Devolution and watershed management: Defining the roles of state and local governments

Since the passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972, federal efforts to control water quality have shifted away from traditional end-of-pipe regulation to a more unified "watershed" management approach. This shift has been accompanied by the devolution of water quality responsibilities from federal to state and local governments and increasingly relate to the need to control nonpoint sources of pollution. By recognizing that many land use practices result in nonpoint pollution, federal and state support for a watershed management approach that incorporates land use control measures has grown. However, a dearth of information exists regarding the implications that devolution of water quality responsibilities will have on local governments in Georgia or to the capacity of those local governments to assume more water quality management responsibilities. This thesis recognizes the disjoint between water quality authority and land use authority; highlights federal and state statutory support for protecting water quality through watershed management; and also provides recommendations for Georgia's state and local government officials to more efficiently and effectively manage on a watershed level.