Watershed ManagementWatershed Management

Process of guiding & organizing land and Process of guiding & organizing land and water resources to provide desired goods & water resources to provide desired goods & services without adversely affecting soil & services without adversely affecting soil &

waterwater

Objectives of Watershed Objectives of Watershed Management Projects (examples)Management Projects (examples)

Sustain land production AND high quality Sustain land production AND high quality waterwater

Restore productivity of degraded landsRestore productivity of degraded lands Reduce soil erosion and sediment exportReduce soil erosion and sediment export Restore riparian and wetland systemsRestore riparian and wetland systems Improve stream channels Improve stream channels Reduce flood damagesReduce flood damages

Need for Comprehensive Watershed Need for Comprehensive Watershed ManagementManagement

(1)(1) Recognizes linkages between uplands and Recognizes linkages between uplands and downstream interests, anddownstream interests, and

(2)(2) Facilitates development of sustainable Facilitates development of sustainable management solutions to current land and management solutions to current land and water degradation problemswater degradation problems

Challenges Challenges

Understand hydrologic and water quality Understand hydrologic and water quality consequences of different types of land useconsequences of different types of land use

Develop land use alternatives that help us Develop land use alternatives that help us mitigate problems and move towards mitigate problems and move towards sustainable resource managementsustainable resource management

AgroforestryAgroforestry

Hydrologic function is somewhere between Hydrologic function is somewhere between that of natural forests and agricultural that of natural forests and agricultural croplandscroplands

A more sustainable alternative to intensive A more sustainable alternative to intensive grazing and cropping on uplands and in grazing and cropping on uplands and in riparian zonesriparian zones

Determining Watershed Benefits of Determining Watershed Benefits of Agroforestry systemsAgroforestry systems

Consider upstream and downstream effectsConsider upstream and downstream effects Compare “with” and “without” agroforestry Compare “with” and “without” agroforestry

conditions conditions Framework for assessment is based on FAO Framework for assessment is based on FAO

Conservation Guide 16 “Guidelines for Economic Conservation Guide 16 “Guidelines for Economic Appraisal of Watershed Management Projects” Appraisal of Watershed Management Projects” (Gregersen et al. 1987) and discussed in Gregersen et (Gregersen et al. 1987) and discussed in Gregersen et al. (2007).al. (2007).

Upstream & Downstream EffectsUpstream & Downstream Effects

Reducing soil erosion in Reducing soil erosion in uplands improves land uplands improves land production over timeproduction over time

Reductions in Reductions in downstream downstream sedimentation translate sedimentation translate into economic benefitsinto economic benefits

National, Regional & International National, Regional & International ProgramsPrograms

White Water to Blue White Water to Blue Water – CaribbeanWater – Caribbean

Green Lands, Blue Green Lands, Blue Water – Midwestern USWater – Midwestern US

International Year of International Year of Mountains 2002Mountains 2002

International Year of International Year of Freshwater 2003Freshwater 2003

Bring Attention to Bring Attention to Issues Issues

Need to translate and Need to translate and mainstream into local mainstream into local and national WSM and national WSM programs that programs that enhance enhance capacity & are long-capacity & are long-termterm

White Water to Blue Water:White Water to Blue Water:A WSSD Partnership InitiativeA WSSD Partnership Initiative

An Integrated Watershed and An Integrated Watershed and Marine Ecosystem-based Management ApproachMarine Ecosystem-based Management Approach

Short Version

White Water to Blue Water (WW2BW)White Water to Blue Water (WW2BW)

To stimulate partnerships that promote integrated watershed To stimulate partnerships that promote integrated watershed and marine ecosystem-based management in support of and marine ecosystem-based management in support of sustainable developmentsustainable development

Goal:

WatershedsWatersheds

Globally, 80% of marine pollution Globally, 80% of marine pollution is derived from land-based sources.is derived from land-based sources.

Increased sedimentation/nutrients from deforestation and agricultural practices.

Habitat destruction.

Urban/waste water run-off.

Attributes of Attributes of AgroforestryAgroforestry

Achieving Goals of WW2BW Achieving Goals of WW2BW Integrated Watershed Management Integrated Watershed Management

Uplands in Meso-AmericaUplands in Meso-America Are principal source areas of freshwater Are principal source areas of freshwater

Headwater areas of rivers that influence debris flows Headwater areas of rivers that influence debris flows and floodingand flooding

Affect water quality that influences downstream Affect water quality that influences downstream water use and aquatic ecosystemswater use and aquatic ecosystems

Will experience increased pressures for production of Will experience increased pressures for production of food & natural resources in coming yearsfood & natural resources in coming years

Upland Watersheds in Meso-Upland Watersheds in Meso-America America

At one time these were largely forested which:At one time these were largely forested which:

provide the greatest hydrologic stability in contrast to other provide the greatest hydrologic stability in contrast to other land use;land use;

strongly influence the quantity of water yielded from strongly influence the quantity of water yielded from watersheds;watersheds;

generally discharge the highest quality of water;generally discharge the highest quality of water; exhibit lower stormflow peaks and volumes for a given input exhibit lower stormflow peaks and volumes for a given input

of rainfall;of rainfall; experience less variation in streamflow between the high and experience less variation in streamflow between the high and

low flows during a year;low flows during a year; provide the greatest soil stability; andprovide the greatest soil stability; and export the lowest levels of sediment downstream.export the lowest levels of sediment downstream.

