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Water quality improvement protection programs are most effective when targeted to 

 address entire watersheds or hydrologic units, even though practice implementation is 

 site specific. 



Management considerations for both water quality and water quantity are closely 

 intercoimected and both must be considered in comprehensive water quality protection. 



Water quality and other water resource values reflect land uses and land cover in a 

 watershed. 



Water quality problems and improvements can best be documented through water 

 quality monitoring over a period of years. 



• Nonpoint source pollution prevention presents a great challenge to society. Programs 

 must be developed with full recognition of the complexity of the interactions in the 

 hydrologic system and within ecosystems. While there is much that can and should be 

 done immediately, it will be critical to expand the knowledge base about these systems 

 through research and data collection. There will be a great need for increased training 

 and education to develop the judgement and expertise that will be needed to properly 

 manage address nonpoint source problems. 



Federal. State and Local Governmental Responsibilities 



A number of federal agencies have important roles in addressing water quality issues. 

 Resources and capabilities of each of these agencies need to be utilized, coordinated, 

 integrated and directed. In addition to various federal agency inter-relationships, the issue of 

 coordination is further complicated by the fact that state governments have primary 

 responsibilities for many areas of water supply and quality protection within their boundaries. 



State governments have assisted in the development of a number of model programs to 

 protect water quality. In the areas of research and extension, states appropriate several times 

 the amount of money that they receive from the federal government. Most states are assuming 

 a strong role in water quality protection and allocation programs. There are also regional and 

 local programs, including river basin authorities, that have jurisdictions within and across state 

 lines. Any new legislation should allow for dynamic interactions among the federal 

 government, regional structures, state programs and local entities, so that national investments 

 are clearly integrated and coupled with those of state and local governments to create a ~ 

 synergism to effectively deal with the problems that no level of government alone can solve 

 (Water Quality 2000, 1993). Successful approaches to water quality programs will involve the 

 following considerations: 



• Program integration and coordination must be conducted at several levels: 



1 . Overall coordination of policies must occur among the several agencies within a 

 common framework. 



March 23, 1994 



