{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-json\/10.1-1196.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-text\/10.1-1196.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-xml\/10.1-1196.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2026\/code-html\/10.1-1196.html"}],"law_id":345534,"edition_id":2,"section_id":345534,"structure_id":49618,"section_number":"10.1-1196","catch_line":"Guiding definition and principles","history":"1995, c. 793.","full_text":"A\n\nThe Department, the Task Force and any advisory panels appointed by the Task Force shall be guided by the following definition of watershed planning: “Watershed planning” is the process of studying the environmental and land use features of a watershed to identify those areas that should be protected and preserved, measures to be utilized to protect such areas, and the character of development in order to avoid and minimize disruption of natural systems. Its focus is not on directing development to particular parcels of land but rather to identify critical resources, and measures to protect those resources, so that development, when it does occur, will not negatively impact water resources. In so doing watershed planning uses and protects ecological processes to lessen the need for structural control methods that require capital costs and maintenance. By including consideration of a watershed and its characteristics, cumulative impacts and interjurisdictional issues are more effectively managed than when solely relying on single-site-permit approaches. Watershed planning can be an important tool for maintaining environmental integrity, economic development and watershed permitting.\n\nB\n\nThe Department, the Task Force and any advisory panels appointed by the Task Force shall be guided by the principles contained in the following statement: Stream systems tend to reflect the character of the watershed they drain. Unchecked physical conversion in a watershed accompanying urbanization leads to degraded streams and wetlands. As urbanization continues to spread across the state, natural vegetation, slope and water retention characteristics are replaced by impervious surfaces disrupting the dynamic balance of the natural hydrologic cycle. Poorly planned development can increase peak storm flows and runoff volume, lower water quality and aesthetics, and cause flooding and degradation of downstream communities and ecosystems.\n\n","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":1288145,"text":"The Department, the Task Force and any advisory panels appointed by the Task Force shall be guided by the following definition of watershed planning: “Watershed planning” is the process of studying the environmental and land use features of a watershed to identify those areas that should be protected and preserved, measures to be utilized to protect such areas, and the character of development in order to avoid and minimize disruption of natural systems. Its focus is not on directing development to particular parcels of land but rather to identify critical resources, and measures to protect those resources, so that development, when it does occur, will not negatively impact water resources. In so doing watershed planning uses and protects ecological processes to lessen the need for structural control methods that require capital costs and maintenance. By including consideration of a watershed and its characteristics, cumulative impacts and interjurisdictional issues are more effectively managed than when solely relying on single-site-permit approaches. Watershed planning can be an important tool for maintaining environmental integrity, economic development and watershed permitting.","type":"section","prefixes":["A"],"prefix":"A","entire_prefix":"A","prefix_anchor":"A","level":1,"next_prefix":"B"},"1":{"id":1288146,"text":"The Department, the Task Force and any advisory panels appointed by the Task Force shall be guided by the principles contained in the following statement: Stream systems tend to reflect the character of the watershed they drain. Unchecked physical conversion in a watershed accompanying urbanization leads to degraded streams and wetlands. As urbanization continues to spread across the state, natural vegetation, slope and water retention characteristics are replaced by impervious surfaces disrupting the dynamic balance of the natural hydrologic cycle. Poorly planned development can increase peak storm flows and runoff volume, lower water quality and aesthetics, and cause flooding and degradation of downstream communities and ecosystems.","type":"section","prefixes":["B"],"prefix":"B","entire_prefix":"B","prefix_anchor":"B","level":1,"prior_prefix":"A"}},"ancestry":[{"id":49618,"edition_id":2,"name":"Watershed Planning and Permitting Promotion and Coordination","identifier":"3","label":"article","depth":4,"order_by":4,"parent_id":49614,"metadata":{"child_laws":5,"child_structures":0},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:12:24","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:28:54","permalink":{"id":1372475,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":49618,"identifier":"3","token":"10.1\/II\/11.1\/3","url":"\/10.1\/II\/11.1\/3\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":49614,"edition_id":2,"name":"Department of Environmental Quality","identifier":"11.1","label":"chapter","depth":3,"order_by":2,"parent_id":49595,"metadata":{"child_laws":49,"child_structures":6},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:12:20","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:28:53","permalink":{"id":1372335,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":49614,"identifier":"11.1","token":"10.1\/II\/11.1","url":"\/10.1\/II\/11.1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":49595,"edition_id":2,"name":"Activities Administered by Other Entities","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":2,"parent_id":49584,"metadata":{"child_laws":483,"child_structures":70},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:12:05","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:28:51","permalink":{"id":1371835,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":49595,"identifier":"II","token":"10.1\/II","url":"\/10.1\/II\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":49584,"edition_id":2,"name":"Conservation","identifier":"10.