Collaboration, Partnerships and a Watershed Focus

The NYSARC works closely with the NYS DEC to provide unified, nearly statewide coverage of those water resources management needs suited to be handled at the regional level. Because the regional perspective is broad enough to address multi-community concerns, yet is local enough to be sensitive to unique issues, NYSARC has specifically been looked to by NYS DEC to provide such statewide water resources management services through the years. Examples include: The statewide source water protection delineation and inventory activities undertaken by all NYSARC members as part of the NYS Groundwater Protection Program; fine tuning the State’s Antidegradation Policy through facilitating public participation; facilitating local input into the update of the State Nonpoint Source Management Plan; working with the NYSDEC to develop the Unified Watershed Assessment and Watershed Restoration and Protection Strategies (WRAPS); and working with the NYS DEC to help the State develop effective stormwater regulation-related programming.

A key aim of NYSARC water projects is transferability of methodology and/or products to other areas of the state and other watersheds. Further, the diversity of NYSARC program areas, the diversity of local constituencies NYSARC members represent, and the data accessible through NYSARC, all combine so that water resources management is approached comprehensively—economic development, land use, and water resource concerns are integrated.

NYSARC places strong emphasis on collaboration of efforts within and across regional council boundaries and on the fostering of partnerships. NYSARC strives to facilitate and conduct watershed-based initiatives. To this end, NYSARC works closely with county water quality coordinating committees (WQCCs) and the many other local and regional parties involved in water resource protection. Further, NYSARC often enlists the expertise and services of local agencies such as county planning departments, soil and water conservation districts, and county health departments.