Planning at watershed level

At the watershed level, the major concern of watershed managers or planners is

whether the land is properly used. Over-use of land usually causes soil erosion and land
degradation while under-use may cause waste and social problems in many developing
countries. Therefore, the sites, areas, degrees of misuse together with ownerships
should first be found out. As illustrated in Fig. 6 and in Example 7, such information can
be obtained by superimposing the present land use map and the land capability map.
Whatever the capability criteria are, the main principle is that land should be used
according to the capability. Any use beyond its capability should be prohibited or
discouraged. Use below its capability, though allowable from a conservation viewpoint,
is an economical loss subject to further adjustment.

Experience shows both over-use and under-use may exist in the same watersheds in
developing countries. These phenomena may need to be corrected. After a land use
adjustment map (see Example 7) and its statistics are produced, planning should be
initiated by stratifying land ownership, degrees of improper use, and adjustment
priorities. The general procedures are explained as follows:

- Seriously over-used lands should receive first priority of adjustment or protection. On

private lands, further individual farm planning with the farmers should be carried out to
study a mutual strategy to alleviate the problem. If new policy and/or incentives are
needed, suggestions should be made in the plan. On public lands, this problem should
be brought to the agency concerned for devising practical solutions. These may include
resettlement or reallocation on under-used lands in the same watershed.

- Over-used lands should be adjusted or protected accordingly. After planned with

individual land users, a time table should be worked out. - Under-used lands can be
planned in two ways. If they are publicly owned, these lands can be used for settling
those farmers who are now over-using their lands. Under-used private lands should be
planned for better use according to farmer's interests and existing policies.

- Lands which are used within or according to the capability can usually be divided into
two sub-categories. One category still requires soil conservation treatments and another
does not. For instance, existing paddies, terraced lands and forest do not need any
treatment. But many slopes classified as cultivable lands and under improper cultivation
will still need major conservation treatments in order to minimize erosion hazards.

Another major consideration for the planners is what types of land use or crops are best
suited for the watershed. This may be based on land suitability and involve studies of
present crop patterns, farming systems, government policy, agro-climatic conditions,
marketing, agro-industry, and investment opportunities, etc. Any existing or proposed
plans for crop development, crop zoning, agro-industry, forest or pasture development
by either public or private sector in the watershed should be well analyzed and
considered in the plan. A land suitability map and related information (see 7.1) may
provide a sound base for such work.
8.4 Planning for watershed protection and rehabilitation

In addition to conservation of cultivated lands, specific plans are usually required for
protection and rehabilitation of various kinds of lands in a watershed. While actual
needs are depending on watershed conditions, the following planning work may
normally be required:

- Forest protection and rehabilitation. For forest protection, planning work may

include provisions for fire lookout towers, firebreaks, fire suppression crews and
equipment, warning systems, education meetings, and forest patrol needs, etc. The
need for protection forest in upstream areas and agroforestry for cultivated slopes
require careful planning. For watershed rehabilitation, a reforestation plan including
goals, schedule, species, techniques, nurseries, and roads, etc. is usually required.

- Pasture improvement and protection. Such a plan is usually needed for public

pastures and range lands including the work of reseeding, fencing, rotational grazing,
control of the number of animals, supply of water and sheds, etc.

- Gully control, stream protection and landslide rehabilitation. These may include

using both vegetative and structural means. Check dams, submerged dams, spur dikes,
riprapping, diversions, channel clearing or reshaping, reseeding, establishing stream
buffer strips are some of the rehabilitation work needed.

- Road erosion control. This is a very important work in watersheds of developing

countries. The plan should aim at the protection of existing roads: their surfaces, ditches
and cut and fill slopes including rehabilitation of land slips and road foundations. The
required work may consist of hydroseeding, retaining walls, wattling and staking, cross
drains and culverts and their proper maintenance.

- Other protection and rehabilitation work. Such as mining control, mined area

rehabilitation, pollution control, stabilization of housing sites on slopes as required.

8.5 Planning for rural and integrated watershed development

In many watershed projects, several components of rural development are normally

required. Depending again on the actual needs of a watershed, the development plans
may include the following:

- Irrigation and water harvesting. Even in the humid tropics, there exists a

pronounced dry season for several months. No crops can be grown during that period.
Minor irrigation and water harvesting for the provision of supplementary water at the
beginning of the dry season will help farmers to grow one more crop, thereby increasing
their income. In some watersheds, domestic water has to be supplied or supplemented
by water collection devices. The planning work generally consists of studying rainfall
and crop patterns, analyzing water requirements, identifying source areas, proposing
water delivery, storage and distribution systems.

- Road development and improvement. This kind of work is always needed although

the road authorities should bear chief responsibility for it. Joint planning by road
authorities and watershed people is necessary. Planning for new roads should include
carefully consideration of their necessity, sites and future maintenance needs.
Otherwise, improperly built and maintained roads may create more erosion hazards.
Planning for road improvement should include all roads and trails in a watershed. The
latter are usually neglected but they are used by farmers daily. Drainage, road
regrading, surfacing, slope stabilization and better maintenance are some of the
improvements to be carefully planned.

- Housing and building construction. Housing includes building new houses and

improvement of existing ones. The former is usually associated with settlement or land
allocation schemes and normally have set standards for planning and designing.
However, watershed planners should help to select safe sites for housing and to review
housing standards from both practical and economical points of view. Housing
improvement may be needed extensively in many watersheds. Kitchens, toilets, and
roofs may be the priority items for improvement. Other construction calling for planning
are markets, schools, and clinics. As with housing, there may be competent authorities
in charge of their respective development. Watershed planners and managers,
however, need to assist with proper siting and site stabilization.

- Other development plans. Other development plans may be required such as

establishing small power plant, cottage industry, agro-industry, etc. In each case
competent authorities or experts should be consulted.