What is a Healthy Watershed?
In determining the health of a watershed, it is important to look at both the 'current conditions' and 'reference conditions,' which may be 50-100 years ago.  A watershed assessment of current and reference conditions primarily studies water quality and quantity, fisheries, streamside vegetation, air quality, fire history, geology, soils, vegetation, plant species, noxious weeds, wildlife, wildlife habitat, land ownership, land use, the economic, institutional and social settings, and management policies.

Water quality can be an important indicator of watershed health, since as water moves through the watershed it picks up tiny particles of soil, oil, manure, pesticides, and other pollutants.

Achieving and maintaining the health of a watershed depends on the responsible actions and cooperation of everyone in the watershed.

Why Care About Our Watersheds?
Cold, clean water is one of the most important natural resources flowing from the forests and wildlands of the north state. About 75% of the available water in California originates in the northern third of the state. 80% of the demand for that water is in the southern two-thirds of the state.

California’s largest river, the Sacramento, yields 35% of the state’s developed water supply and provides rearing habitat for 70% of all Chinook salmon caught off the California coast. For these and other reasons, there are numerous agencies, communities, businesses and people who care about the health of Shasta County watersheds.

In the late 1960’s and early 70’s various government regulatory agencies made a commitment to protect the environment by regulating point source polluters. Tremendous improvement has been made since then and, as a whole, our environment is much cleaner. Today the pollution still found in watersheds tends to come from non-point sources, such as erosion, pesticide and oil runoff, over grazing, storm water, and from mine drainage, antiquated dams, and many other places. Regulatory agencies, such as U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish & Game, and the State Water Resources Control Board are committed to improving the health of Shasta County watersheds and are willing to work with residents, landowners and other interested parties to accomplish this goal.

Join a watershed group; be active in improving the health of your watershed!

	Landowners
	Homeowners
	Local Businesses
	Developers
	Recreation Users
	Government Agencies
	Elected Officials
	Media
	Teachers
	Civic Groups
	Conservation Groups
	Environmentalists
	Church Groups
	Youth Groups
	And More!