The legislature recognizes the critical importance of providing and securing sufficient water to meet the needs of people, farms, and fish. The legislature finds that an effective way to meet the water needs of people, farms, and fish is through strategies developed and implemented at the local watershed level. The objectives of these strategies are to supply water in sufficient quantities to satisfy the following three water resource objectives:

(1) Providing sufficient water for residential, commercial, and industrial needs;

(2) Providing sufficient water for productive fish populations; and

(3) Providing sufficient water for productive agriculture.

The legislature affirms its intent to provide continued support for watershed strategies and provides the tools in chapter 329, Laws of 2002 to assist local watersheds in meeting these objectives.