Tomales Bay Watershed Council: Stewardship

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"2004 Tomales Bay Watershed Stewardship Plan, A Framework for Action," PDF document - 2.7 MB

"Executive Summary, Tomales Bay Watershed Stewardship Plan 6-page PDF document - 188 KB

"Tomales Bay Water Quality Monitoring Plan," PDF document - 273.1 KB

Stewardship Plan for Tomales Bay Watershed

Tomales Bay looking north from the mouth of Lagunitas Creek. Photo by Robert Campbell.

Comprehensive watershed management or watershed stewardship must consider all of the ecosystems that comprise a particular watershed, and many dynamic interactions and inherent connectivity between these natural systems. Effective management understands, respects, and works with natural processes. Due to the complexity of these systems, watershed planning requires an inter-disciplinary, stakeholder-based process for natural resource management.

The Council, in cooperation with the local community, has produced a Stewardship Plan for the Tomales Bay watershed to ensure that water quality in Tomales Bay and its tributary streams is sufficient to support natural resources and beneficial uses. The plan also includes recommendations to restore and protect the integrity of natural habitats and native communities, and the health of the watershed.

Implementation of the Stewardship Plan and will require on-going community support and participation if we are to preserve the health and natural beauty of the Tomales Bay watershed, and the vitality of local communities.

The plan includes three goals and four actions.

The goals are:

Ensure water quality in Tomales Bay and tributary streams sufficient to support natural resources and sustain beneficial uses;
Restore and preserve the integrity of natural habitats and native communities;
Develop strategies to implement the Plan and to protect the watershed.

The Actions recommended to achieve these goals are:

Action 1.0 Develop a coordinated and comprehensive water quality monitoring plan for Tomales Bay and tributary streams.
Action 2.0 Support implementation of practices and projects that will reduce nonpoint sources of water pollution and enhance habitats in Tomales Bay and its watershed.
Action 3.0 Assess, protect and restore key habitats for species of local interest.
Action 4.0 Promote and support public outreach.