Download Tuesdays and Thursdays till further notice

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LWR 406: Applied water shed management
Mketiwa CHITIGA
Phone 0912 870 969, email, [email protected], [email protected]
Office: NSB1
Lectures and office hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays till further notice
Practicals and tutorials: TBA
Presentations: at least 2 presentations
Assignments: 2 Assignments to be given shortly
Notes: Available on e-learning
COURSE OUTLINE
1. Introduction to Watershed Management
Definition and Watershed Description
Delineating a watershed, watershed features – physical, biological, chemical,
social
The importance of the hydrological cycle within watersheds.
Watershed water balances. Important principles of watershed management.
The adaptive management process – watershed characterization; setting goals
and targets for the
Ecosystem; developing a management strategy; implementation; monitoring,
evaluation, and adaptation.
Watershed Management Plans Jurisdictional responsibilities, management tools
– regulatory, planning, stewardship
Impacts on watersheds
Land use, development, infrastructure, water use, climate change
What is a Watershed?
A watershed is the area of land where all of the water that is under it or drains off of it
goes into the same place., scientist geographer
"that area of land, a bounded hydrologic system, within which all living things are
inextricably linked by their common water course and where, as humans settled, simple
logic demanded that they become part of a community." John Wesley Powell.
In other words, each watershed--indeed each watershed zone--has unique living and
nonliving components that interact, with one element responding to the action or change
of another!!!!!
Watersheds come in all shapes and sizes. They cross district, provincial, and national
boundaries. No matter where you are, you're in a watershed
Definitions of Watershed on the Web:
An area from which water drains to a single point; in a natural basin, the area
contributing flow (ie, water) to a place or point on a stream.
0-www.cdc.gov.mill1.sjlibrary.org/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/ss5108a4.htm
the total land area from which water drains into a particular stream or river.
www.sfrc.ufl.edu/Extension/ssfor11.htm
A watershed is the area of land where all of the water drains to the same place –
this includes water that flows on the surface and water located underground.
Watersheds come in all shapes and sizes. They cross county, state and national
boundaries. (EPA:http://www.epa. ...
www.sdbay.sdsu.edu/glossary/index.php
The land area that drains water to a particular stream, river, or lake. It is a land
feature that can be identified by tracing a line along the highest elevations
between two areas on a map, often a ridge.
www.gem.msu.edu/gw/vocabulary/glossary.html
An area of land from which water drains towards a single channel (stream)
www.ent.ohiou.edu/~jean/myweb/glossory.htm
The land area from which water drains to a given point.
www.dtsc.ca.gov/InformationResources/glossary.cfm
The total land area that contributes water to a river, stream, lake or other body of
water. Synonymous with drainage area, drainage basin and catchment.
www.city.newport-beach.ca.us/watershed/defn%20and%20docs.htm
The total land area that contributes runoff to a body of water.
www.floridasprings.org/glossary.html
The region or area of which the surface waters and groundwater ultimately drain
into a particular course or body of water.
www.losl.org/boardroom/glossary_e.php
The land area that directly drains to a common stream, river or lake, often
considered synonymous with a drainage basin or catchment. Watershed
(drainage basin) boundaries follow topographic highs. The term watershed is
also defined as the divide separating one drainage basin from another.
Ilrdss.sws.uiuc.edu
The entire region drained by a single river.
www.paddling.net/guidelines/showArticle.html
Land area that delivers the water, sediment and dissolved substances via small
streams to a major stream.
www.brownmarine.com/ECOSYSTEM04.htm
An area bounded peripherally by a water parting and draining into a particular
body of water.
www.lwtf.org/glossary.html
A geographical area within which rain water and other liquid effluents seep and
run into common surface or subsurface water bodies such as streams, rivers,
lakes, or aquifers.
www.nymir.org/zoning/Glossary.html
The area of land draining into a river, lake, or other body of water.
www.orcasisle.com/~elc/outdoorschool/vocab.htm
The total land area draining into a given stream river, lake or reservoir; also
known as a catchment area.
www.calforests.org/glossary.html
Definitions of watershed management on the Web:
The analysis, protection, development, operation or maintenance of the land,
vegetation and water resources of a drainage basin for the ...
www.streamnet.org/pub-ed/ff/Glossary/glossaryhabitat.html
the planned use of drainage basins in accordance with predetermined objectives.
www.borealforest.org/nwgloss13.htm
means the protection and restoration of a watershed through integrated and
holistic efforts.
www.njfb.org/waterquality/glossary.htm
Introduction.
Watershed planning and management is an approach to protecting
water quality and quantity. It essentially focuses on a whole
watershed. This is a departure from the traditional approach of
managing individual wastewater discharges, and is necessary due to
the nature of polluted runoff, which in most watersheds is the biggest
contributor to water pollution. Polluted runoff is caused by a variety of
land use activities, including development, transportation, agriculture
and forestry, and may originate anywhere in the watershed. Due to its
diffuse nature, polluted runoff has not been effectively managed
through regulatory programs alone.
Watershed management activities may take place at the Country,
river basin, or individual watershed level. Many issues are best
addressed at the individual watershed level. For example, identifying
sources of pollution that are carried by stormwater to a lake is best
carried out by people working within that lake watershed. Other issues
are more appropriate at the basin level i.e……….
Watershed Management Approach
Introduction
The Watershed Approach is a decision making process that reflects a common strategy
for data collection and analysis together with a common understanding of the roles,
priorities, and responsibilities of all stakeholders within a watershed.
The Watershed Approach is based on the concept that many water quality problems, eg
accumulation of pollutants or non-point source pollution, viz eutrophication- are best
addressed at watershed level. Also helps identify the most cost-effective pollution
control measures.
A watershed can be defined as the entire land area that ultimately drains into a particular
watercourse or body of water. See definations.
Pros for the watershed approach
Watersheds are appropriate as organizational units because they are readily identifiable
landscape units with readily identifiable boundaries that integrate terrestrial, aquatic, and
geologic features.
Focusing on the whole watershed helps reach the best balance among efforts to control
point source pollution and polluted runoff as well as protect drinking water sources and
sensitive natural resources viz wetlands.
Features
Watershed planning and management involve a number of activities,
including:
targeting priority problems in a watershed;
promoting a participatory approach, i.e high level of involvement by
Stakeholders
developing solutions to problems through the use of the expertise and
authority of multiple agencies and organizations;
measuring success through monitoring and evaluation
Characteristics of the Watershed Approach
It complements and coordinates other environmental activities.
This allows for close cooperation with local citizen groups, local governments,
etc. in solving WQ problems and allows focus on a common problem to produce
measurable improvements.
Improves efficiency….
More coordinated approach to activities such as permitting, planning, and monitoring
programs
Core principles of watershed management:
Watersheds are natural systems that we can work with.
Watershed management is continuous and needs a multi-disciplinary approach.
A watershed management framework supports partnering, using sound science,
taking well-planned actions and achieving results.
A flexible approach is always needed.