Action checklist

Watershed groups have a major public involvement opportunity here. Put
yourself in the driver's seat by placing the issue of use designation
for your watershed's streams on your state's official
agenda.

Gather information - pictures, newspaper articles, personal letters,
and the like - to document the full range of existing uses. Provide
this information to your water quality agency, to other public interest
groups in the area, and to the media. Establish a good paper trail.
Keep the EPA informed.

Then make a formal proposal to the state to designate all the proper
uses for all the rivers, streams, lakes, wetlands and estuaries in your
watershed. Continue to pursue the issue until all existing uses are
protected by those designated in your watershed. The designation of a
use is the essential first step toward protecting the use. The next is
the application of strong water quality criteria.

1. Find out what general "use classifications" your water quality agency has established.

2. Identify any waters whose designated uses do not include swimming and aquatic life.

3. Identify any waters whose existing uses may not be adequately protected by the uses that have been designated.

4. Provide your water quality agency with information (pictures, newspaper articles, personal letters, notes from your interviews with river users, etc.) to demonstrate the full range of existing uses for each waterbody.