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Current Situation and
Objectives
The watershed scale
is accepted as the proper geographic perspective for
defining water quality and quantity issues, developing
protective or remediation strategies, organizing working
groups such as multi-agency partnerships and grassroots
action groups, and implementing targeted environmental
policies. Obstacles to this approach are the lack
of immediate assessment data at the watershed scale and
scientifically-appropriate protocol for the use of
existing data in watershed planning and policy
development. Spatial technologies such as GIS and
remote sensing provide great potential for collecting
and using watershed-scale data, but education and
research are needed to make these tools useful in
developing end-use products and information that address
watershed water resource issues.
The objectives of this focus area are to
establish a regional work group of researchers and
educators to identify and promote science-based
decision-making tools, demonstrate the use of hydrologic
forecasting models to increase the efficacy of water
management decisions, and develop educational programs
that help watershed planners understand the data, tools,
and scientifically acceptable protocol for use in
developing watershed plans and policies.
Expected Impacts
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Increased knowledge of and accessibility to
watershed management decision-making tools by
natural resource managers.
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Strengthened potential for successful watershed plan
implementation by providing accurate risk management
impacts of local decisions.
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Stronger partnerships developed between spatial
technology/monitoring agencies, universities, and
watershed managers and planners.
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