When water flows across the land during rainfall events, it carries fertilizers, loose soil, litter and other pollutants into streams and other surrounding water bodies. As a result, everything we do on the land affects the quality and quantity of our water resources and the natural systems that surround us. Therefore, the natural resources and the quality of life in our communities are directly affected positively or negatively by the way we plan for and manage the land we use. Watershed management planning is a way to consider a wide range of environmental, economic, and social issues along with the communitys vision for the future of the watershed under a single framework. Working within physical boundaries rather than political boundaries, the watershed management planning process provides opportunities to address water quality and habitat issues beyond the scope of single jurisdictions. It provides a means to ensure environmental protection, to support quality of life issues, and accommodates economic development using the watershed as the planning framework. Any kind of planning allows you to put a single action into the context of a larger vision watershed management planning allows for that vision to include healthy natural resources and waterways.