Publications 

Technical Information: Watershed Management

• A Review of Statewide Watershed Management Approaches: Final Report (USEPA, 2002) 168kb

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Wastewater Management (OWM) and the Office of Wetlands, Oceans, and Watersheds (OWOW) jointly conducted a review of selected state experiences in adopting and implementing statewide watershed management approaches. This document contains a summary of the results of that review. 

• Final Report of the National Watershed Forum, June 27-July 1, 2001, Arlington, Virginia (Meridian Institute, 2001) 999kb

The National Watershed Forum was an event designed to give voice to geographically, politically, and culturally diverse individuals that worked together to develop recommendations for advancing watershed protection and restoration.

• Basin Salinity Strategy 2001-2015 (MDC, 2001)

The "Basin Salinity Management Strategy" (BSMS) guides communities and Governments in working together to control salinity and protect key natural resource values within their catchments, consistent with the principles of the "Integrated Catchment Management Policy Statement" (ICM). It establishes targets for the river salinity of each tributary valley and the Murray-Darling system itself, that reflect the shared responsibility for action both between valley communities and between States. It provides a stable and accountable framework that, over time, will generate confidence in how we are tracking our joint efforts to manage salinity. Some twenty other related Murray Darling Commission reports and studies are also available.

• Salinity Management in the Murray Darling Basin (Blackmore et al, 1999)

Salinity is one of the most critical issues facing the Murray-Darling Basin, Australia. In 1988, the Salinity and Drainage Strategy adopted by the Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council targeted salinity reduction in the lower River Murray. After 10 years of operation it was apparent that short term gains would be offset by rising "background salinity" and dryland catchment areas would become a dominant source of the additional salt to the Murray. Consequently, the Ministerial Council commissioned a salinity audit based on Salt Load Studies undertaken by the Basin States. This paper summarises the findings of the Basin Salinity Audit and briefly outlines the emerging elements of a policy response.

• The Database of Morphologic Characteristics of Watercourses in Southern Ontario (Annable, 1996)

The purpose of this Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources database is to formulate a hydrologic/geomorphologic data base of field measured parameters for streams and rivers of Ontario. The information for this data base was collected in conjunction with stream gauge stations (where ever possible). The intent of the data base is to provide a base-line tool for practitioners and agency personnel for the purposes of watershed planning, and monitoring, water course design, rehabilitation, compensation, review and management.

• Defining and Evaluating Watershed Organizational Effectiveness (Draeger, 2001) 2.53MB

This thesis presents a comparative evaluation of the water quality projects and program implementation of 78 watershed organizations in Minnesota, with a focus on their accomplishments in protecting and improving water quality.

• The Fairy and Peninsula Lakes Study, 1994-1998: Effects of Land Use on the Aquatic Ecosystem (Cornelisse & Evans, 1999)

The objectives of this Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources study were to: document land use changes in the basin and associated responses in the lakes, with an emphasis on water quality, algae, and littoral zone fish habitats;  to improve scientific understanding about the processes underlying environmental changes; and to provide a scientific resource data base for local and regional level planning.

• Great Lakes - St. Lawrence River System and Large Inland Lakes: Technical Guides for flooding, erosion and dynamic beaches in support of natural hazards policies 3.1 of the provincial policy statement (Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, 2001)

This publication was prepared to assist the public and planning authorities, such as municipalities and conservation authorities, with the explanation of the Natural Hazards Policy of the Provincial Planning Act. An Introductory Guide to the above report is available in PDF format in two parts.

• Introductory Guide: Part 1 (pdf, 2.6MB)
• Introductory Guide: Part 2 (pdf, 3.5MB)
• Integrated River Basin Optimization: Modeling Economic and Hydrologic Interdependence (Ward & Lynch, 1996)

This American Water Resources Association Bulletin presents an integrated optimal control model that optimizes economic performance of reservoir management in watersheds in which there are significant economic and hydrologic interdependencies. The model is solved using the General Algebraic Modeling System (GAMS). Results show that application of this model to New Mexico's Rio Chama basin can increase total system benefits over historical benefits by exploiting complementarities between hydroelectricity production, instream recreation, and downstream lake recreation.

• Morphologic Relationships of Rural Watercourses in Southern Ontario and Selected Field Methods in Fluvial Geomorphology (Annable,  1996)

This Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources publication collates the morphological characteristics of rural streams and rivers in southern Ontario to provide management and design guidance in the management and development of natural channel systems for the hydrographic region of southern Ontario. Results are based upon field studies from Annable (1996) contained in the Database of Morphological Characteristics of Watercourses in Southern Ontario(see above).

• Natural Channel Systems: Adaptive Management of Corridors in Ontario (Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, 2002)

A guide to better design practices using an adaptive environmental management model.

• Natural Channel Systems. An Approach to Management and Design (Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, 1994)

This document is intended to provide an approach to management and design by identifying important functional ecological relationships between stream channels, their associated riparian and flood plain systems, and their watersheds. In addition, it introduces a stream classification system that can be used in identifying often overlooked geomorphologic principles and attributes of stream and valley systems.

• Water Budget Analysis on a Watershed Basis (Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources et al, 2000)

This reference manual provides information regarding the identification and selection of procedures for undertaking water budget analyses within the overall watershed planning process.

• Watershed Action Guide (UMA, 1998)

A practical guide for practitioners of watershed management and planning, intended to assist the initiation, preparation and implementation of a watershed or sub-watershed plan and providing information and advice on building partnerships in the community. The guide is composed of three parts: the basics of watershed planning and management; preparing a watershed plan; and tools to use at each stage of the process.