Watershed Management

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT

by Antonio C. Antonio

March 6, 2015

What is a watershed?  A watershed is an area or ridge of land that separates bodies of water flowing to different rivers, basins, or seas.  A watershed is also defined as: “The area of land from which rainwater can drain, as surface runoff, via a specific stream or river system to a common outlet point which may be a dam, irrigation system or municipality/city/urban water supply or take off point, or where the stream/river discharges into a larger river, lake or the sea.” (Villanueva, 2002)

Watershed Management is the study of the relevant characteristics of a watershed aimed at the sustainable distribution of its resources and the process of creating and implementing plans, programs and projects to sustain and enhance watershed functions that affect the plant, animal and human communities within a watershed boundary.  The features of a watershed that can be the subject to management include water supply, water quality, drainage, stormwater runoff and water rights.

Watershed management and sustainable forest management are complimentary.  Integration of these two management systems can result to: (a) a well coordinated utilization resources to support watershed management objectives; (b) mobilize and involve human resources in the actual implementation of activities towards achieving watershed management goals; and (c) integrating protection and preservation efforts under the ambit of sustainable utilization.  These are the essential functions of the integrated watershed management approach or, in general, watershed management.

Just my little thoughts…

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