▁of ▁W aters hed ▁Prote ction ▁in ▁Develop ing ▁Are as . ▁This ▁program ▁is ▁an ▁approach ▁that ▁uses ▁eight ▁tools ▁that ▁can ▁be ▁used ▁to ▁protect ▁or ▁restore ▁water ▁resources ▁in ▁an ▁urban ized ▁or ▁developing ▁waters hed . ▁The ▁eight ▁tools ▁out lined ▁in ▁the ▁waters hed ▁protection ▁approach ▁are ▁land ▁use ▁planning , ▁land ▁conservation , ▁aqu atic ▁buff ers , ▁better ▁site ▁design , ▁er os ion ▁and ▁sed iment ▁control , ▁storm ▁water ▁best ▁management ▁practices , ▁non - st orm ▁water ▁dis charg es , ▁and ▁waters hed ▁ste ward ship ▁programs . ▁The ▁waters hed ▁protection ▁approach ▁brings ▁up ▁key ▁choices ▁that ▁a ▁waters hed ▁manager ▁should ▁think ▁about ▁when ▁using ▁the ▁eight ▁tools ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁describing ▁in ▁great ▁detail ▁the ▁purpose ▁of ▁the ▁tools ▁and ▁out lin ing ▁specific ▁methods ▁of ▁how ▁to ▁util ize ▁them . ▁ ▁Ass ess ments ▁and ▁performance ▁measures ▁One ▁of ▁the ▁many ▁ways ▁the ▁E PA ▁measures ▁environmental ▁performance ▁is ▁with ▁the ▁Sm art ▁G row th ▁Index ▁( SG I ). ▁The ▁Sm art ▁G row th ▁Index ▁is ▁a ▁G IS ▁sketch ▁model ▁that ▁is ▁used ▁to ▁model ▁alternative ▁land ▁use ▁and ▁transport ation ▁settings ▁and ▁assess ▁their ▁out comes ▁using ▁signs ▁of ▁environmental ▁performance . ▁The ▁E PA ▁alone ▁has ▁worked ▁with ▁over ▁ 3 0 ▁partners ▁using ▁the ▁Sm art ▁G row th ▁Index ▁to ▁produce ▁land ▁use ▁and ▁transport ation ▁dec isions ▁that ▁ar ouse ▁economic ▁development , ▁reduce ▁mon et ary ▁exp