Erosion control projects currently play a large role in rehabilitation of urban watersheds in alpine settings for water quality and aesthetic improvement. Although the technical questions associated with the design of these projects are often difficult and complex, successful implementation of the projects requires equal attention to institutional and practical constraints. Project designers currently have little technical basis on which to make decisions rewarding effective use of erosion control funding. Carefully conceived water quality monitoring programs, and research directly related to impacts of erosion, are needed to effectively plan and implement future erosion control projects.