Too Much or Too Little: Sustaining Watershed and the People Who Need Them
Title | Too Much or Too Little: Sustaining Watershed and the People Who Need Them |
Publication Type | Conference Proceedings |
Year of Conference | 2008 |
Authors | Toch, S. L. |
Conference Name | 76th Annual Western Snow Conference |
Series Title | Proceedings of the 76th Annual Western Snow Conference |
Date Published | April 2008 |
Publisher | Western Snow Conference |
Conference Location | Hood River, OR |
Keywords | watershed management, hydrologic system, ecological processes, environmental health, environmental planning, land use, water quality |
Abstract | Around the world, decreasing water availability and increasing costs of water purification serve as an indicator of our struggle between human demands and the maintenance of ecological functions and processes of natural resources. But while much has been written on the degradation of natural areas, and growing concerns for human health, little has been done to address their connections. While inherently we know that there is a connection between how we use our water resources and the resources available to us, the challenge has been to define this connection in terms that are considered valid, and to apply this knowledge in a strategy for action. This work outlines the similarities and interactions between ecological and human needs; serving as a basis for the identification and development of effective risk assessment and management alternatives that focus on an increased awareness of the tradeoffs inherent in every resource decision. By exploring the connections between water quantity and quantity in land use, water quality and human health, we can gain a better understanding of how human effects on ecological processes do, in fact, affect our quality of life. |
URL | sites/westernsnowconference.org/PDFs/2008Toch.pdf |