Step 4: Design Implementation Program and Assemble the Watershed Plan (cont.)

Establish Milestones
To help stay on track you should develop interim milestones. Think about want you want to accomplish and by when. It usually helps to think of milestones in terms of relevant time scales. For example,

• Short-term (1 to 2 years).
• Mid-term (2 to 5 years).
• Long-term (5 to 10 years or longer).

It is also helpful to think of the milestones as subtasks, or what needs to be accomplished over time to fully implement the practice or management measure. When determining time scales and subtasks for actions, place the milestones in the context of the implementation strategy. Given the selected practices and the available funds or time frame for obtaining grants, estimate what can be accomplished by when.

Example Milestones:
Short-Term (< 2 years)

• Achieve 5 percent reduction in sediment load on 1,000 acres of agricultural land in the Cross Creek subwatershed by implementing rotational grazing practices.
• Eliminate direct sources of organic waste, nutrients, and fecal coliform bacteria to the stream by installing 5,00 feet of fencing to exclude direct access to cattle along Cross Creek.

Mid-Term (< 5 years)

• Reduce streambank erosion and sediment loading rate by 15 percent by reestablishing vegetation along 3,600 feet of Cross Creek.

Long-Term (5 years or longer)

• Achieve the fecal coliform water quality standard in the upper section of Cross Creek above Highway 64.