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HDRU OUTREACH SERIES 11-1

               Understanding Landowner and Municipal Official
               Perceptions of Water Quality in a Local Watershed
             Shorna Broussard Allred, Margaret Kurth, Carolyn Klocker, & Allison Chatrychan

What is Water Quality?                                     water quality issues. The collective decisions of
Water quality is a term that describes the physical,       landowners can have enormous ramifications for
chemical, and biological properties of water, usually      water quality.
with respect to its use for a particular purpose. Water    Understanding landowner perceptions helps local
that may be safe enough to wash your car may not be        officials:
clean enough to drink or may be harmful to aquatic
animals and plants. Water quality standards help              Maintain and build the public’s trust that local
define the levels at which certain substances can be           government will address residents’ concerns and
found in our water and still be safe for different uses.       show that local officials are responsive to those
Human dimensions research can help us understand               concerns;
resident and municipal official perceptions of water          Create communication messages that resonate
quality.                                                       with the public and to which they will respond;
What Threatens Water Quality?                                 Understand residents’ attitudes about who is
While the Clean Water Act of 1972 alleviated much              responsible for protecting water quality;
of the water quality degradation by pollution from            Understand landowner willingness to maintain or
identifiable sources (point sources), addressing               change their behavior to improve water quality;
pollution from more diffuse, nonpoint sources
                                                              Identify problems that arise in the watershed
remains a challenge. Nonpoint source pollution does
                                                               which residents are often the first to experience;
not enter streams and lakes via a pipe discharge but           and
is carried to water bodies by rain or snow that
runs off and through the surrounding landscape.               Identify misconceptions that residents may hold
The close connection between water bodies and                  about what problems exist, especially those that
their surrounding landscape makes water quality                are invisible to untrained observers.
susceptible to negative effects of land-use change.        When municipal officials understand their own
Traditional development typically decreases the            perspectives as well as those of landowners, they can
natural water filtration and storage mechanisms that       align priorities and create responsive policies.
exist in a watershed (wetlands, open space,
                                                           Research Methods
streamside vegetation, etc.). The Wappinger Creek
                                                           In the Spring and Summer of 2009, researchers at
Watershed can serve as a case study on the threat
                                                           Cornell Cooperative Extension and the Human
that development poses to water quality in a major
                                                           Dimensions Research Unit sent a questionnaire to
tributary of the lower Hudson River.
                                                           1,422 landowners (response rate = 26%) and 326
Why is it Important to Understand Perceptions?             municipal officials (response rate = 32%) in the 13
Improvements in water quality cannot be made               municipalities of the Wappinger Creek Watershed in
through regulation alone but also require the              Dutchess County, New York to collect data to inform
involvement of local communities. While municipal          outreach and education efforts in the watershed. This
officials can and should use water quality data to         factsheet reports on the water quality perceptions
guide their land-use decisions, it is also critical that   (i.e. attitudes, views, awareness, and concerns) of
they recognize the distinct human dimension of             landowners and municipal officials, how closely
their perceptions compare to scientifically identified                           Municipal officials perceive many of the problems
problems in the watershed, and the factors that                                  in the watershed as more severe than landowners do
influence perceptions.                                                           and the difference in response is statistically
                                                                                 significant for more than half of the water quality
Perceptions of Water Quality
                                                                                 problems. Additionally, the frequency of “don’t
Figure 1 shows the average responses of landowners
                                                                                 know” responses by landowners was more than 50%
and municipal officials regarding the extent to which
                                                                                 for nearly half of the watershed problems including
they believe each is a problem in their watershed.
                                                                                 pesticides, harmful bacteria, above average water
  Figure 1: “In your opinion, how much of a                                      temperature, nitrogen, and phosphorus in water
  problem is each in the Wappinger Creek                                         bodies as well as seepage from septic tanks/sewer
  Watershed”?                                                                    lines and well water contamination. The higher
                 Municipal Officials             Landowners                      severity ratings given to watershed problems by
 Above average water                                                             municipal officials, along with their greater degree of
    temperature                                                                  certainty may be due to their responsibility to
                                                                                 manage watershed quality at the local level.
