Watershed management is the process of implementing land use practices and water management practices that aim to improve and protect the quality of the water and other natural resources within a watershed. These resources should be managed in a comprehensive manner to achieve the desired outcome.
First, what is a watershed? A watershed is an area of land that sheds or drains water into a receiving water body. Examples of watersheds are lakes and rivers.
Before looking at the 5 problems of watershed management, consider the following aims of watershed management.
- To conserve the soil, plant, and water resources of a water catchment area for the benefit of the surrounding human population.
- To care for natural resources such that human needs for food, water, energy, and habitation are supported.
- To provide essential livelihoods for all inhabitants of the water catchment area.
What is the importance of watershed management?
- To identify any activities that may affect the health of the watershed and make recommendations to modify, eradicate or improve on these.
- To control pollution of the water and other natural resources within the watershed and its catchment area.
- To build partnerships that will result in the successful management of the watershed.
- To plan for effective management and preservation of the resources within the watershed.
- To prevent watershed degradation which may lead to the loss of productive potential of land and water, as well as loss of the value of the watershed over time.
What are the main methods of watershed management?
- Land leveling/smoothening
- Contour bunding
- Percolation ponds
- Waterways
- Diversion drains
- Bench terracing
- Farm ponds
- Check dams
- Gully control structures
- Broad beds and furrows
- Microcatchments for sloping land
Below are 5 problems of watershed management.
1. Degradation
- This is caused by the unsustainable exploitation of natural resources, leading to the loss of value of the watershed over time. Degradation of rain-fed areas is also caused by soil erosion that results from water runoff.
2. Development of urban centres
- As humans invade natural areas with the aim of converting them into urban centres, several problems arise. These include chemical pollution, loss of natural habitat, alteration of water flow, and disposal of harmful and non-biodegradable waste in water resources.
3. Competition and conflict
- Disagreement between upstream and downstream stakeholders often leads to poor watershed management. Stakeholders who live downstream may set goals for watershed management that need to be implemented upstream. These goals may however not be compatible with the goals and needs of the stakeholders who live upstream, hence leading to conflict.
4. Interruption of water flow
- Another of the 5 problems of watershed management is the interruption of water flow. When the natural water flow is interrupted, major losses are observed, including increased soil erosion, blockage of passages for fish, disruption of the ecosystem, loss of habitat, and disruption of the ecosystem.
- Water flow interruptions are a result of development, industry and household use of water, construction of dams, and diversion of water for irrigation.
5. Development of industries
- The development of industries often affects watershed management even though the same industries bring economic development to a particular area. Many industries emit toxic chemicals, metal deposits, and toxic chemicals into the water, leading the increases health risks to both humans and animals who consume this water.
If these 5 problems of watershed management within every local water catchment area are looked into and sorted out effectively, local communities will have the benefit of having enough water to support their needs and income-generating activities.