Cloud ForestsCloud Forests

Intercept atmospheric Intercept atmospheric moisture from clouds & moisture from clouds & fogfog

Add water to the Add water to the watershedwatershed

When forests removed, When forests removed, this moisture input is this moisture input is reducedreduced

Non- Cloud Forests Non- Cloud Forests Higher annual Higher annual

interception & interception & transpiration than transpiration than annual crops annual crops

Runoff and annual Runoff and annual water yield increases water yield increases when converted to when converted to annual crops or pasturesannual crops or pastures

When Forests are Removed and When Forests are Removed and Replaced by Pastures & CropsReplaced by Pastures & Crops

We often see increases in:We often see increases in: Surface runoff and peak flows Surface runoff and peak flows Hillslope failuresHillslope failures Debris flows and channel instabilityDebris flows and channel instability Soil erosion and sediment transportSoil erosion and sediment transport Non-point pollution to downstream water Non-point pollution to downstream water

bodiesbodies

Annual cropping on slopes Annual cropping on slopes accelerates surface erosionaccelerates surface erosion

Floods and Channel InstabilityFloods and Channel Instability

AGOROFRESTRY: An attractive AGOROFRESTRY: An attractive Alternative for UplandsAlternative for Uplands

Combination of agricultural crops Combination of agricultural crops (annual and perennial) and trees (annual and perennial) and trees on the same piece of land on the same piece of land simultaneously or sequentiallysimultaneously or sequentially

Examples of Agroforestry: Examples of Agroforestry: Windbreaks & Living FencesWindbreaks & Living Fences

Reduce evaporation Reduce evaporation demands on crops and demands on crops and improve productionimprove production

Provide shade for Provide shade for livestock and improve livestock and improve animal healthanimal health

Reduced runoff & Reduced runoff & erosionerosion

Alleycropping: Stabilize Slopes & Alleycropping: Stabilize Slopes & Reduces RunoffReduces Runoff

Alleycropping: Stabilize Slopes & Alleycropping: Stabilize Slopes & Reduces RunoffReduces Runoff

Trees on Slopes: Laurel as shade for Trees on Slopes: Laurel as shade for coffee plantation, C.R.coffee plantation, C.R.

Silvopastoral System -- CATIESilvopastoral System -- CATIE

Trees on pastures add to Trees on pastures add to hill slope stability, hill slope stability, reduced runoff, & reduced runoff, & multiple products from multiple products from the land in contrast to the land in contrast to pastures with only pastures with only grassesgrasses

Riparian BuffersRiparian Buffers

Riparian buffers Riparian buffers improve temperature, improve temperature, oxygen levels reduce oxygen levels reduce nutrient loading to nutrient loading to streamsstreams

Riparian buffers Riparian buffers stabilize streambanks stabilize streambanks and improve aquatic and improve aquatic habitathabitat

Water Quality Benefits of Water Quality Benefits of AgroforestryAgroforestry

Require few if any chemical inputsRequire few if any chemical inputs Reducing chemical export to streams and Reducing chemical export to streams and

estuariesestuaries Reduced sediment delivery to streams, Reduced sediment delivery to streams,

reservoirs & estuariesreservoirs & estuaries Cumulative effects improve fish habitat & Cumulative effects improve fish habitat &

productionproduction

Agroforestry – Watershed Research: Agroforestry – Watershed Research: CATIE & University of MinnesotaCATIE & University of Minnesota

Prompted by devastation following Hurricane Prompted by devastation following Hurricane Mitch in 1998Mitch in 1998

What were effects of land use changes & loss What were effects of land use changes & loss of forest cover?of forest cover?

Can agroforestry improve watershed Can agroforestry improve watershed conditions & reduce impacts?conditions & reduce impacts?

Hydrologic studies of small watersheds under Hydrologic studies of small watersheds under different land uses has begun different land uses has begun

Once we better understand Once we better understand the hydrologic and the hydrologic and

production functions of production functions of different agroforestry different agroforestry

practices we can consider practices we can consider implementationimplementation

Implementation ConsiderationsImplementation Considerations

From experience & research need to identify From experience & research need to identify agroforestry practices best suited for conditionsagroforestry practices best suited for conditions

Local participation essential – requiring capacity Local participation essential – requiring capacity buildingbuilding

Incentives needed to get adoption of improved land Incentives needed to get adoption of improved land use by upland inhabitants (e.g., payment for use by upland inhabitants (e.g., payment for environmental services provided)environmental services provided)

Institutional support & policies needed to facilitate Institutional support & policies needed to facilitate diffusion of successful practices across the landscapediffusion of successful practices across the landscape

CONCLUSIONSCONCLUSIONS

As major sources of freshwater, upland As major sources of freshwater, upland watersheds require special attention by watersheds require special attention by resource managers and decision-makersresource managers and decision-makers

Forested uplands are hydrologically stable, but Forested uplands are hydrologically stable, but many forests have been replaced with pastures many forests have been replaced with pastures and cropping practices that can be detrimental and cropping practices that can be detrimental to the flow and quality of water to downstream to the flow and quality of water to downstream areas areas

CONCLUSIONS (continued)CONCLUSIONS (continued)

Changing land use to achieve more sustainable use Changing land use to achieve more sustainable use of resources requires:of resources requires:

(1)(1) Better understanding of hydrologic and water Better understanding of hydrologic and water quality responses,quality responses,

(2)(2) Financial and economic impacts of changing land Financial and economic impacts of changing land use be understood, anduse be understood, and

(3)(3) Stakeholders be fully engaged in planning and Stakeholders be fully engaged in planning and implementing changes – often requiring changes in implementing changes – often requiring changes in land and water use policiesland and water use policies

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State Press. Ames.State Press. Ames.Buck, L.E., J.P. Lassoie and E.C.M. Fernandes (eds.). 1998. Buck, L.E., J.P. Lassoie and E.C.M. Fernandes (eds.). 1998. Agroforestry in sustainable agricultural systemsAgroforestry in sustainable agricultural systems . CRC Press, Boca . CRC Press, Boca

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