Watershed Support Network

Watershed Support Network's goal is to increase the ability of watershed partnerships to plan and implement successful watershed-level protection and restoration projects.

Our Approach:

River Network and partner organizations across the nation coordinate and provide support services for local watershed groups and training in specific skills

1. Watershed assessment and monitoring design.
2. Analysis of watershed project alternatives and results.
3. Requirements of the Clean Water and Safe Drinking Water Acts.
4. Acquisition of funds (for watershed assessment, protection and restoration).
5. Outreach (to ensure involvement and support of the local project community).
6. Collaborative planning and consensus-building techniques.
   Assessment of partnership ability to undertake long-term watershed projects (benchmarking).

An Integrated National Support System:

The thousands of watershed partnerships across the country need an integrated national support system to help assure their success. When fully implemented, this system includes national training programs, on-line resources, written materials, regional workshops, direct consulting services and access to capacity-building grants.

The elements of this system will assure that watershed groups can be strong partners with state and federal agencies. Managers of watershed support programs across the country will learn best techniques from each other, test new ideas, and compare and evaluate programs.

River Network and the Watershed Support Network (WSN) have demonstrably increased the capacity of watershed organizations. Watershed groups that received our services developed larger and more diverse budgets, became less reliant on EPA 319 grants, and made better use of essential planning and fiscal management tools.

Over the last few years, River Network and several capacity-building groups assessed, trained and supported watershed groups across the country. The majority of groups were in the following states: Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Stories & Alerts

Winter Training 2010

The Winter Training is organized by River Network and many allied organizations. This years training will take place December 6th-8th at the Capital Retreat Center, located in Waynesboro, PA. www.capitalretreat.org. Please contact Dawn DiFuria for more information. (503) 542-8393.

All Stories & Alerts

Contact Information

Wendy Wilson
National Director of Organizational Development
(208) 345-3689

Dawn DiFuria
Organizational Development Program Associate
(503) 542-8393

Mary Ellen Olcese
Mid-Atlantic Program Manager
(410) 745-3053

Diana Toledo
Southeast Program Manager
(828) 258-2109