The Potomac Watershed Partnership (PWP) is a collaborative effort among federal, state, and local partners to restore the health of the land and waters of the Potomac River Basin, thereby enhancing the quality of life and overall health of the Chesapeake Bay.
Background PWP was formed in 2000 through a USDA Forest Service Initiative that funded 16 large-scale projects nationwide; each project focused on restoring their respective watersheds through partnerships. Potomac Conservancy was chosen to coordinate PWP, whose steering committee consisted originally of five primary partners: USDA Forest Service (including George Washington/Jefferson National Forests), Maryland Department of Natural Resources - Forest Service, Virginia Department of Forestry, Ducks Unlimited, and Potomac Conservancy. Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection joined PWP as a steering committee member in 2002, and representatives from West Virginia Division of Forestry, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and the US Fish & Wildlife Service joined the PWP steering committee in 2007. For upcoming PWP events, please go to the Potomac Conservancy's Calendar.
Issues In its first year, the partnership completed a strategic forest assessment for the Potomac Watershed to determine where the highest priority forestlands were in most need of restoration, in both rural and urban areas. Consequently, PWP partners chose to target the following two sub-watersheds: the Shenandoah in Virginia and the Monocacy/Antietam in Maryland. At the time of the assessment, these subwatersheds had the lowest percentage of healthy riparian forests and wetlands, the highest levels of nutrient and sediment pollution, the most forest tracts destroyed by gypsy moths and wildfire, and some of the greatest development pressures in the Potomac basin.
Goals Leveraging skills and resources, PWP partners work with private landowners, community organizations, businesses, and governments to undertake a variety of efforts to improve water quality; enhance forest, wetland, and aquatic habitats; restore threatened and endangered species; reduce erosion; and conserve open space. The following six goals guide PWP efforts:
- Increase and spread knowledge through assessment, monitoring, and education
- Accelerate riparian and wetland restoration
- Promote land protection and stewardship
- Enhance forest stewardship and reduce wildfire risk
- Create more livable communities
- Sustain and expand partnerships
Citizens benefit from these efforts through healthier streams and landscapes, improved flood and fire control, increased land values, education, and stewardship.
2007 Partnership Projects PWP partners are actively leading efforts to restore the health of the land and waters of the Potomac River watershed. We will post project summaries as they are available: Frederick City Watershed Crop Tree Release � March 2007 (.pdf)
Resources To learn more about PWP and its success over the past six years, download: Potomac Watershed Partnership 2006 Annual Report (2.2 MB pdf) Potomac Watershed Partnership 2000-2005 Report (2.4 MB pdf)
Contact Information For more information about the Potomac Watershed Partnership, visit www.potomacwatershed.net or contact the Potomac Watershed Partnership Coordinator.