{"identifier":"/us/usc/t16/s6543","title":16,"num":"\u00a7\u202f6543.","heading":"Watershed Condition Framework","text":"\u00a7\u202f6543.\nWatershed Condition Framework\n(a)\nIn general\nThe Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service (referred to in this section as the \u201cSecretary\u201d), may establish and maintain a Watershed Condition Framework for National Forest System land\u2014\n(1) to evaluate and classify the condition of watersheds, taking into consideration\u2014\n(A) water quality and quantity;\n(B) aquatic habitat and biota;\n(C) riparian and wetland vegetation;\n(D) the presence of roads and trails;\n(E) soil type and condition;\n(F) groundwater-dependent ecosystems;\n(G) relevant terrestrial indicators, such as fire regime, risk of catastrophic fire, forest and rangeland vegetation, invasive species, and insects and disease; and\n(H) other significant factors, as determined by the Secretary;\n(2) to identify for protection and restoration up to 5 priority watersheds in each National Forest, and up to 2 priority watersheds in each national grassland, taking into consideration the impact of the condition of the watershed condition on\u2014\n(A) wildfire behavior;\n(B) flood risk;\n(C) fish and wildlife;\n(D) drinking water supplies;\n(E) irrigation water supplies;\n(F) forest-dependent communities; and\n(G) other significant impacts, as determined by the Secretary;\n(3) to develop a watershed protection and restoration action plan for each priority watershed that\u2014\n(A) takes into account existing restoration activities being implemented in the watershed; and\n(B) includes, at a minimum\u2014\n(i) the major stressors responsible for the impaired condition of the watershed;\n(ii) a set of essential projects that, once completed, will address the identified stressors and improve watershed conditions;\n(iii) a proposed implementation schedule;\n(iv) potential partners and funding sources; and\n(v) a monitoring and evaluation program;\n(4) to prioritize protection and restoration activities for each watershed restoration action plan;\n(5) to implement each watershed protection and restoration action plan; and\n(6) to monitor the effectiveness of protection and restoration actions and indicators of watershed health.\n(b)\nCoordination\nIn carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary shall\u2014\n(1) coordinate with interested non-Federal landowners and State, Tribal, and local governments within the relevant watershed; and\n(2) provide for an active and ongoing public engagement process.\n(c)\nEmergency designation\nNotwithstanding paragraph (2) of subsection (a), the Secretary may identify a watershed as a priority for rehabilitation in the Watershed Condition Framework without using the process described in that subsection if a Forest Supervisor determines that\u2014\n(1) a wildfire has significantly diminished the condition of the watershed; and\n(2) the emergency stabilization activities of the Burned Area Emergency Response Team are insufficient to return the watershed to proper function.","url":"https://projectusc.org/usc/t16/s6543.html","content":[{"t":"sec","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543","children":[{"t":"num","text":"\u00a7\u202f6543."},{"t":"heading","text":"Watershed Condition Framework"},{"t":"subsec","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/a","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(a)"},{"t":"heading","text":"In general"},{"t":"chapeau","text":"The Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service (referred to in this section as the \u201cSecretary\u201d), may establish and maintain a Watershed Condition Framework for National Forest System land\u2014"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/a/1","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(1)"},{"t":"chapeau","text":" to evaluate and classify the condition of watersheds, taking into consideration\u2014"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/a/1/A","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(A)"},{"t":"content","text":" water quality and quantity;","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/a/1/B","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(B)"},{"t":"content","text":" aquatic habitat and biota;","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/a/1/C","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(C)"},{"t":"content","text":" riparian and wetland vegetation;","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/a/1/D","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(D)"},{"t":"content","text":" the presence of roads and trails;","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/a/1/E","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(E)"},{"t":"content","text":" soil type and condition;","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/a/1/F","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(F)"},{"t":"content","text":" groundwater-dependent ecosystems;","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/a/1/G","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(G)"},{"t":"content","text":" relevant terrestrial indicators, such as fire regime, risk of catastrophic fire, forest and rangeland vegetation, invasive species, and insects and disease; and","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/a/1/H","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(H)"},{"t":"content","text":" other significant factors, as determined by the Secretary;","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/a/2","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(2)"},{"t":"chapeau","text":" to identify for protection and restoration up to 5 priority watersheds in each National Forest, and up to 2 priority watersheds in each national grassland, taking into consideration the impact of the condition of the watershed condition on\u2014"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/a/2/A","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(A)"},{"t":"content","text":" wildfire behavior;","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/a/2/B","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(B)"},{"t":"content","text":" flood risk;","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/a/2/C","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(C)"},{"t":"content","text":" fish and wildlife;","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/a/2/D","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(D)"},{"t":"content","text":" drinking water supplies;","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/a/2/E","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(E)"},{"t":"content","text":" irrigation water supplies;","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/a/2/F","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(F)"},{"t":"content","text":" forest-dependent communities; and","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/a/2/G","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(G)"},{"t":"content","text":" other significant impacts, as determined by the Secretary;","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/a/3","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(3)"},{"t":"chapeau","text":" to develop a watershed protection and restoration action plan for each priority watershed that\u2014"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/a/3/A","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(A)"},{"t":"content","text":" takes into account existing restoration activities being implemented in the watershed; and","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/a/3/B","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(B)"},{"t":"chapeau","text":" includes, at a minimum\u2014"},{"t":"clause","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/a/3/B/i","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(i)"},{"t":"content","text":" the major stressors responsible for the impaired condition of the watershed;","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"clause","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/a/3/B/ii","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(ii)"},{"t":"content","text":" a set of essential projects that, once completed, will address the identified stressors and improve watershed conditions;","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"clause","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/a/3/B/iii","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(iii)"},{"t":"content","text":" a proposed implementation schedule;","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"clause","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/a/3/B/iv","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(iv)"},{"t":"content","text":" potential partners and funding sources; and","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"clause","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/a/3/B/v","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(v)"},{"t":"content","text":" a monitoring and evaluation program;","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/a/4","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(4)"},{"t":"content","text":" to prioritize protection and restoration activities for each watershed restoration action plan;","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/a/5","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(5)"},{"t":"content","text":" to implement each watershed protection and restoration action plan; and","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/a/6","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(6)"},{"t":"content","text":" to monitor the effectiveness of protection and restoration actions and indicators of watershed health.","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subsec","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/b","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(b)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Coordination"},{"t":"chapeau","text":"In carrying out subsection (a), the Secretary shall\u2014"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/b/1","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(1)"},{"t":"content","text":" coordinate with interested non-Federal landowners and State, Tribal, and local governments within the relevant watershed; and","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/b/2","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(2)"},{"t":"content","text":" provide for an active and ongoing public engagement process.","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subsec","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/c","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(c)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Emergency designation"},{"t":"chapeau","text":"Notwithstanding paragraph (2) of subsection (a), the Secretary may identify a watershed as a priority for rehabilitation in the Watershed Condition Framework without using the process described in that subsection if a Forest Supervisor determines that\u2014"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/c/1","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(1)"},{"t":"content","text":" a wildfire has significantly diminished the condition of the watershed; and","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t16/s6543/c/2","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(2)"},{"t":"content","text":" the emergency stabilization activities of the Burned Area Emergency Response Team are insufficient to return the watershed to proper function.","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"text","text":"\n"}]}]}