Watershed Assessment — Start Here

A systematic watershed assessment is the foundation of good AMD restoration planning. This subcategory walks through the full assessment process — from background research through field work, discharge identification, data collection, and restoration planning.

Recommended Reading Order #

Article	What you’ll learn
Background Search	How to research an AMD-affected watershed before setting foot in the field
Doing It Yourself	Guidance for community-led assessments — what you can do with volunteer resources
Training the Field Volunteers	How to prepare volunteer crews for safe and effective field assessment work
Field Assessment Tools	Equipment and tools needed for AMD watershed field assessments
Field Assessment Procedures	Step-by-step field procedures for AMD discharge identification and characterization
Collecting Data	Data collection standards, forms, and protocols for field assessment teams
Establish Sampling Points	How to select and establish sampling locations for AMD monitoring
Identify Discharges	Locating and characterizing AMD discharge points in the watershed
Report AMD Discharges	How to report identified AMD discharges to PA DEP and other agencies
Restoration Planning	Moving from assessment findings to a prioritized restoration plan
TMDLs — Total Maximum Daily Loads	What TMDLs are and how they relate to AMD remediation planning and funding eligibility

Related Resources #

• Loyalhanna Creek Watershed Priority Assessment and Restoration Plan (2021) — example of a complete PA watershed assessment (Resource Library)
• Blacklick Creek Watershed Assessment/Restoration Plan — another regional example (Resource Library)
• Shamokin Creek Restoration Alliance — Academic Resources Collection — multiple assessment reports (Resource Library)

Questions? Ask in the Forums #

Post assessment questions in the Monitoring and Methods forum or Technical Help forum.

Source: AML-Connect / EPCAMR  |  Last Reviewed: March 2026  |  Forum: /community/forums/monitoring-and-methods/