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Watershed Assessment Watershed Assessment and Planningand Planning
ReviewReview
Watershed HydrologyWatershed Hydrology Watershed Characteristics and Watershed Characteristics and
ProcessesProcesses Watershed ManagementWatershed Management Watershed Planning and Assessment Watershed Planning and Assessment
ProcessProcess Linking watershed processes with Linking watershed processes with
assessment and planningassessment and planning
ReviewReview
HydrologyHydrology the study of Hthe study of H22O in all its forms O in all its forms
Watershed HydrologyWatershed Hydrology The effects of land characteristics and The effects of land characteristics and
management on water quality and quantity.management on water quality and quantity. Watershed ManagementWatershed Management
Process of managing resources of a Process of managing resources of a Watershed to meet social goals –Watershed to meet social goals –(sustainable)(sustainable)
Condition that soil and water resources are Condition that soil and water resources are not not adversely affected (use is sustainable adversely affected (use is sustainable over long term)over long term)
WatershedsWatersheds
Unifying area for evaluating watershed Unifying area for evaluating watershed processes and water quality data.processes and water quality data.
Know all of the inputs & outputs:(Water Balance)
PrecipitationInfiltrationDeep drainageEvapo-transpirationRunoff(Erosion)
Watershed Management (and Watershed Management (and Planning)Planning) Recognize the linkages between upstream Recognize the linkages between upstream
and downstream areas and the and downstream areas and the interrelationships across the landscape interrelationships across the landscape among soil and water, water quality and among soil and water, water quality and quantity, land use & other resource quantity, land use & other resource values.values.
OverviewOverview
Watershed Characteristics: Climate: temperature, precip, bio-region Soils, vegetation, landuse
Topography (hydrologic processes) Shape of the watershedShape of the watershed Drainage densityDrainage density Drainage patternDrainage pattern Stream ordersStream orders Stream permanenceStream permanence Need to be able to differentiate among
overland flow, base flow and channel processes
ReviewReview
Land use/management Economic Value
ReviewReview
Watershed Hydrologic Processes
Watershed Processes (and WQ)Watershed Processes (and WQ)
Drainage patternDrainage pattern
Stream ordersStream orders
Stream permanenceStream permanence
Climate regionClimate region
Homogeneity of landuseHomogeneity of landuse
Watershed geology and geomorphologyWatershed geology and geomorphology
Influenced/Dependent Influenced/Dependent on:on:
Watershed PlanningWatershed Planning
Platform for Environmental Assessment Platform for Environmental Assessment and decision making.and decision making.
the original role of watershed the original role of watershed management was “water yield”management was “water yield”
WatershedsWatersheds
Can be assessed at a variety of scalesCan be assessed at a variety of scales Unit order watershed (1 ha)Unit order watershed (1 ha) Basin scale Basin scale
Heterogeneity and complexity increase as Heterogeneity and complexity increase as increase in scaleincrease in scale
To evaluate Watershed issues need to To evaluate Watershed issues need to examine the data and their implications at examine the data and their implications at the appropriate scale(s)the appropriate scale(s)
Upper Watershed
Middle of Watershed
Lower Watershed
Watershed Planning ApproachWatershed Planning Approach
Watershed Resource ProfileWatershed Resource Profile A descriptive set of data portraying A descriptive set of data portraying
the significant natural resource the significant natural resource features of the watershed.features of the watershed.
Rapid Watershed AssessmentRapid Watershed Assessment An evaluation of watershed resources An evaluation of watershed resources
to determine the size, scope, and to determine the size, scope, and value of natural resource needs.value of natural resource needs.
Watershed ProfileWatershed Profile
A descriptive set of data portraying the A descriptive set of data portraying the significant natural resource features of significant natural resource features of the watershed.the watershed. Physical characteristicsPhysical characteristics
Soils, Geology, VegetationSoils, Geology, Vegetation Land Use Land Use Precipitation/hydrologyPrecipitation/hydrology Common Resource AreaCommon Resource Area Census/Social dataCensus/Social data Resource Concerns Resource Concerns
A Watershed Approach:A Watershed Approach: Is hydrologically defined Is hydrologically defined
geographically focused geographically focused includes all stressors (air and water)includes all stressors (air and water)
Involves all stakeholders Involves all stakeholders includes public (federal, state, local) and private sector includes public (federal, state, local) and private sector is community based is community based includes a coordinating frameworkincludes a coordinating framework
Strategically addresses priority water resource goals Strategically addresses priority water resource goals (e.g. water quality, habitat) (e.g. water quality, habitat) integrates multiple programs (regulatory and voluntary) integrates multiple programs (regulatory and voluntary) based on sound science based on sound science aided by strategic watershed plans aided by strategic watershed plans uses adaptive management uses adaptive management
A Watershed Approach:A Watershed Approach:
What are the goals of watershed What are the goals of watershed planning?planning?
