Following a public hearing, Chester County Commissioners Josh Maxwell, Marian Moskowitz, and Eric Roe approved Watersheds 2045, a plan put forth by the Chester County Water Resources Authority (CCWRA). The plan addresses the county's water resource issues, such as stormwater and flooding, pollution mitigation and prevention, recreational access, and sustainable water supplies.

The original Watersheds plan was adopted in 2002. The planning process for Watersheds 2045 involved a thorough review of current conditions in the county's watersheds, including land use, stream health, water availability, and projected future climate and population changes. The process also included public engagement through meetings and surveys, stakeholder listening sessions, and a multi-sector, multidiscipline, 30-member steering committee.

The new Watersheds 2045 plan will also serve as Chester County's Rivers Conservation Plan as well as the Act 167 Stormwater Management Plan, adopted by all Chester County municipalities.

Chester County has more than 2,300 miles of streams leading to the Schuylkill, Delaware and Susquehanna rivers and the Chesapeake Bay.