Global Lessons For Watershed Management In The United States

Water resource management in the United States is evolving in the face of continuing challenges to protect water quality, provide adequate quantities of water for competing uses, and protect habitat and other natural resources. In many jurisdictions and agencies this evolution is increasingly leading toward adoption of watershed management. This approach is characterized by planning and decision making on a watershed scale, integration of a variety of competing water resource priorities and goals, cooperation of multiple stakeholders and governmental agencies, and increased levels of public participation. While the number and diversity of watershed management initiatives underway in the United States is impressive, successful transition to this integrated approach remains challenging due to institutional, regulatory, and information barriers.

In certain respects - Geographic Information Systems mapping, wetlands regulations, citizen participation - U.S. watershed initiatives are highly advanced and serve as models for efforts around the world. In other respects - cross jurisdictional coordination and cooperation, agreements on the sharing of resources, habitat protection and restoration - innovatie approaches implemented outside the U.S. show great promise and offer important lessons to U.S. decision makers.

This report identifies the most promising watershed planning and management approaches from around the world; evaluates how they operate, their benefits and limitations; and assesses the degree to which these approaches could be successfully adapted to the U.S. context. Drawing on this international experience, the report is intended to inform policy makers and practitioners and to promote the implementation of integrated watershed management approaches that are most likely to succeed.