A Case-Study Application of the Experimental Watershed Study Design to Advance Adaptive Management of Contemporary Watersheds
Land managers are often inadequately informed to make management decisions in contemporary watersheds, in which sources of impairment are simultaneously shifting due to the combined influences of land use change, rapid ongoing human population growth, and changing environmental conditions. There is,...
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Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/11/11/2355 |
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doaj-652c112b8291490ebf8f5bc79aa0f3862020-11-25T00:10:07ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412019-11-011111235510.3390/w11112355w11112355A Case-Study Application of the Experimental Watershed Study Design to Advance Adaptive Management of Contemporary WatershedsJason A. Hubbart0Elliott Kellner1Sean J. Zeiger2West Virginia University, Institute of Water Security and Science, Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design, Schools of Agriculture and Food, and Natural Resources, 3109 Agricultural Sciences Building, Morgantown, WV 26506, USAWest Virginia University, Institute of Water Security and Science, Davis College of Agriculture Natural Resources and Design, Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, 3011 Agricultural Sciences Building, Morgantown, WV 26506, USASchool of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, 203-T ABNR Building, Columbia, MO 65211, USALand managers are often inadequately informed to make management decisions in contemporary watersheds, in which sources of impairment are simultaneously shifting due to the combined influences of land use change, rapid ongoing human population growth, and changing environmental conditions. There is, thus, a great need for effective collaborative adaptive management (CAM; or derivatives) efforts utilizing an accepted methodological approach that provides data needed to properly identify and address past, present, and future sources of impairment. The experimental watershed study design holds great promise for meeting such needs and facilitating an effective collaborative and adaptive management process. To advance understanding of natural and anthropogenic influences on sources of impairment, and to demonstrate the approach in a contemporary watershed, a nested-scale experimental watershed study design was implemented in a representative, contemporary, mixed-use watershed located in Midwestern USA. Results identify challenges associated with CAM, and how the experimental watershed approach can help to objectively elucidate causal factors, target critical source areas, and provide the science-based information needed to make informed management decisions. Results show urban/suburban development and agriculture are primary drivers of alterations to watershed hydrology, streamflow regimes, transport of multiple water quality constituents, and stream physical habitat. However, several natural processes and watershed characteristics, such as surficial geology and stream system evolution, are likely compounding observed water quality impairment and aquatic habitat degradation. Given the varied and complicated set of factors contributing to such issues in the study watershed and other contemporary watersheds, watershed restoration is likely subject to physical limitations and should be conceptualized in the context of achievable goals/objectives. Overall, results demonstrate the immense, globally transferrable value of the experimental watershed approach and coupled CAM process to address contemporary water resource management challenges.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/11/11/2355urban watershed managementmunicipal watershedwater quality impairmentcollaborative adaptive managementwater resourcesurban watersheds |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Jason A. Hubbart Elliott Kellner Sean J. Zeiger |
spellingShingle |
Jason A. Hubbart Elliott Kellner Sean J. Zeiger A Case-Study Application of the Experimental Watershed Study Design to Advance Adaptive Management of Contemporary Watersheds Water urban watershed management municipal watershed water quality impairment collaborative adaptive management water resources urban watersheds |
author_facet |
Jason A. Hubbart Elliott Kellner Sean J. Zeiger |
author_sort |
Jason A. Hubbart |
title |
A Case-Study Application of the Experimental Watershed Study Design to Advance Adaptive Management of Contemporary Watersheds |
title_short |
A Case-Study Application of the Experimental Watershed Study Design to Advance Adaptive Management of Contemporary Watersheds |
title_full |
A Case-Study Application of the Experimental Watershed Study Design to Advance Adaptive Management of Contemporary Watersheds |
title_fullStr |
A Case-Study Application of the Experimental Watershed Study Design to Advance Adaptive Management of Contemporary Watersheds |
title_full_unstemmed |
A Case-Study Application of the Experimental Watershed Study Design to Advance Adaptive Management of Contemporary Watersheds |
title_sort |
case-study application of the experimental watershed study design to advance adaptive management of contemporary watersheds |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Water |
issn |
2073-4441 |
publishDate |
2019-11-01 |
description |
Land managers are often inadequately informed to make management decisions in contemporary watersheds, in which sources of impairment are simultaneously shifting due to the combined influences of land use change, rapid ongoing human population growth, and changing environmental conditions. There is, thus, a great need for effective collaborative adaptive management (CAM; or derivatives) efforts utilizing an accepted methodological approach that provides data needed to properly identify and address past, present, and future sources of impairment. The experimental watershed study design holds great promise for meeting such needs and facilitating an effective collaborative and adaptive management process. To advance understanding of natural and anthropogenic influences on sources of impairment, and to demonstrate the approach in a contemporary watershed, a nested-scale experimental watershed study design was implemented in a representative, contemporary, mixed-use watershed located in Midwestern USA. Results identify challenges associated with CAM, and how the experimental watershed approach can help to objectively elucidate causal factors, target critical source areas, and provide the science-based information needed to make informed management decisions. Results show urban/suburban development and agriculture are primary drivers of alterations to watershed hydrology, streamflow regimes, transport of multiple water quality constituents, and stream physical habitat. However, several natural processes and watershed characteristics, such as surficial geology and stream system evolution, are likely compounding observed water quality impairment and aquatic habitat degradation. Given the varied and complicated set of factors contributing to such issues in the study watershed and other contemporary watersheds, watershed restoration is likely subject to physical limitations and should be conceptualized in the context of achievable goals/objectives. Overall, results demonstrate the immense, globally transferrable value of the experimental watershed approach and coupled CAM process to address contemporary water resource management challenges. |
topic |
urban watershed management municipal watershed water quality impairment collaborative adaptive management water resources urban watersheds |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/11/11/2355 |
work_keys_str_mv |
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