HOME > PLANNING > WASHINGTON FRESHWATER ASSESSMENT

The Nature Conservancy conducted an assessment of freshwater biodiversity in Washington as a planning resource for developing conservation goals, setting priorities and choosing strategies to achieve these goals. Specifically the assessment addresses these important questions:

1. What is the current distribution and status of freshwater ecological systems and native freshwater species at risk in Washington?
2. What are the dominant future threats to freshwater biodivesity in the state, and what watersheds are most susceptible to these threats?
3. Which watersheds or wetlands areas and strategies represent the best opportunities for effective freshwater biodiversity conservation in Washington?

Four key strategies were identified that will be essential to maintain existing functional systems and restore impacted systems across the state:

1. Collection and standardization of biological data
2. Management for environmental flows that sustain habitat and ecological services
3. Floodplain and riparian habitat restoration and protection
4. Enforcement of existing water quality mandates and protection.

The report, appendices, and data developed for this assessment are available for download. Adobe’s free Acrobat Reader is required to view the PDF files. Also, please be aware GIS software is required to access the assessment data. For more information, please contact .

Download the Report (2.8 MB PDF)
Download the Appendices (3.2 MB PDF)
Download the Data (300 MB ZIP file)