The Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDL) approach has recently been extended to cover pathogens in watersheds (USEPA 2001). In addition, recent guidance has espoused the application of Risk Management Plans (RMP) in developing pathogen control strategies for watersheds (Deere et al 2001, Davison et al 2003, NHMRC 2001, MoH 2001, WHO 2004 and NSF 2004). This short 2 page paper discusses how the two approaches are closely related in practice and make use of the same logical process of: setting pathogen water quality targets; quantifying the extent to which key watershed points and nodes exceed those targets and the extent to which different potential pollution sources contribute to the exceedance; and, targeting watershed management activities to help improve or maintain the required water quality. Includes 11 references.