We recognize that our Watershed Planning Guide may not provide all the answers you’re looking for when it comes to watersheds. Below, you’ll find links to the EPA watershed planning guidance and other key guidance resources.

EPA Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans to Restore and Protect Our Waters
This very long guide (400 pages) is more of a comprehensive reference and contains a lot of very helpful information. The website also links to a number of other resources, such as information on incorporating wetlands into watershed planning, a recorded webinar on the handbook, and even a watershed plan builder. You can download the entire guide or link into specific chapters, depending on your needs.

A QUICK GUIDE to Developing Watershed Plans to Restore and Protect Our Waters
Another EPA publication but only around 30 pages in length.  The link takes you directly to the PDF of the guide.  This is is a much shorter guide that walks users through the steps to develop a watershed plan that incorporates the nine key planning elements.  A number of EPA datasets and tools are described and referenced and case studies and “lessons learned” are featured.