Pacific Northwest Regional Water Quality Coordination Project Partners Land Grant Universities Alaska Cooperative Extension Service Contact Fred Sorensen: 907-786-6311 http://www.uaf.edu/ces/water/ University Publications: http://www.alaska.edu/uaf/ces/publications/ Idaho University of Idaho Cooperative Extension System Contact Bob Mahler: 208-885-7025 http://www.uidaho.edu/wq/wqhome.html University Publications: http://info.ag.uidaho.edu/Catalog/catalog.html Oregon Oregon State University Extension Service Contact Mike Gamroth: 541-737-3316 http://extension.oregonstate.edu/ University Publications: http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalog/ Washington Washington State University WSU Extension Contact Bob Simmons: 360-427-9670 ext. 690 http://wawater.wsu.edu/ University Publications: http://pubs.wsu.edu/ Northwest Indian College Contact Charlotte Clausing: 360-392-4319 cclausing@nwic.edu or http://www.nwic.edu/ Water Resource Research Institutes Water and Environmental Research Center (Alaska) http://www.uaf.edu/water/ Idaho Water Resources Research Institute http://www.boise.uidaho.edu/ Institute for Water and Watersheds (Oregon) http://water.oregonstate.edu/ State of Washington Water Research Center http://www.swwrc.wsu.edu/ Environmental Protection Agency EPA, Region 10 The Pacific Northwest http://www.epa.gov/r10earth/ Office of Research and Development, Corvallis Laboratory http://www.epa.gov/wed/ For more information contact Jan Seago at 206-553-0038 or seago.jan@epa.gov
	Based on the survey data, most technical watershed information is distributed to PNW watershed groups through local agency representatives. Agency representatives who provide technical information include local personnel representing federal, state, county, municipal, or tribal interests. When asked how they would prefer to receive additional technical information, respondents most frequently chose “presentation by unbiased official/scientist responsible for the technical information.” Survey respondents were provided with five lines (with the back of the survey available for additional writing) to answer the question, “What is your Watershed Group’s major unmet need?” Over 86 percent of respondents took the time to hand write a response to this question. This may indicate either a high level of respondent engagement in the survey itself, or that the specific question was very important to respondents. Due to the nature of the question and the space provided, answers to the question were generally short and provided either a single, major point or one-to-three equally weighted points. A simple content analysis of the written responses revealed four major thematic categories with several subthemes further defining each category (Table 2). As expected, funding constituted the largest theme of major unmet watershed group needs. Respondents consistently expressed the need for funding specific projects and activities related to watershed group plans, missions, or objectives. Respondents also articulated a fear that current funding would soon diminish, and it is therefore essential to find a sustained, secure form of base funding for watershed group administration. Table 2. Identified watershed group needs based on coded themes and subthemes. ThemeSubtheme % of Total Watershed Group Funding (47.6%) Funding for watershed projects Sustained, secure, or consistent base funding Funding for administration, organization, or staff 10.9 10.9 8.2 Watershed Group Support and Participation (22.4%) General increase in watershed group interest & participation Increase in volunteer participation or community involvement Additional paid staff person(s) 5.5 4.9 3.3 Physical or Information Needs (17.4%) Access to technical, baseline data specific to watershed The creation of a watershed plan Additional outreach and education efforts 8.7 2.2 2.2 Watershed Group Need Specific to Individual Groups(12.6%) Completion of projects specific to a group's circumstances Group focus 7.7 1.6 Conclusions based on the watershed group survey include the following: The majority of PNW watershed groups had access to adequate amounts of technical watershed information and they willingly utilized this information in watershed planning and to accomplish watershed group missions and goals. Watershed groups rely on agency personnel to provide necessary technical information and prefer to receive information in this manner. The major, unmet needs of PNW watershed groups are sustainable, base funding, increased and varied participation, and specific baseline data for watersheds in which they work. The clarification of specific agency support roles may foster an increase in agency watershed group partnerships providing further opportunity to satisfy group funding, participation, and information needs.
	This material is based upon work supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under Agreement No. 2008-51130-04734.

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HOME | About | Calendar | Contacts | Links | PNW Water Updates | Sitemap NIFA National Water Quality Program This material is based upon work supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under Agreement No. 2008-51130-04734. all external sites will open in a new browser window page last modified on April 30, 2010