Challenge
A watershed management plan offers a strategy to protect, enhance, and restore water quality and natural systems while achieving flood protection. Thorough, accurate information on all impervious surfaces—roads, parking lots, sidewalks, etc.—is necessary for the plan to be successful and cost-effective. Watershed managers in Pinellas County, Florida, lacked the necessary data; oftentimes what they saw in the field was not reflected accurately in the watershed management plans.
Solution
County managers used Digital Coast land cover data on the area’s impervious surfaces to update and increase the accuracy of their watershed management plan. By incorporating these data into the planning process, the county is better equipped to protect and improve communities’ water quality and reduce flood risks while remaining cost-efficient.