    Harmful bacteria in
                                                                                 However, their greater certainty and concern does
      water bodies
                                                                                 not necessarily mean they are more aware. Bringing
            Well water                                                           municipal officials’ desire to address watershed
          contamination                                                          problems in line with landowners’ priorities will
     Loss of streamside                                                          need to be carried out through communication about
         vegetation                                                              the issues.
    Turbidity or muddy                                     *                     Concerns about Watershed Problems
       appearance                                                                In addition to rating the severity of watershed
    Pesticides in water
                                                                                 problems, survey respondents were asked to choose
          bodies                                                                 those problems that are of top concern to them
                                                                                 (Table 1).
  Seepage from septic
   tanks/sewer lines                                                             Table 1: Top Concerns of Watershed Stakeholders
       Garbage/litter in                                                                 Municipal Officials          Landowners
        water bodies
                                                                                 1st Sediment deposition       Garbage in and around
                                                               *
Loss of aquatic habitat                                                              (40%)                     water bodies (42%)

                                                               *
                                                                                 2nd Road salt runoff (36%)    Seepage from septic
           Flood damage                                                                                        tanks (31%)

  Phosphorus in w ater                                                           3rd Garbage in and around     Pesticides in water
        bodies                                                                       water bodies (24%)        (29%)
      Nitrogen in water                                            *             4th Harmful bacteria in       Loss of habitat for
           bodies                                                                    water (24%)               trout/aquatic species &
                                                                   *                                           Harmful bacteria in
     Road salt in runoff                                                                                       water (25%)

 Eroding and unstable                                              *             5th Eroding and unstable      Well water
    stream banks                                                                     banks (26%)               contamination (23%)
     Invasive plants in                                                *
     water/along banks                                                           Watershed Condition
                                                                       *
                                                                                 While stakeholder perceptions should guide local
  Sediment deposition                                                            policies and management actions, these actions
                                                                                 must also be grounded in the watershed conditions.
                                1          2         3                     4     Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County
                                     Average Perception of
                                                                                 held a meeting in May 2010 during which
                                       Problem Severity
Scale: 1=not a problem, 2=slight problem, 3=moderate problem, 4=severe problem
                                                                                 stakeholders of the Wappinger Creek Watershed
*statistically significant difference at the p<.05 level
reinforced that comparing perceptions with                Loss of aquatic habitat: Long and short term trends
scientifically identified water quality problems is a       of declining biologic communities have been
priority for them. Although data does not exist for all     observed, probably as a result of land development
the problems asked about in the survey, the available       pressures on aquatic habitats (Stainbrook, 2006).
data can provide a basis for comparison and
                                                          Invasive Plants: There is excessive invasive weed
prioritization. Table 2 identifies the most critical
                                                            growth, especially in the Southern end of the
causes and effects of pollution in the watershed as
                                                            watershed where Water Chestnut carpets water
outlined in the Natural Resource Management Plan
                                                            bodies.
for the Wappinger Creek. The management plan
aims to guide municipalities in their decision-making     Comparing Local Perceptions with Science
to improve the conditions of the watershed.                  While municipal officials recognized that
 Table 2: Causes and Effects of Pollution in the              eroding and unstable stream banks are a problem,
 Wappinger Creek Watershed as Identified by the               they did not rate the probable cause of the
 Natural Resource Management Plan, 2000.                      problem, loss of streamside vegetation, as being
                                                              equally severe.
