GOUVERNEUR – A two-year study of the St. Lawrence River watershed is the subject of a public meeting in Gouverneur Dec. 3. Soil & Water Conservation Districts in an eight-county area have been …
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GOUVERNEUR – A two-year study of the St. Lawrence River watershed is the subject of a public meeting in Gouverneur Dec. 3.
Soil & Water Conservation Districts in an eight-county area have been working to develop a management plan for the St. Lawrence River watershed.
In 2017, project proponents were successful in securing a grant for $225,000 to hire consultants to conduct the study.
At meeting, in the Gouverneur Community Center, 4673 NY-58, at 5:30 Tuesday Dec. 3, the consultants will show the results of their work, and solicit ideas and comments about where to go from here.
According to the Franklin County Soil and Water Conservation District, which is taking a lead in the project, “watershed planning is a structured process of setting goals and objectives, characterizing existing conditions, and identifying actions to achieve a community’s vision for a thriving and sustainable future. A Watershed Advisory Committee (WAC) has been established to ensure that the Revitalization Plan reflects the knowledge of organizations directly involved with the St. Lawrence River watershed.”
Public outreach is an important part of the plan, and the project team will hold three public meetings, including the one in Gouverneur, to provide watershed residents with a chance to provide input, ask questions, and comment on the plan.
The watershed planning process gives communities in the watershed a chance to consider projects that could spark economic investment, natural resource protection, regional sustainability, and community revitalization. A key outcome will be identification of specific implementation projects that will help bring watershed revitalization goals to fruition.
When approved, the plan will reflect community consensus and provide a clear direction for future initiatives, which in turn will strengthen funding applications to support these initiatives.
The Watershed Project Web site, http://fcswcd.org/partnerships/st-lawrence-river-watershed-partnership-slrwp/, has links to a draft of the comprehensive Watershed Characterization Report, 33 pages of maps, and a summary of local land-use laws and watershed-related regulations.
There is also an on-line survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/GNQZCDZ. The watershed project seeks local input in identifying concerns in the watershed and prioritizing steps that can be taken to advance a community vision for a thriving and sustainable future.
The watershed planning process will give communities in the watershed a chance to consider projects that could spark economic investment, natural resource protection, regional sustainability, and community revitalization.