E. R. N. Gunawardena

Watershed Management: The Path Traversed and the Way Forward

At the outset it is appropriate to deliberate on what watershed management encompasses. Though this term is extensively used, it yet tends to restrict itself to land use management in the past. Watershed is an area which drains into a common drainage outlet. Therefore, once this point is decided, it is easy to define the boundary and demarcate the area. The resources, both natural and man-made within this area can be considered as resources within the watershed. All living beings within this watershed, and sometime outside of it (e.g. transboundary water transfers) use these resources to transport and provide goods and services. Sustainable watershed management is assured as long as these goods and services can be produced continuously over a period of time without degrading resources, specifically the natural resources within the watershed. The reason for bringing watershed management to the top of an agenda is because these watershed resources continue to degrade over time and hence the apprehension of not being able to produce the goods and services in required quantities in time to come. This is a much broader issue in relation to the survival of future generations.