with the primary goals of restoring and protecting designated uses from the impacts of NPS pollutants. Michigan's NPS Program provides technical assistance to stakeholders developing and implementing watershed management plans. The NPS Program approves watershed management plans based on the State's Clean Michigan Initiative (CMI) and the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA) nine-element criteria.
EPA Nine-Element Approval
Under Section 319 of the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (Clean Water Act), the USEPA provides funding to Michigan's NPS Program for the implementation of nine-element watershed management plans. The nine-elements are outlined in the USEPA's 2024 NPS Program and Grant Guidelines for State and Territories Appendix B. Organizations seeking 319 implementation funds must have an approved nine-element watershed management plan. Michigan’s NPS Program established a checklist for approving a nine-element watershed management plan. Guidance for developing a nine-element plan is provided in USEPA’s Handbook for Developing Watershed Management Plans to Restore and Protect Our Waters. A checklist and guidance for developing these plans are provided below.
- 319 Checklist for Watershed Plan Approval
- USEPA's Handbook for Developing Watershed Management Plans to Restore and Protect Our Waters
Clean Michigan Initiative (CMI) Approval
Section 8808 of Part 88, Water Pollution and Environmental Protection Act, of the Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act, 1994 PA 451, as amended, MCL 324.8808, provides EGLE the authority to establish a NPS pollution prevention and control grants program with CMI funds. CMI rules establish criteria for approving watershed management plans that address NPS pollutants. Guidance on developing a CMI approvable watershed management plan is outlined in Developing a Watershed Management Plan for Water Quality A checklist for CMI Watershed Management Plans and guidance for developing these plans are provided below.
- CMI Checklist for Watershed Plan Approval
- Michigan’s Guidance for Developing a Watershed Plan for Water Quality
Watershed Management Plan Funding
Michigan’s NPS Program awards funding to develop, update, and implement approved nine-element watershed management plans. Examples of updates include field inventories and water quality monitoring that more finely identify NPS pollutants and sources. Current funding sources include Section 319 Implementation grants, Section 205(j) Watershed Planning grants, and Watershed Council grants. See the Nonpoint Source Program web page for recent and open grant opportunities.
Additional Nine-Element Watershed Management Plan Guidance
EGLE’s NPS Program continues to generate technical guidance on developing nine-element watershed management plans.
Getting Started:
Modeling Tools:
Source Identification Guidance:
Land Use Specific Inventories:
- Parking Lot Inventory
- Animal Feeding Operations Inventory (available upon request)
- Stream Walk Inventory - Pollutant Source Identification (available upon request)
Contact Us
Pete Vincent, VincentP@Michigan.gov, 517-512-3969