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General Information: What is a
Watershed?
A watershed is the area of land (sheds its
water) to a single water body like a lake or river. A large
watershed typically includes many streams, lakes and wetlands within its
boundaries, and their water quality is a direct reflection of land use
activities. Thus improvements in water quality won't happen without
improved land management. |
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Wisconsin's Priority Watershed Program
The Wisconsin Priority Watershed Program
was created in 1978 by the state legislature. The goal of the
program is to improve and protect the water quality of streams, lakes,
wetlands, and groundwater by reducing pollutants from urban and rural
nonpoint sources. Nonpoint sources of pollution include: erosion
from agricultural lands, streambanks and shorelines, and developing urban
areas, and runoff from livestock wastes and established urban areas.
Pollutants from nonpoint sources are carried to the surface water or
groundwater through the action of rainfall runoff, snow melt, and seepage. |
