The new generation of watershed management

Scale matters

Watershed management can be implemented at scales that range from small upland watersheds to large transboundary river basins. Collaborative watershed management has flourished in relatively small territorial units, generally corresponding to sub-watersheds. The advantage of these small-scale programmes is that activities can be intensive, and face-to-face interaction with local stakeholders is easier. Small-scale pilot projects have a limited impact at the watershed or river basin level, however, and the scaling-up of successful local experiences is a critical challenge for the new generation of watershed management programmes.

The scaling-up of local pilot experiences also helps to embed watershed management in sustainable development. The geographical boundaries of a watershed programme should therefore overlap as much as possible with those of the governance unit that delivers economic and social services. The territory should also be sufficiently large and populated to justify the long-term costs of a permanent watershed management institution.

The optimal scale of a collaborative watershed programme depends on several factors, including the watershed’s strategic value, the existing demand for watershed services, ecosystem fragility, disaster risk, local stakeholders’ priorities, and the financial and technological resources that are available. The nature and size of the final expected impact should be consistent with the scale of the programme.

The design and operation of local programmes must also consider upstreamdownstream linkages. Any local-level intervention should be viewed on the “big picture” screen, and a methodology for multi-level watershed, sub-watershed and micro-watershed planning should be developed.

Strong national and regional fora are needed to promote negotiation among upstream and downstream administrative units or countries, particularly where local interventions affect transboundary watersheds and river basins. Exchange of knowledge and experiences among the countries that share a river basin should be facilitated, in order to develop a common policy framework and ensure long-term commitment and steady funding to relevant institutions.