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The focus of these numerous entities varies
widely, from Regional Water Quality Control Boards
which supervise regional aspects of surface and
groundwater regulation to local city governments
which deal with water quality issues within their
geographic limits. Among these many individual
participants are groups that focus on studying,
restoring and preventing harmful practices in a
specific watershed.
Local watershed projects may include federal,
state, regional, non-profit and local bodies and
private citizens. However, they all have one thing
in common, in that they focus on problems and
solutions specific to their target watershed.
In addition to its own regional efforts, the
WQPP also works with these local programs, looking
for potential areas of cooperation and integration
and striving to strengthen the ties among them. For
example, the Coastal Watershed Council, a group
which organizes volunteer monitoring and
restoration projects, has worked with the WQPP and
the Sanctuary's Conservation Working Group to
coordinate regional volunteer monitoring efforts
(see Coastal Links, Winter 1997 issue).
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Collaboration with the local watershed efforts
of the Santa Cruz and San Mateo Resource
Conservation Districts has included co-sponsoring
watershed stewardship training workshops and the
development of a grant proposal for erosion control
programs. A further example of the WQPP's
cooperative efforts is its work with the Elkhorn
Slough Watershed Project to develop a system of
regulatory coordination within the Sanctuary region
(see regulatory coordination on page 2).
The map on the following pages highlights six
local watershed projects. These are just a few
examples of the many local undertakings throughout
the region. Each is helping to make a difference to
the Sanctuary's water quality by working to improve
the natural resources in a specific watershed.
These local efforts are key to community
involvement in resource protection.
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