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":38,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{"child_laws":886,"child_structures":125},"date_created":"2026-08-02 02:11:52","date_modified":"2026-08-02 12:28:44","permalink":{"id":1370315,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":49584,"identifier":"10.1","token":"10.1","url":"\/10.1\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":345531,"structure_id":49618,"section_number":"10.1-1193","catch_line":"Watershed planning; watershed permitting; promotion and coordination","url":"\/10.1-1193\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11.1\/3\/10.1-1193","metadata":false},{"id":345532,"structure_id":49618,"section_number":"10.1-1194","catch_line":" Watershed Planning and Permitting Coordination Task Force created; membership; duties","url":"\/10.1-1194\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11.1\/3\/10.1-1194","metadata":false},{"id":345533,"structure_id":49618,"section_number":"10.1-1195","catch_line":"Watershed planning and permitting advisory panels","url":"\/10.1-1195\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11.1\/3\/10.1-1195","metadata":false},{"id":345534,"structure_id":49618,"section_number":"10.1-1196","catch_line":"Guiding definition and principles","url":"\/10.1-1196\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11.1\/3\/10.1-1196","metadata":false},{"id":345546,"structure_id":49618,"section_number":"10.1-1197","catch_line":"Cooperation of state agencies","url":"\/10.1-1197\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11.1\/3\/10.1-1197","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":345533,"structure_id":49618,"section_number":"10.1-1195","catch_line":"Watershed planning and permitting advisory panels","url":"\/10.1-1195\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11.1\/3\/10.1-1195","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":345546,"structure_id":49618,"section_number":"10.1-1197","catch_line":"Cooperation of state agencies","url":"\/10.1-1197\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11.1\/3\/10.1-1197","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/10.1-1196\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1995. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 793<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":1372489,"object_type":"law","relational_id":345534,"identifier":"10.1-1196","token":"10.1\/II\/11.1\/3\/10.1-1196","url":"\/10.1-1196\/","edition_id":2,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/10.1-1196\/","token":"10.1\/II\/11.1\/3\/10.1-1196","dublin_core":{"Title":"Guiding definition and principles","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 10.1-1196","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

A.<\/span> The Department<\/span>, the Task Force and any advisory panels<\/span> appointed by the Task Force shall be guided by the following definition of watershed planning: “Watershed planning” is the process of studying the environmental and land use features of a watershed to identify those areas that should be protected and preserved, measures to be utilized to protect such areas, and the character of development in order<\/span> to avoid and minimize disruption of natural systems. Its focus is not on directing development to particular parcels of land but rather to identify critical resources, and measures to protect those resources, so that development, when it does occur, will not negatively impact water resources. In so doing watershed planning uses and protects ecological processes to lessen the need for structural control methods that require capital costs and maintenance. By including consideration of a watershed and its characteristics, cumulative impacts and interjurisdictional issues<\/span> are more effectively managed than when solely relying on single-site-permit approaches. Watershed planning can be an important tool for maintaining environmental integrity, economic development and watershed permitting. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

B.<\/span> The Department<\/span>, the Task Force and any advisory panels<\/span> appointed by the Task Force shall be guided by the principles contained in the following statement: Stream systems tend to reflect the character of the watershed they drain. Unchecked physical conversion in a watershed accompanying urbanization leads to degraded streams and wetlands. As urbanization continues to spread across the state, natural vegetation, slope and water retention characteristics are replaced by impervious surfaces disrupting the dynamic balance of the natural hydrologic cycle. Poorly planned development can increase peak storm flows and runoff volume, lower water quality and aesthetics, and cause flooding and degradation of downstream communities and ecosystems. <\/i><\/a><\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nGUIDING DEFINITION AND PRINCIPLES (\u00a7 10.1-1196)\n\nA. The Department, the Task Force and any advisory panels appointed by the Task\nForce shall be guided by the following definition of watershed planning:\n“Watershed planning” is the process of studying the environmental\nand land use features of a watershed to identify those areas that should be\nprotected and preserved, measures to be utilized to protect such areas, and the\ncharacter of development in order to avoid and minimize disruption of natural\nsystems. Its focus is not on directing development to particular parcels of land\nbut rather to identify critical resources, and measures to protect those\nresources, so that development, when it does occur, will not negatively impact\nwater resources. In so doing watershed planning uses and protects ecological\nprocesses to lessen the need for structural control methods that require capital\ncosts and maintenance. By including consideration of a watershed and its\ncharacteristics, cumulative impacts and interjurisdictional issues are more\neffectively managed than when solely relying on single-site-permit approaches.\nWatershed planning can be an important tool for maintaining environmental\nintegrity, economic development and watershed permitting.\n\nB. The Department, the Task Force and any advisory panels appointed by the Task\nForce shall be guided by the principles contained in the following statement:\nStream systems tend to reflect the character of the watershed they drain.\nUnchecked physical conversion in a watershed accompanying urbanization leads to\ndegraded streams and wetlands. As urbanization continues to spread across the\nstate, natural vegetation, slope and water retention characteristics are\nreplaced by impervious surfaces disrupting the dynamic balance of the natural\nhydrologic cycle. Poorly planned development can increase peak storm flows and\nrunoff volume, lower water quality and aesthetics, and cause flooding and\ndegradation of downstream communities and ecosystems.\n\nHISTORY: 1995, c. 793.","edition":{"id":2,"name":"2026","slug":"2026","date_created":"2026-07-16 18:40:23","date_modified":"2026-08-02 15:14:36","current":1,"order_by":2,"last_import":"2026-08-02 12:37:30"}}