Watershed Governance in the United States: The Challenges Ahead

Document Type

Contribution to Book

Journal/Book Title

Water Resources Update

Publication Date

1-1-2003

First Page

21

Last Page

28

Abstract

In the twentieth century, the challenges faced by water resources managers in the United States included water resource development, structural flood control, and centralized drinking and wastewater treatment. In this century, the focus has shifted to the management of land uses to prevent polluted runoff and groundwater contamination, the restoration of the physical integrity of rivers to reverse declines in aquatic ecosystems, and the protection of the natural capital assets of watersheds to promote the delivery of ecosystem services. This shift is occurring in response to profound problems. Broad cross-sectional data indicate that riverine ecosystems are increasingly threatened by simplification attributable to excessive water withdrawals; channel modifications; erosion and sedimentation; deterioration of substrate quality; chemical contamination; as well as over fishing and exotic species introduction (Adler, 1995; Doppelt et al., 1993). Sediment, pathogens, and nutrients derived from runoff lead the list of pollutants for which Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plans are required under Clean Water Act 303(d) (Table 1). Despite many billions in expenditures to build, operate and administer point-source (PS) pollution control facilities since 1970 (Doppelt, et al., 1993), nonpoint source (NPS) pollution remains as nothing short of one of the greatest environmental problems in the United States.

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