Watershed Assessments

Services Offered:

• Integrated Watershed Assessment & Analysis
• Watershed Restoration Planning & Design
• Public Outreach & Project Planning

 

 

Our approach to watershed assessment utilizes the talents of our multi-disciplinary scientific team. Watershed Consulting has expertise in watershed hydrology, geomorphology, fisheries biology, geographic information systems, forestry, forest soil sciences, vegetation restoration, and water quality. We have consistently provided clientele with practical management recommendations and restoration designs. We produce quality restoration projects that take into account the environmental and socioeconomic influences affecting watersheds.

We listen to our clients needs, and then develop a work plan with project cooperators to guide communication among stakeholders, project monitoring and assessment efforts, restoration design and implementation, data management and mapping, public outreach, and planning for future funding if needed. We facilitate long-term management and restoration planning focused on developing stakeholder relationships to ensure continued success and cooperation.

We also have the expertise, equipment and materials at our disposal to complete any kind of habitat or watershed restoration project. In addition to the broad range of expertise represented by our in-house staff, we have working associations with a variety of engineering firms, computer modelers, native plant nurseries, heavy equipment operators, and environmental laboratories.

Watershed Consulting's approach to watershed assessment:

• We work with project coordinators to identify all stakeholders, existing data sources, and known influences on the watershed and its inhabitants to design a comprehensive and efficient approach to watershed assessment.
• We approach issues on a process-based level. This means we must examine the hydrologic and geomorphic processes that shape the watershed, as opposed to a purely descriptive approach of current conditions.
• We investigate the interrelationships between the hydrologic, geomorphic and biologic processes and examine how these factors influence each other.
• We take into account the dynamic variability of the river corridor. For example, the changing channel dynamics of a normal functioning stream. In the end, the assessment should answer the questions of how much and why has a watershed departed from its potential, and what steps are necessary to bring it back.
• We are result-oriented. The assessment must provide information that leads to practical recommendations for short- and long-term restoration and management.
• Each watershed is unique and dynamic. We work closely with the client to ensure we account for any special needs or concerns.

 

We refine our assessment approach and on-the-ground ecological restoration techniques with each completed project. Our extensive assessment experience and our personal, dynamic, and comprehensive approach make Watershed Consulting your best resource for completing watershed assessment or restoration work.

Practical Restoration Recommendations

While our experience provides a solid understanding of watershed dynamics, every watershed has unique biotic and abiotic factors and every watershed faces unique issues of concern from the stakeholders. Over the past several years, we have helped many clients cope with a wide variety of issues as they work to resolve their questions and concerns. Our completed project list represents a broad range of problems and concerns, many of which have required unique management recommendations and restoration designs. In the end, we have consistently produced products that have been used successfully by clients to seek out and receive funding for restoration work.