A watershed is a catchments area from which all water drains into a common point (Kerr et al., 2006; Shiferaw et al., 2008). A watershed can also be defined as “the entire land area that ultimately drains or sheds water into a particular watercourse, such as a lake or a river” Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), 2015). It is a spatially defined unit that includes diverse natural resources that are unevenly distributed within a given geographical area. Due to this spatial aspect of the watersheds, resources as well as resource users become interdependent over time and space (Shiferaw et al., 2008). Watersheds are not only hydrological units but provide life support to rural people making people and animals’ integral …show more content…
Watershed management can also described as “a landscape-based strategy that aims to implement natural resource management systems for improving livelihoods and promoting beneficial conservation, sustainable use, and management of natural resources” (Shiferaw et al., 2008). Integrated watershed management (IWM) has been promoted in many countries, including Ethiopia, as a suitable strategy for improving productivity and sustainable intensification of agriculture. It goes beyond conservation technologies and emphasizes the importance of the human dimension and the need to integrate technological tools with broad-ranging social, political, and economic changes (Shiferaw et al., 2008). Apart from focusing exclusively on biophysical processes that improve resource conditions, IWM includes multiple crop and livestock-based income strategies that support and diversify livelihood opportunities for the poor, and create synergies between targeted technologies, policies, and institutions to improve productivity, resource use sustainability, and market access (Shiferaw et al.,
Somalia is one of the world’s poorest and least developed countries (Campbell). Because of the Civil War, which broke out in 1991, much of Somalia’s economy has been devastated. The war left many homeless and drove them to raise livestock as a means of survival. The economy used to be based on exports of cattle, goats, and bananas but as of early 1992 much of the economic trade had come to a halt. Now the economy is primarily based on the raising of livestock, which accounts for 40% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (Alhaus). Due to overgrazing, soil erosion, and the clearing away of many trees, Somalia has very few natural resources, which have not been exploited.
USGS. "Water Resources Inventory Area 1 Watershed Management." USGS Science for a Changing World. U.S. Geological Survey , 18 Jun 2013. Web. 7 Apr 2014. .
The Colorado River Delta is a vast stream of water that begins in the Rocky Mountains and flows to the Gulf of California. It is the primary source of water for the western part of the United States, making the golden nectar available to Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, Utah, and Mexico. Because of miscellaneous international treaties and over 40 dams built along the river’s path (Ficklin 1), it is slowly becoming the most controlled of all watersheds. With the populations of these towns becoming greater, the amount of pull on the river from the society has increased as a rapid rate. Normally that would not be a problem but given the context, water sources are not as dynamic--fluid, if you will, as the world would often appreciate.
Headwater streams are the peripheral reaches of larger river networks that make up between 50-70% of total reach length within the United States (Fritz et. al 2008). Headwater streams are a major component of river networks and are composed of small swales, creeks, and streams, which form the building blocks for large river and lakes. Headwater streams are very influential on the overall health of aquatic ecosystems, because they provide n...
...at small farms constitute 90 percent of the world’s farms and employment of 1.3 billion people. This dominates agriculture in developing countries because two-thirds of the 3 billion rural people in the world live off the income generated by farmers managing some 500 million small farms (Halberg & Müller, 2012, p.21). Additionally, there are benefits to land conservation for local communities that involves reduced environmental hazards, improvement of water quality from ground recharge, economic gains from agricultural production from exporting, and the natural settings that bring tourism generating the economy (McMahon & Urban, 2010 p.2). It is only through the awareness of this informational insight into the differences between community types and their transitions throughout time that the public can explore and discover economic incentives for rural communities.
McDonald, M., & Brown, K. (2000). Soil and water conservation projects and rural livelihoods: options for design and research to enhance adoption adaptation. Land Degradation and Development, Vol. 11 Number 4
A watershed is an area of land that contributes water to a river, lake, wetland, bay or any other body of water, small or large. Watersheds are also known as basins or drainage basins, as they do “drain” off into a larger body of water. There are watersheds all around us. Small streams and creeks are also considered watersheds; so even if you don’t know it, you too live in a watershed. Watersheds consist of all surface water, as well as all ground and underground water.
