United States Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service		 Pennsylvania Go to Accessibility Information
Skip to Page Content

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 




 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rapid Watershed Assessment

Overview

 

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is encouraging the development of rapid watershed assessments in order to increase the speed and efficiency generating information to guide conservation implementation, as well as the speed and efficiency of putting it into the hands of local decision makers. Rapid watershed assessments provide a foundation for watershed or area planning. They will be valuable for Farm Bill program delivery, and provide useful information for county, watershed and regional planners.

Background Information

Rapid watershed assessments provide initial estimates of where conservation investments would best address the concerns of landowners, conservation districts, and other community organizations and stakeholders. These assessments help land-owners and local leaders set priorities and determine the best actions to achieve their goals.

To produce the assessments, quantitative and qualitative data is collected and organized to create a watershed profile using Geographic Information System (GIS) technology. The data is analyzed to allow resource concerns and conditions to become apparent, and to generate maps and information to help people make better decisions about conservation needs and programs.

Benefits of these Activities

While these rapid assessments provide less detail and analysis than full-blown studies and plans, they do provide the benefits of NRCS locally-led planning in less time and at a reduced cost. The benefits include:

  • Quick and inexpensive plans for setting priorities and taking action
     
  • Providing a level of detail that is sufficient for identifying actions that can be taken with no further watershed-level studies or analyses
  • Actions to be taken may require further Federal or State permits or ESA or NEPA analysis but these activities are part of standard requirements for use of best management practices (BMPs) and conservation systems
     
  • Identifying where further detailed analyses or watershed studies are needed
     
  • Plans address multiple objectives and concerns of landowners and communities
     
  • Plans are based on established partnerships at the local and state levels
     
  • Plans enable landowners and communities to decide on the best mix of NRCS programs that will meet their goals
     
  • Plans include the full array of conservation program tools (i.e. cost-share practices, easements, technical assistance)

Click on the map below to see the rapid watershed assessment:

French Conemaugh Lehigh Conococheague-Opequon Lower West Branch Susquehanna Upper Susquehanna-Tunkhannock schuylkill Lower Juniata Monocacy Bald Eagle Clarion Connoquenessing Gunpowder-Patapsco Lower Susquehanna-Swatara Middle Allegheny Redbank Pine Raystown Upper Ohio Upper Susquehanna-Lackawanna Youghiogheny Upper Juniata Shenango Kiskiminetas Lower Susquehanna

 

 

The NRCS Mission: Helping People Help the Land