How do you know if the “plan” has How do you know if the “plan” has worked?worked?
EPA Watershed PlanningEPA Watershed Planning
Identification of the causes and sources that need to be controlled to achieve load reductions in the watershed- based plan
A description of the process that will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of implementing the plan and achieving its goals.
designation of critical areas tied to BMPs. Estimate of the load reductions expected
for the Management efforts.
EPA Watershed PlanningEPA Watershed Planning
A set of criteria that can be used to determine if load reductions are being achieved over time
If not – a set of criteria to determine if the watershed based plan needs to be revised.
http://www.michigan.gov/deq/0,1607,7-135-3313_3682_3714-69714--,00.html
BMPsBMPs
Best Management PracticesBest Management Practices
What are they and how do we What are they and how do we evaluate them?evaluate them?
http://www.bmpdatabase.org/
US EPA- US EPA- We can best understand the overall health of We can best understand the overall health of aquatic systems on a aquatic systems on a watershed basis. basis.
Using watersheds, we can take a broader view of Using watersheds, we can take a broader view of the environment, which is complicated and the environment, which is complicated and interconnected with our activities across local interconnected with our activities across local and regional scales. and regional scales.
Defining A Healthy Defining A Healthy WatershedWatershed
But what is a “healthy” watershed??
““Health”Health”
Human health?Human health? Indicators and Standards for assessing Indicators and Standards for assessing
Rangeland Health (Natural Research Council 1994)“The degree to which the integrity of the soil and ecological processes of rangeland ecosystems are maintained”
Forest Health (U.S. Forest Service)“A condition wherein a forest has the capacity across the landscape for renewal, for recovery from a wide range of disturbances, and for retention of ecological resiliency, while meeting current and future needs of people for desired levels of values, uses, products, and services”
Some “Health” DefinitionsSome “Health” Definitions
Watershed HealthWatershed Health
(Jones et al. 2002)(Jones et al. 2002)““A state in which resource management A state in which resource management activities sustain human needs and uses of the activities sustain human needs and uses of the watershed while ensuring that watershed while ensuring that ecological ecological functionfunction is maintained” is maintained”
““Functional” components of a Watershed:Functional” components of a Watershed:Hydrologic FunctionHydrologic FunctionEcological FunctionEcological FunctionHuman/Societal FunctionHuman/Societal Function
Do we have indicators that we can use to evaluate the “health” of our watersheds?
Factors indicating stream Factors indicating stream healthhealth
Water qualityWater quality Tied to intended useTied to intended use
Stream flowStream flow QuantityQuantity TimingTiming
Physical habitatPhysical habitat MorphologyMorphology Riparian vegetationRiparian vegetation
Surface / groundwater interactionsSurface / groundwater interactions Biologic / hydrologic interactionsBiologic / hydrologic interactions
http://www.phillywatersheds.org
http://www.mtnvisions.com/Aurora/healthst.html
Cornell.edu
http://www.fws.gov/
http://www4.agr.gc.ca
Discussion on Healthy StreamsDiscussion on Healthy Streams
http://www.grmw.org/
Discussion on Healthy StreamsDiscussion on Healthy Streams
Discussion on Healthy StreamsDiscussion on Healthy Streams
Evolving channel in VermontEvolving channel in Vermont
http://www.anr.state.vt.us
Discussion on Healthy StreamsDiscussion on Healthy Streams
http://www.grmw.org/
Discussion on Healthy Uplands
What are some of the indicators?
HomeworkHomework
Describe a local watershed – Describe a local watershed – CharacteristicsCharacteristics
Estimate an annual water balance for Estimate an annual water balance for that watershedthat watershed Annual precipitationAnnual precipitation http://climate.usurf.usu.edu/products/http://climate.usurf.usu.edu/products/
data.phpdata.php