River Basin Planning Principles

An integrated framework for water resources management It has been said that "water is the next oil." A strong global consensus has begun to develop that effective water management must start at the watershed level, and that water management actions must be taken in the context of watersheds, and the human communities in them. Integrated Watershed Management: Principles and Practice, Second Edition presents a flexible, integrated framework for watershed management that addresses the biophysical, social, and economic issues affecting water resources and their use. Comprehensive in scope and multidisciplinary in approach, it equips readers with the necessary tools and techniques to develop sound watershed management policy and practice—from problem definition and goal setting to selecting management strategies and procedures for monitoring implementation. Ten years of practice have demonstrated that the core concepts presented in the first edition of this book remain true and important. This Second Edition is fully updated to reflect current practice and recent experience in watershed management, including: New coverage of strategies for the selection and evaluation of public engagement processes Sampling, data management, and computer simulation technologies Recent legislative changes International watershed issues Many new case studies Water resources planning and management is not just a technical challenge; it is also a social challenge, and an opportunity. It is, ultimately, a framework for human societies to shape, protect, and improve the environment in which they live. Providing a rational framework for the development of water resources management strategies, Integrated Watershed Management, Second Edition is a one-stop resource for upper-level students and professionals in environmental science, natural resource management, and environmental engineering.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has long been one of the federal government's key agencies in planning the uses of the nation's waterways and water resources. Though responsible for a range of water-related programs, the Corps's two traditional programs have been flood damage reduction and navigation enhancement. The water resource needs of the nation, however, have for decades been shifting away from engineered control of watersheds toward restoration of ecosystem services and natural hydrologic variability. In response to these shifting needs, legislation was enacted in 1990 which initiated the Corps's involvement in ecological restoration, which is now on par with the Corps's traditional flood damage reduction and navigation roles. This book provides an analysis of the Corps's efforts in ecological restoration, and provides broader recommendations on how the corps might streamline their planning process. It also assesses the impacts of federal legislation on the Corps planning and projects, and provides recommendations on how relevant federal policies might be altered in order to improve Corps planning. Another important shift affecting the Corps has been federal cost-sharing arrangements (enacted in 1986), mandating greater financial participation in Corps water projects by local co-sponsors. The book describes how this has affected the Corps-sponsor relationship, and comments upon how each group must adjust to new planning and political realities.