Improving the water quality of local streams is an objective the SCCD and Sheridan NRCS consider in nearly every program or project that is implemented within Sheridan County.  In a survey conducted by the SCCD in 2001, over 60% of the respondents ranked water resource concerns in the top vie.  As a result, water resources have become a primary focus of the SCCD and Sheridan NRCS. 

Local water resource related projects include water quality assessments, watershed planning efforts, and watershed improvement programs that include improvements to Animal Feeding Operations (AFOs) and septic systems, stock water development projects, riparian buffer projects, stream channel restoration projects, and others.  The Tongue River and Goose Creek watershed efforts have identified water quality concerns on the watersheds and provided means for making improvements.  The following links provide descriptions of the local watershed projects currently underway in Sheridan County.  If you would like specific information related to one of these projects, please contact the SCCD for assistance.

Watershed Assessments conducted by the SCCD follow the same basic design.  A comprehensive review of all existing data on a watershed is conducted.  This review includes all historical (greater than 5 years old) and current (less than five years old) information that can be found.  This review of existing information is combined with the collection of data from various locations on the watershed.  This sampling includes various physical, chemical, biological, and habitat parameters.  Though some parameters, such as bacteria, pH, temperature, conductivity, discharge, turbidity, nutrients, and benthic macroinvertebrates are consistent; other parameters are also done, depending on the interest or needs of the watershed residents.  Once the information is collected and analyzed by a contract laboratory, all data and field notes undergo an internal quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) process as well as an audit by the WDEQ QA/QC officer.   Once the data are reviewed and analyzed, a final report is issued to the WDEQ and other interested agencies and public. The Watershed Assessment becomes the foundation for a successful Watershed Planning effort. 

Watershed Planning is a locally led, voluntary, and dynamic process driven by the expectations of the stakeholders and developed through active, public participation.  The planning process builds upon the education efforts initiated with the assessment and uses voluntary, incentive-based measures developed and applied locally.  Alternatively, WDEQ can initiate a regulatory process.  While this process would likely target volutary measures, it is a DEQ-directed process.

Typically, a watershed planning process involves a series of public and planning meetings.  Meeting participants identify their concerns, in addition to any identified through the assessment.  Participants develop objectives and action strategies for maintaining or improving water quality.  Between meetings, SCCD personnel put all of the information from the meetings into the actual document.  The final draft is subject to a public comment period and submitted to WDEQ for their approval.  SCCD works with the landowners and other partners to implement the action items identified in the plan.