 Causes:
Nonpoint source pollution from:
                                                             Both landowners and municipal officials rated
  -Septic seepage of nutrients and bacteria                   the severity of nitrogen and phosphorous equally,
  -Overland runoff carrying pollutants                        while the DEC identifies excess phosphorous as
Loss of vegetated buffers along streams and lakes             a more critical problem. This is likely because
Growth pressure                                               nitrogen and phosphorus have a similar effect on
                                                              the watershed and education efforts often do not
Effects:
                                                              differentiate between the two.
Water that does not meet water quality standards
for its designated uses                                      Road salt in runoff is rated as the second most
-Contaminated drinking water wells                            severe problem on average by landowners and
-Lakes and streams filled in with sediment                    the fourth most severe by municipal officials.
-Eutrophication of lakes and ponds                            Local data is largely unpublished but information
-Excessive aquatic weed growth                                about degradation of local water bodies by salt is
                                                              spreading through outreach and education
Other Water Quality Problems                                  efforts.
Degradation of downstream lake: Wappinger Lake,
                                                             While there is little published data on the effects
 located just north of the outlet of the creek into the
                                                              of pesticides on water bodies in the Wappinger
 Hudson River, acts as a sink for substances that
                                                              Creek Watershed, landowners and municipal
 travel downstream and is an indicator of water
                                                              officials rated the problem of pesticides in water
 quality issues for the watershed. The primary
                                                              bodies as moderate in severity, possibly because
 nonpoint source pollutants in the watershed,
                                                              of the presence of agricultural areas in the upper
 sediment and phosphorous, have accumulated in
                                                              part of the watershed.
 the Lake and degraded its value as a drinking
 water source and recreational resource1.                    Municipal officials rated sediment deposition as
                                                              the most severe problem and are most concerned
Harmful bacteria: Bacteria is carried to water bodies
                                                              with this problem. This is in line with the
 from source on the landscape such as faulty septic
                                                              scientific conclusion that sediment is a primary
 systems and agricultural operations. Muddy
                                                              nonpoint source pollutant in the watershed.
 appearance of water bodies may indicate that
 bacteria levels are too high for recreation such as         Landowners reported great concern with garbage
 swimming. (Natural Resource Management Plan,                 and litter in and around water bodies. This
 2000).                                                       indicates that the appearance of the watershed is
                                                              a priority for landowners.
Flood damage: Damage associated with flooding
  has increased. Flooding is caused by the intensity         Research indicates that seepage from septic
  of the rainfall but also exacerbated by increasing          systems is a substantial problem in the water-
  impervious surfaces in the watershed which                  shed, but neither stakeholder group rated the
  amplifies flooding impacts and damage (Strayer,             problem as greater than moderate, on average.
  2007).                                                  1
                                                           The lake has been placed on the 2010 NYS Section 303(d)
                                                          List of Impaired Waters and a total maximum daily load
                                                          (TMDL) for phosphorous and sediment is being developed
Factors that Affect Perception                          Local officials and community members can work
There are many factors that can influence               to:
perceptions of watershed problems. Some of these            Increase and facilitate recreational use of water
factors include experience with and exposure                 resources by maintaining creek access points and
to the water bodies in the watershed, knowledge of           organizing events which get people out on or
the water resources, and information sources.
                                                             near the water;
Understanding the factors which may account for
awareness, willingness to change behavior, and              Make water quality information interesting and
misconceptions is valuable to tailoring outreach and         accessible so that stakeholders have accurate and
education that will be effective and resonate with           easily understandable information;
residents.                                                  Address misconceptions that exist among stake-
                                                             holders by designing audience-specific outreach
Use of the Creek, its Tributaries, and Lakes
                                                             and education campaigns;
Neither landowners nor municipal officials in
the Wappinger Creek Watershed reported very                 Use citizen science programs to involve stake-
frequent use of the creek, its tributaries, or lakes/        holders in determining the watershed’s condition
ponds. Respondents reported enjoying the view most           so that people gain a deeper understanding of
frequently (often or very often) (68% landowners;            water quality issues;
62% municipals officials), followed by hiking or
                                                            Create a working partnership between residents
walking along water bodies (landowners 34%;
                                                             and local government officials that will foster
municipal officials 34%). Activities such as fishing,
                                                             trust and a place where citizens can share first
canoeing, and swimming or wading were done less
                                                             hand experiences they have with watershed
frequently (less than 10% of each group reported
                                                             problems.
