CHAPTER 5.
INTEGRATED WATERSHED MANAGEMENT
5.1. Definitions and basic concepts
• Integrated watershed management is an approach that requires us
to manage human activities and natural resources together on a
watershed basis taking into consideration the connected interests
and needs of the environment, economy and society.
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IWM is based on five principles
1. Watershed-based, informed by science.
2. Requires us to manage natural
resources and human activities
together.
3. Considers the interests and needs of
not just the environment but also the
economy and society because they are
connected and impact each other in
good and bad ways.
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4. Relies on an adaptive management approach which establishes a
plan, implements the plan, monitors and reports, and then re-
evaluates and updates the plan, if necessary
5. Needs collaborative governance at many levels for shared
decision-making and priority setting.
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5.2. Integration and its importance in sustainable watershed
management
• There is no aspect of environmental concern that does not relate in
some way to water.
• Land, air and water are all interrelated as are water and all life
forms.
• Water is the inextricable link in the environment it is essential to all
life and it is one common element in nearly every development.
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• In land development there is usually an increased demand for water.
• Similarly higher economic development invariably brings about
higher water use.
• Consequently the proper management of water resources is an
essential component of development.
• One viewpoint is that water is the best index of ‘watershed
management’, that is, a basin properly managed for water is also
likely to be properly managed in other ways.
• Water is an excellent monitoring mechanism as it reflects the state of
the watershed.
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HOW TO INTEGRATE NATURAL AND HUMAN SYSTEMS
• There are essentially three (3) factors in initiating integrated
development efforts:-
– The existing level of development, from a technical viewpoint;
– The local social structure and human behavioral patterns;
– The prevailing economic conditions.
• The integration strategy for a watershed can be carried out by
various procedures.
• However a first step is usually a resource survey or inventory.
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• This attempts to answer the question of the supply and demand for
resources both natural and human resources.
• Depending upon the area involved, a survey may include:-
– socio-economic characteristics,
– soil characteristics,
– land capacity/suitability classifications,
– forest and other vegetation inventories,
– erosion appraisals,
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– flood information,
– hydrological assessment including climate characteristics,
– water use and other parameters as needed.
5.3. Processes of integrated watershed management
Preparation of the Integrated Watershed Development Plan.
• An integrated watershed plan, including technical as well as the
human aspects is drawn up on the basis of the inventory.
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• The analysis for each parameter normally should describe:
– The present status or conditions (e.g. good, poor, etc.)
– The present trend
– The potential (development opportunity for the resource, likely
future trends, potential problems, etc.)
• The purpose of the watershed analysis should be to develop and
interpret memory data in a form that will permit selection of
appropriate alternative methods of managing the watersheds.
• Integrated planning should be a multidisciplinary effort.
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• Some of the base maps, which should be used to prepare a
watershed plan.
Coordination
• To be able to maintain and manage watersheds at a sustainable
level, coordination is absolutely necessary.
• Watershed Management Mechanism
• Watershed Management must
– be undertaken within the framework of integrated development
planning and national goals and priorities.
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– operate within a holistic framework (research, policy, mitigative
interventions).
– be intersectoral.
– include stakeholder participation in the planning and decision making
process.
– Be supported by public awareness programs and public education,
institutional.
– strengthening and capacity building and application of appropriate
technology.
– Include data collection, monitoring, feedback and refinement of the
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