Land and Watershed Management - Practices of Irrigation and On-farm Water Management - page 230

6.6.4 Tools for Watershed Protection
Watershed protection mechanism should provide links to a number of resources,
including maps of public drinking water systems that use surface water and the
county-based “Watershed Connections.”
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools have been used in making water-
shed maps and predicting land use impacts from development, fertilizer, and
pesticides.
New and versatile tools are necessary to help watershed coordinators to more
effectively plan and deal with barriers to watershed restoration, in addition to
strengthening the network of agencies, organizations, and local planning groups.
Farmers can contribute to watershed protection and community health by con-
tinuing to improve and implement best management practices. The farm assessment
program should offer easy-to-conduct self-assessment tools for farmstead and field
practices, soil monitoring, and livestock and pasture management. Citizens can take
advantage of such programs to conduct an environmental assessment of the home
and property.
Watershed related county-based publication is useful for providing information
on local watersheds and water quality. It can be used by educators, county gov-
ernment, plan commissions, and citizen groups who want an overview of local
water-related issues and resources.
6.6.5 Land Use Planning
Land use planning may be linked with watershed planning at the local level.
Statewide educational program may be launched by project basis. The project
should be designed to empower communities to prevent and solve natural resource
problems resulting from changing land use in growing watersheds and to empower
local officials to incorporate watershed protection measures into comprehensive
land use plans.
The impacts of land use change on water resources may be simulated using
computer models that can be used to determine short- or long-term impacts of
urbanization and other land use change. The model results should be interpreted
or translated in such a way that is understandable to general people.
6.6.6 Structural Management
Emphasis on structural solutions to water storage and flooding problems has given
way to a new approach that recognizes the multitude of functions watersheds pro-
vide and the need to meet multiple objectives such as flood prevention, erosion
control, wildlife habitat, and provision of recreation. There has also been increasing
awareness that watershed management is not solely the responsibility of government
agencies and conservancy districts.