often or very often use). Increasing and facilitating
access and exposure to the Wappinger Creek and the      References
natural environment for both residents and municipal    Dutchess County Environmental Management Council, Dutchess County
                                                        Soil and Water Conservation District, Wappinger Creek Watershed Planning
officials may raise awareness of its condition and      Committee and Dutchess County Water Quality Strategy Committee. 2000.
increase the salience of watershed issues.              Natural Resource Management Plan for the Wappinger Creek Watershed.
                                                        http://www.hudsonwatershed.org/plans09/wappinger.pdf
Information and Knowledge                               Stainbrook, K.M., Limburg, K.E., Daniels, R.A., and R.E. Schmidt. 2006.
Approximately half of landowners (47.9%) reported       Long-term changes in ecosystem health of two Hudson Valley watersheds,
that they had sought out water-related information      New York, USA, 1936-2001. Hydrobiologia, 571:313-327.

while the other half (52.1%) had not. The most          Strayer, D. (2007, April 22). Flooding is caused by more than just rainfall.
frequently used information sources are a mix of        The Poughkeepsie Journal. Retrieved from
                                                        http://www.fishkillcreekwatershed.org/FCWC/media/PoJo_04_22_07.htm
formal and informal types. They include local
newspapers, communication with friends and family,                         Author Contact Information:
Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County                             Shorna Broussard Allred, Ph.D.
(CCEDC), the DEC, and the County Health Dept.                                  Associate Professor
Municipal officials were asked about their                               Department of Natural Resources
attendance at workshops on land-use planning to                          Human Dimensions Research Unit
protect natural resources and water quality. Seventy-                           Cornell University
                                                                             Office: (607) 255-2149
five percent of municipal officials have attended                          www.human-dimensions.org
at least one workshop. Of those that reported
participating in trainings, the most frequently                                TO CITE THIS REPORT:
attended were the Pace Land-Use Law training            Broussard Allred, S., Kurth, M., Klocker, C. and A.
(60%), Dutchess County Planning Federation              Chatrychan. 2011. Understanding Landowner and
workshop (45%), and CCEDC Environment Program           Municipal Official Perceptions of Water Quality in a Local
watershed and flooding workshops (39%).                 Watershed. Cornell University Human Dimensions Research
                                                        Unit (HDRU), HDRU Outreach Series Publication No. 11-1,
                                                        January 2011.
Aligning Perceptions with Management Priorities
Aligning the perceptions of stakeholders and the          This project was funded in part by a grant from the New
research-based priorities for the watershed will help   York State Environmental Protection Fund through a Hudson
create a holistic approach to watershed protection.     River Estuary Program of the New York State Department of
                                                          Environmental Conservation (DEC) (contract #303671)

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Understanding Landowner and Municipal Official Perceptions of Water Quality

  • 1. HDRU OUTREACH SERIES 11-1 Understanding Landowner and Municipal Official Perceptions of Water Quality in a Local Watershed Shorna Broussard Allred, Margaret Kurth, Carolyn Klocker, & Allison Chatrychan What is Water Quality? water quality issues. The collective decisions of Water quality is a term that describes the physical, landowners can have enormous ramifications for chemical, and biological properties of water, usually water quality. with respect to its use for a particular purpose. Water Understanding landowner perceptions helps local that may be safe enough to wash your car may not be officials: clean enough to drink or may be harmful to aquatic animals and plants. Water quality standards help  Maintain and build the public’s trust that local define the levels at which certain substances can be government will address residents’ concerns and found in our water and still be safe for different uses. show that local officials are responsive to those Human dimensions research can help us understand concerns; resident and municipal official perceptions of water  Create communication messages that resonate quality. with the public and to which they will respond; What Threatens Water Quality?  