Agua Hedionda Watershed Management Plan
Development of the plan was a stakeholder driven, collaborative process which included support from the cities of Carlsbad, Oceanside, San Marcos, Vista and the County of San Diego. Local non-governmental organizations such as the Carlsbad Watershed Network and local regulatory agencies such as the California Department of Fish and Game, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Regional Water Quality Control Board also participated in the development of the WMP. The Plan was completed in the fall of 2008 and City of Vista adopted the Plan in the spring of 2009.
Signs of degradation are evident throughout the watershed, and significant loss of natural habitat across all ecosystems has occurred. In addition, large areas with high quality habitat in the upper watershed are planned for development. To address these and other concerns, the local stakeholders have prepared this Plan to "Preserve, restore and enhance the watershed's natural functions and features."
The Agua Hedionda WMP provides a comprehensive, scientifically-based plan for preserving, restoring, and enhancing watershed functions and minimizing future degradation. The WMP assesses past, present, and future watershed conditions and identifies management needs throughout the watershed, considering the complex relationships among different watershed processes. The WMP recommends management actions to address priority issues, build upon current efforts, and resolve existing management gaps. Watershed model results, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis, and field observations were among the tools used to prioritize the most promising opportunities. Recommended management actions include: New Development and Redevelopment Site Management, Preservation and Restoration Measures, Stormwater Best Management Practice (BMP) Retrofitting, Monitoring, and Outreach.
The recommended management opportunities will provide a number of benefits to the watershed. By addressing the goals and objectives of the plan, these opportunities will work toward preserving, restoring, and enhancing the Agua Hedionda watershed's natural functions and features. The WMP describes the specific benefits of all management types and provides quantitative estimates of benefits for low impact development, preservation, and retrofitting of existing storm water BMPs. It is important to note that the recommended actions work together to achieve greater functional uplift for the watershed. In fact, the recommendations are designed to leverage actions and maximize overall preservation and restoration benefits for the Agua Hedionda watershed. Citizen outreach and education will support the above benefits, and funding, sustained support, and monitoring will be essential for realizing the multiple benefits of the Plan. Each of these actions will further efforts towards a healthy watershed that provides habitat, water cleansing and aesthetic benefits that can be managed to promote quality local communities.
The Agua Hedionda Management Plan and Appendices are available at the link below.