Watershed Protection

Peace Corps, Ghana

Watersheds provide critical habitat for many plant and animal species, as well as transport paths for sediment, nutrients, minerals, and a variety of chemicals. Watersheds also provide water to human communities for drinking, cleaning, recreation, navigation, hydroelectric power, and manufacturing. These resources help plan projects to minimize and manage human alterations to watersheds, and include a watershed management checklist as well as general information about watersheds' importance.

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Community Based Watershed Management
No Date | Ohio State University Extension | 6 pages
A brief introduction to the community-based watershed management approach and related concepts.
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Resources from the Center for Watershed Protection
No Date | U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) | 46 pages
Protecting Water Resources with Higher Density Development
While these resources were developed for US circumstances, most could be easily adapted to the situation of Volunteer communities. Protecting Water Resources with Higher Density Development includes chapters concerning critical land use components for protecting water in low-density populations as well.
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Handbook for Developing Watershed Plans to Restore and Protect Our Waters
2008 | U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
http://www.epa.gov/nps/watershed_handbook/
While this resource was developed for US circumstances, it is a very practical guide and provides a good foundation for those working in watershed planning. The planning steps can be easily adapted to the situation of Volunteer communities.  
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FAO Resource: The New Generation of Watershed Management Programmes and Projects: A Resource Book for Practitioners and Local Decision Makers Based on the Findings and Recommendations of a FAO Review
2006 | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
http://www.fao.org/docrep/009/a0644e/a0644e00.htm
    The new generation of watershed management programmes and projects.  A resource book for practitioners and local decision-makers based on the findings and recommendations of a FAO review.  
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FAO Resource: Preparing For The Next Generation of Watershed Management Programmes and Projects: Latin America
2005 | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
http://www.fao.org/docrep/009/a0379b/a0379b00.htm
   Preparing For The Next Generation of Watershed Management Programmes and Projects: Latin America  
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Guidelines for the Safe Use of Wastewater, Excreta and Greywater
2005 | World Health Organization
http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/wastewater/gsuww/en/index.html
The papers were drafted as comprehensive background materials for the meeting on the draft Guidelines for the safe use of wastewater, excreta and greywater
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FAO Resource: Watershed Management Case Study: Latin America - Review and Assessment of the Status of Watershed Management
2004 | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
http://www.fao.org/docrep/009/j3887e/j3887e00.HTM
  Watershed Management Case Study: Latin America - Reviewand Assessment of the Status of Watershed Management.  
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What Really Works in Watershed Management? Some Lessons for Guatemala.
2001 | Agency for International Development (USAID) | 19 pages
  An analysis of practices that worked and didn’t work, as analyzed after Hurricane Mitch.
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Peace Corps Resources