Understand residents’ attitudes about who is While the Clean Water Act of 1972 alleviated much responsible for protecting water quality; of the water quality degradation by pollution from  Understand landowner willingness to maintain or identifiable sources (point sources), addressing change their behavior to improve water quality; pollution from more diffuse, nonpoint sources  Identify problems that arise in the watershed remains a challenge. Nonpoint source pollution does which residents are often the first to experience; not enter streams and lakes via a pipe discharge but and is carried to water bodies by rain or snow that runs off and through the surrounding landscape.  Identify misconceptions that residents may hold The close connection between water bodies and about what problems exist, especially those that their surrounding landscape makes water quality are invisible to untrained observers. susceptible to negative effects of land-use change. When municipal officials understand their own Traditional development typically decreases the perspectives as well as those of landowners, they can natural water filtration and storage mechanisms that align priorities and create responsive policies. exist in a watershed (wetlands, open space, Research Methods streamside vegetation, etc.). The Wappinger Creek In the Spring and Summer of 2009, researchers at Watershed can serve as a case study on the threat Cornell Cooperative Extension and the Human that development poses to water quality in a major Dimensions Research Unit sent a questionnaire to tributary of the lower Hudson River. 1,422 landowners (response rate = 26%) and 326 Why is it Important to Understand Perceptions? municipal officials (response rate = 32%) in the 13 Improvements in water quality cannot be made municipalities of the Wappinger Creek Watershed in through regulation alone but also require the Dutchess County, New York to collect data to inform involvement of local communities. While municipal outreach and education efforts in the watershed. This officials can and should use water quality data to factsheet reports on the water quality perceptions guide their land-use decisions, it is also critical that (i.e. attitudes, views, awareness, and concerns) of they recognize the distinct human dimension of landowners and municipal officials, how closely
  • 2. their perceptions compare to scientifically identified Municipal officials perceive many of the problems problems in the watershed, and the factors that in the watershed as more severe than landowners do influence perceptions. and the difference in response is statistically significant for more than half of the water quality Perceptions of Water Quality problems. Additionally, the frequency of “don’t Figure 1 shows the average responses of landowners know” responses by landowners was more than 50% and municipal officials regarding the extent to which for nearly half of the watershed problems including they believe each is a problem in their watershed. pesticides, harmful bacteria, above average water Figure 1: “In your opinion, how much of a temperature, nitrogen, and phosphorus in water problem is each in the Wappinger Creek bodies as well as seepage from septic tanks/sewer Watershed”? lines and well water contamination. The higher Municipal Officials Landowners severity ratings given to watershed problems by Above average water municipal officials, along with their greater degree of temperature certainty may be due to their responsibility to manage watershed quality at the local level. Harmful bacteria in However, their greater certainty and concern does water bodies not necessarily mean they are more aware. Bringing Well water municipal officials’ desire to address watershed contamination problems in line with landowners’ priorities will Loss of streamside need to be carried out through communication about vegetation the issues. Turbidity or muddy * Concerns about Watershed Problems appearance In addition to rating the severity of watershed Pesticides in water problems, survey respondents were asked to choose bodies those problems that are of top concern to them (Table 1). Seepage from septic tanks/sewer lines Table 1: Top Concerns of Watershed Stakeholders Garbage/litter in Municipal Officials Landowners water bodies 1st Sediment deposition Garbage in and around * Loss of aquatic habitat (40%) water bodies (42%) * 2nd Road salt runoff (36%) Seepage from septic Flood damage tanks (31%) Phosphorus in w ater 3rd Garbage in and around Pesticides in water bodies water bodies (24%) (29%) Nitrogen in water * 4th Harmful bacteria in Loss of habitat for bodies water (24%) trout/aquatic species & * Harmful bacteria in Road salt in runoff water (25%) Eroding and unstable * 5th Eroding and unstable Well water stream banks banks (26%) contamination (23%) Invasive plants in * water/along banks Watershed Condition * While stakeholder perceptions should guide local Sediment deposition policies and management actions, these actions must also be grounded in the watershed conditions. 1 2 3 4 Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County Average Perception of held a meeting in May 2010 during which Problem Severity Scale: 1=not a problem, 2=slight problem, 3=moderate problem, 4=severe problem stakeholders of the Wappinger Creek Watershed *statistically significant difference at the p<.05 level