One of the largest geographic physical structures in the United States is the Colorado River. Human activity and its interaction with this great river have an interesting history. The resources provided by the river have been used by humans, and caused conflict for human populations as well. One of these conflicts is water distribution, and the effects drought conditions have played in this distribution throughout the southwestern region. Major cities such as Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Diego, and other communities in the southwest depend on the river. It provides water for over 20 million people, irrigation for 2 million acres of land, four thousand megawatts of hydroelectric energy, and over twenty million annual visitors for recreation purposes. Also, once in Mexico, the river provides water to irrigate half a million acres of farmland, and municipal and industrial water for 2 million people living in this delta region. The river distributes its flow from lakes and canals along its journey as well. Due to climate change, human demand, natural forces like evaporation and human-induced climate change this water supply is in conflict. Also, a recent change that began in March of 2014 will bring a temporary water surge to the delta of the Colorado River for the first time in many years to help restore this region, and it’s possible it could reach the Sea of Cortez once again.
More recently, society has begun to understand the functions of wetlands and the values humans obtain from them. Wetlands help regulate water levels within watersheds; improve water quality; reduce flood and storm damages; provide important fish and wildlife habitat; and support hunting, fishing, and other recreational activities. Wetlands are important features in watershed management. The characteristics of wetlands are ...
Between 300 and 400 million people worldwide live in areas near wetlands and depend on them. Wetlands are mechanisms for treatment of wastewater are extremely efficient because they absorb chemicals and filter pollutants and sediments. Half the world's wetlands have disappeared due to urbanization and industrial development. The only way to achieve sustainable development and poverty reduction will be through better management of rivers and wetlands, and the land they drain and drain as well as through increased investment in them.
United Nations Environment Programme. Environment, Sustainable Development and the Nile River Basin. N.p.: United Nations Environment Programme, n.d. Case Study 1. United Nations Environmental Programme. Web. 3 May 2014.
I am particularly surprised how the agricultural industry inflicts these problems on themselves, by excessive use of sewage systems and pollutants which find their way to local rivers [Fig 1.]. The trophic state (i.e. the natural nutrition factors) and biodiversity of lakes and rivers are greatly effected by the main nutrients involved, nitrates and phosphates. The transition occurs mainly between a mesotropic state, with an average biological productivity to a eutrophic state where there is a larger production of organisms due to high nutrient concentrations. Tropical reservoirs in particular often become eutrophic.
The problem of water scarcity has increasingly spread throughout the world as of yet, The UN reports that within the next half- century up to 7 billion people in 60 countries which is more than the whole present population will face water scarcity (Sawin “Water Scarcity could Overwhelm the Next Generation”). As well the demand for freshwater has tripled over the past 50 years, and is continuing to rise as a result of population growth and economic development. 70% of this demand derives from agriculture which shows the influence of water on food supply globally as well not just drinking water (Sawin “Water Scarcity could overwhelm the Next Generation”). But increasing water use is not just a matter of the greater number of people needing it to drink and eat; it also comes from pollution and misuse of water supplies, by either dumping or runoff of bacteria or chemicals into water. This also “causes other pollutions as well such as soil and air pollution, accelerating wetland damage and human caused global warming” (Smith and Thomassey 25). According to UN report, recent estimates suggest that climate change will account for about 20 percent of the increase in global water scarcity in coming decades.
Poverty is one of the primary concerns the world faces in its road to development. Eradication of poverty tends to be the prime aims of governments worldwide. Lack of proper nutrition is a major cause contributing to poverty. Improving agricultural standards can help in producing more food and thus counter the lack of food factor. One way to improve agricultural standards is to develop the irrigation methods used. Irrigation is closely related to poverty. Irrigation benefits the poor through higher production, higher yields, low risk of crop failure and higher and year round farm and non-farm employment. Irrigation leads to high value market oriented agricultural production [1]. However, in developing countries like India, the agricultural sector is heavily dependent on the south-west monsoons. In view of the rising temperatures worldwide due to global warming and changes of weather patterns associated with it, dependence on rains is not always a possible solution. Failure of proper rains can cripple the agricultural sector which can lead to an overall rise in poverty. Thus...