What is sustainable watershed management?

Sustainable watershed management is an important technique for protecting water resources and maintaining their availability for communities and future generations, through the coordinated management of land, water and other natural resources within a given watershed to maintain or restore ecological, social and economic advantages. 

Sustainable watershed management is essential to addressing the growing number of global water crises, which affect nearly 2.2 billion people worldwide. Another goal is to recycle water and reuse wastewater for non-potable purposes such as irrigation, industrial processes, and firefighting.

Watersheds are under increasing strain because of land-use changes, climate change, pollution, and overuse. So keeping them healthy for safe drinking water and sustaining ecosystems is becoming increasingly challenging. Through sustainable watershed management an integrated approach helps address these challenges by balancing the needs of all stakeholders involved and working together.

Developing sustainable land-use practices is another vital part of sustainable watershed management. Conservation tillage, cover cropping, and using buffer strips are examples of measures that can prevent soil erosion and improve water quality and soil health. Sustainable watershed management can support sustainable agriculture and other land uses while safeguarding water resources.

Applying sustainable watershed management provides many benefits such as clean water, habitat preservation and climate resilience. Healthy watersheds are reliable sources for human consumption and sustain aquatic and land flora and fauna. Preserving watersheds also aids biodiversity and ensures that future generations benefit from natural resources, as it safeguards water resources’ long-term health and well-being.

Healthy watersheds can also provide economic benefits, including increased property values, recreational opportunities, and jobs relating to tourism. Local economies can improve quality of life by promoting sustainable land-use practices and protecting natural resources.

At GHD, we acknowledge the water sector’s potential to lead the change; thus, we have specifically and scientifically crafted Aquanomics, a study dedicated to supporting the economics of sustainable water and future resiliency.

We believe that the diversity of water risk means there is no one-size-fits-all solution for improving resilience to water risk. To create a reliable sustainable watershed management approach, government, businesses, communities, and the water sector must learn to adapt, optimise and prioritise innovative technologies and the regeneration of nature-based solutions to achieve water resiliency.

Learn more about GHD’s Aquanomics at Aquanomics: The economics of water risk and future resiliency - GHD and other water services at Water - GHD.

 

Articles referenced

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^{United States Environmental Protection Agency 2023, ‘Benefits of healthy watersheds’, retrieved May 3, 2023, from https://www.epa.gov/hwp/benefits-healthy-watersheds}