  • 3. reinforced that comparing perceptions with Loss of aquatic habitat: Long and short term trends scientifically identified water quality problems is a of declining biologic communities have been priority for them. Although data does not exist for all observed, probably as a result of land development the problems asked about in the survey, the available pressures on aquatic habitats (Stainbrook, 2006). data can provide a basis for comparison and Invasive Plants: There is excessive invasive weed prioritization. Table 2 identifies the most critical growth, especially in the Southern end of the causes and effects of pollution in the watershed as watershed where Water Chestnut carpets water outlined in the Natural Resource Management Plan bodies. for the Wappinger Creek. The management plan aims to guide municipalities in their decision-making Comparing Local Perceptions with Science to improve the conditions of the watershed.  While municipal officials recognized that Table 2: Causes and Effects of Pollution in the eroding and unstable stream banks are a problem, Wappinger Creek Watershed as Identified by the they did not rate the probable cause of the Natural Resource Management Plan, 2000. problem, loss of streamside vegetation, as being equally severe. Causes: Nonpoint source pollution from:  Both landowners and municipal officials rated -Septic seepage of nutrients and bacteria the severity of nitrogen and phosphorous equally, -Overland runoff carrying pollutants while the DEC identifies excess phosphorous as Loss of vegetated buffers along streams and lakes a more critical problem. This is likely because Growth pressure nitrogen and phosphorus have a similar effect on the watershed and education efforts often do not Effects: differentiate between the two. Water that does not meet water quality standards for its designated uses  Road salt in runoff is rated as the second most -Contaminated drinking water wells severe problem on average by landowners and -Lakes and streams filled in with sediment the fourth most severe by municipal officials. -Eutrophication of lakes and ponds Local data is largely unpublished but information -Excessive aquatic weed growth about degradation of local water bodies by salt is spreading through outreach and education Other Water Quality Problems efforts. Degradation of downstream lake: Wappinger Lake,  While there is little published data on the effects located just north of the outlet of the creek into the of pesticides on water bodies in the Wappinger Hudson River, acts as a sink for substances that Creek Watershed, landowners and municipal travel downstream and is an indicator of water officials rated the problem of pesticides in water quality issues for the watershed. The primary bodies as moderate in severity, possibly because nonpoint source pollutants in the watershed, of the presence of agricultural areas in the upper sediment and phosphorous, have accumulated in part of the watershed. the Lake and degraded its value as a drinking water source and recreational resource1.  Municipal officials rated sediment deposition as the most severe problem and are most concerned Harmful bacteria: Bacteria is carried to water bodies with this problem. This is in line with the from source on the landscape such as faulty septic scientific conclusion that sediment is a primary systems and agricultural operations. Muddy nonpoint source pollutant in the watershed. appearance of water bodies may indicate that bacteria levels are too high for recreation such as  Landowners reported great concern with garbage swimming. (Natural Resource Management Plan, and litter in and around water bodies. This 2000). indicates that the appearance of the watershed is a priority for landowners. Flood damage: Damage associated with flooding has increased. Flooding is caused by the intensity  Research indicates that seepage from septic of the rainfall but also exacerbated by increasing systems is a substantial problem in the water- impervious surfaces in the watershed which shed, but neither stakeholder group rated the amplifies flooding impacts and damage (Strayer, problem as greater than moderate, on average. 2007). 1 The lake has been placed on the 2010 NYS Section 303(d) List of Impaired Waters and a total maximum daily load (TMDL) for phosphorous and sediment is being developed
