A. PRIMARY BENEFITS

The primary benefits of the Bear Creek Management Plan are projected to be the reduction of sedimentation and bacterial contamination in the surface and groundwaters of the area. These benefits have direct and positive public health and environmental consequences, as well as the potential to improve the overall quality of life for watershed inhabitants.

At the present time, water pollution is a fact of life in the Bear Creek Watershed. Sedimentation and bacterial contamination has destroyed much aquatic vegetation and in-stream species diversity; bacterial contamination has rendered the stream system unfit for total body contact. A tradition of using the waters and lands of the area for recreation and sport is threatened by these developments. If sedimentation and bacterial contamination can be controlled, removed, and prevented from reoccurring, the waters and their surrounding land areas have the potential to rebound to their most productive uses.

Direct environmental benefits would extend to the soils, the lakes and to the wildlife species which have been able to survive in the watershed. Soil loss would be minimized; lower nutrient concentrations would occur; and excessive plant growth in lakes would be checked.

B. SECONDARY BENEFITS

All of these direct benefits would be enhanced by one another. The entire ecological system would acquire a new, healthier balance from the implementation of this management plan.

Secondary benefits of implementation would relate to improvements in agricultural production, improvement in wetland habitats, lower drainage maintenance costs, and increased citizen and public official awareness.