---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 6543"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "6543"
heading: "Watershed Condition Framework"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/6543"
units:
  - "Chapter 84 — Healthy Forest Restoration"
  - "Subchapter III — Watershed Forestry Assistance"
---

# §6543. Watershed Condition Framework

- (a) **In general—** The [Secretary](/usc/16/6511.md?p=14) of Agriculture, acting through the Chief of the Forest Service (referred to in this section as the “[Secretary](/usc/16/6511.md?p=14)”), may establish and maintain a Watershed Condition Framework for National Forest System land—
  - (1) to evaluate and classify the condition of watersheds, [taking](/usc/16/3102.md?p=18) into consideration—
    - (A) water quality and quantity;
    - (B) aquatic habitat and biota;
    - (C) riparian and wetland vegetation;
    - (D) the presence of roads and trails;
    - (E) soil type and condition;
    - (F) groundwater-dependent ecosystems;
    - (G) relevant terrestrial indicators, such as fire regime, risk of catastrophic fire, forest and rangeland vegetation, invasive species, and insects and disease; and
    - (H) other significant factors, as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/16/6511.md?p=14);
  - (2) to identify for protection and restoration up to 5 priority watersheds in each National Forest, and up to 2 priority watersheds in each national grassland, [taking](/usc/16/3102.md?p=18) into consideration the impact of the condition of the watershed condition on—
    - (A) wildfire behavior;
    - (B) flood risk;
    - (C) [fish and wildlife](/usc/16/3102.md?p=17);
    - (D) drinking water supplies;
    - (E) irrigation water supplies;
    - (F) forest-dependent communities; and
    - (G) other significant impacts, as determined by the [Secretary](/usc/16/6511.md?p=14);
  - (3) to develop a watershed protection and restoration action plan for each priority watershed that—
    - (A) [takes](/usc/16/3102.md?p=18) into account existing restoration activities being implemented in the watershed; and
    - (B) includes, at a minimum—
      - (i) the major stressors responsible for the impaired condition of the watershed;
      - (ii) a set of essential [projects](/usc/16/410r–5.md?p=c-4) that, once completed, will address the identified stressors and improve watershed conditions;
      - (iii) a proposed implementation schedule;
      - (iv) potential partners and funding sources; and
      - (v) a monitoring and evaluation program;
  - (4) to prioritize protection and restoration activities for each watershed restoration action plan;
  - (5) to implement each watershed protection and restoration action plan; and
  - (6) to monitor the effectiveness of protection and restoration actions and indicators of watershed health.
- (b) **Coordination—** In carrying out [subsection (a)](#a), the [Secretary](/usc/16/6511.md?p=14) shall—
  - (1) coordinate with interested non-Federal landowners and [State](/usc/16/590q.md?p=a), Tribal, and local governments within the relevant watershed; and
  - (2) provide for an active and ongoing public engagement process.
- (c) **Emergency designation—** Notwithstanding [paragraph (2)](#a-2) of subsection (a), the [Secretary](/usc/16/6511.md?p=14) may identify a watershed as a priority for rehabilitation in the Watershed Condition Framework without using the process described in that subsection if a Forest Supervisor determines that—
  - (1) a wildfire has significantly diminished the condition of the watershed; and
  - (2) the emergency stabilization activities of the Burned [Area](/usc/16/539m–1.md?p=1-A) Emergency Response Team are insufficient to return the watershed to proper function.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 108–148, title III, § 304, as added Pub. L. 115–334, title VIII, § 8405(a), Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4843.)