  • 4. Factors that Affect Perception Local officials and community members can work There are many factors that can influence to: perceptions of watershed problems. Some of these  Increase and facilitate recreational use of water factors include experience with and exposure resources by maintaining creek access points and to the water bodies in the watershed, knowledge of organizing events which get people out on or the water resources, and information sources. near the water; Understanding the factors which may account for awareness, willingness to change behavior, and  Make water quality information interesting and misconceptions is valuable to tailoring outreach and accessible so that stakeholders have accurate and education that will be effective and resonate with easily understandable information; residents.  Address misconceptions that exist among stake- holders by designing audience-specific outreach Use of the Creek, its Tributaries, and Lakes and education campaigns; Neither landowners nor municipal officials in the Wappinger Creek Watershed reported very  Use citizen science programs to involve stake- frequent use of the creek, its tributaries, or lakes/ holders in determining the watershed’s condition ponds. Respondents reported enjoying the view most so that people gain a deeper understanding of frequently (often or very often) (68% landowners; water quality issues; 62% municipals officials), followed by hiking or  Create a working partnership between residents walking along water bodies (landowners 34%; and local government officials that will foster municipal officials 34%). Activities such as fishing, trust and a place where citizens can share first canoeing, and swimming or wading were done less hand experiences they have with watershed frequently (less than 10% of each group reported problems. often or very often use). Increasing and facilitating access and exposure to the Wappinger Creek and the References natural environment for both residents and municipal Dutchess County Environmental Management Council, Dutchess County Soil and Water Conservation District, Wappinger Creek Watershed Planning officials may raise awareness of its condition and Committee and Dutchess County Water Quality Strategy Committee. 2000. increase the salience of watershed issues. Natural Resource Management Plan for the Wappinger Creek Watershed. http://www.hudsonwatershed.org/plans09/wappinger.pdf Information and Knowledge Stainbrook, K.M., Limburg, K.E., Daniels, R.A., and R.E. Schmidt. 2006. Approximately half of landowners (47.9%) reported Long-term changes in ecosystem health of two Hudson Valley watersheds, that they had sought out water-related information New York, USA, 1936-2001. Hydrobiologia, 571:313-327. while the other half (52.1%) had not. The most Strayer, D. (2007, April 22). Flooding is caused by more than just rainfall. frequently used information sources are a mix of The Poughkeepsie Journal. Retrieved from http://www.fishkillcreekwatershed.org/FCWC/media/PoJo_04_22_07.htm formal and informal types. They include local newspapers, communication with friends and family, Author Contact Information: Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County Shorna Broussard Allred, Ph.D. (CCEDC), the DEC, and the County Health Dept. Associate Professor Municipal officials were asked about their Department of Natural Resources attendance at workshops on land-use planning to Human Dimensions Research Unit protect natural resources and water quality. Seventy- Cornell University Office: (607) 255-2149 five percent of municipal officials have attended www.human-dimensions.org at least one workshop. Of those that reported participating in trainings, the most frequently TO CITE THIS REPORT: attended were the Pace Land-Use Law training Broussard Allred, S., Kurth, M., Klocker, C. and A. (60%), Dutchess County Planning Federation Chatrychan. 2011. Understanding Landowner and workshop (45%), and CCEDC Environment Program Municipal Official Perceptions of Water Quality in a Local watershed and flooding workshops (39%). Watershed. Cornell University Human Dimensions Research Unit (HDRU), HDRU Outreach Series Publication No. 11-1, January 2011. Aligning Perceptions with Management Priorities Aligning the perceptions of stakeholders and the This project was funded in part by a grant from the New research-based priorities for the watershed will help York State Environmental Protection Fund through a Hudson create a holistic approach to watershed protection. River Estuary Program of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) (contract #303671)