Protecting Land and 

 Water Resources 



To manage the use of land and water in the watershed, the 

 Conference must determine why these resources are being adver- 

 sely affected and how to prevent further major loss. Natural causes 

 may be responsible for some of the loss. Other forces beyond the 

 Conference's control, such as overwhelming demands from 

 dramatic growth in population, may be the cause. A serious drought 

 in a watershed with an already overextended supply of surface 

 water may take many years to overcome. Planning ahead may help 

 to reduce additional losses of land and water resources. In Puget 

 Sound, for example, the loss of wetlands from human activity is a 

 major concern. To preserve the remaining wetlands, the Puget 

 Sound program is taking actions as briefly outlined in Table 4.7. 



The Management Conference can use existing regulatory 

 programs and other mechanisms to control land and water uses. 

 Among those worth considering are federal, state, and local special 

 protective laws and set aside programs that employ provisions of 

 the following legislation and programs: 



• Clean Water Act Section 208 planning, Section 303 desig- 

 nated use authority, and Section 404 permitting authority; 



• Wild and Scenic Rivers Act; 



• Endangered Species Act; 



• Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act; 



• Historic Preservation Act; 



• 1985 Farm Bill "swampbuster" provisions; 



• Private and public land banks, including agricultural ease- 

 ments, conservation easements, wildlife refuges, and parks; 



• Groundwater strategy; 



• Critical, exceptional, or sensitive areas protective legislation; 



• Wellhead protection program; 



• Local zoning ordinances; and 



• EPA and state antidegradation policies for water quality. 



If, for example, freshwater inflow has been identified as a problem 

 in the estuary, initiating conservation measures, developing reser- 

 voirs, or eliminating freshwater diversion to maintain minimum 

 flows may be useful. Estuaries must often compete for fresh water. 

 Needs for municipal water, hydroelectric power, and agricultural 

 irrigation projects must be balanced against the needs of an 

 estuary. 



Because the nation's population is growing rapidly in coastal areas, 

 it has become increasingly necessary to plan to protect land and 

 water resources. Unless protective measures are adopted, popula- 

 tion pressure and changing land use patterns undoubtedly will lead 

 to further degradation of these resources. 



In addressing problems of population growth, public access, or 

 governance, all conceivable management and regulatory ap- 



51 



