Ohio Watershed Academy 2009

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Assignment PT3-1

If possible, complete the following exercise with your watershed group. Choose a water quality problem that has been identified in your watershed*. If you have already completed EDMA-1-"How Healthy is Your Watershed?", refer back to the problem statement developed for Assignment EDMA1-1.

Identify goals for the problem you have selected. The following question may help you generate goals:

1. "What matters most to you (as a stakeholder) with regard to this problem?"

Next, identify objectives for each goal. Remember that the goal is the desired outcome or ends and the objectives are specific steps taken to reach the goal or means. The following question may help you generate objectives:

2. "How would you achieve this goal?"

Finally, try to identify at least one relevant decision criteria to monitor performance.

Complete the items in Table I (see example, below). Feel free to recreate this table to work through this exercise with your group.

*Note: Not all goals stem from problems. In some cases, goals may reflect a desire to protect or enhance an existing resource, such as a valuable natural area.

Table I: Developing goals and objectives from problems.
(See Ohio EPA "A Guide to Developing Watershed Action Plans" pages 36-41 for more examples and a description of each item).

Problem
Organic Enrichment
Potential and / or known sources*
Failed septic systems (p)
Related biophysical, social, policy, and institutional considerations
  1. General concern about costs associated with upgrading septic systems.
  2. Lack of knowledge of failing systems and their related effects on water quality.
  3. Outdated standards and practices for siting and construction of home septic systems.
Goals
  1. Reduce organic enrichment
  2. Minimize costs
  3. Increase community understanding of problem
Objectives
  1. Educate septic system owners on how to maintain systems
  2. Develop ordinances requiring septic system owners to certify functioning of systems.
  3. Update standards and practices for siting and construction of home septic systems
Tasks

[List specific action items that, if completed, would have you accomplishing your objectives]

*Indicate if source is potential or known by placing a (p) for potential or (k) for known after source.

Products to turn in for review:

Answers to questions 1-2 above.

Evaluation

Assignment PT3-1 Evaluation