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by Tom Christopher - American Whitewater Conservation Chair
It is unusual for most people to know from where their water comes and goes, and - other than for drinking - its uses within the community. Understanding where we are located in a watershed and how our activities affect it is an important component of learning to manage our daily lives in a way that reduces negative impacts to our "watershed neighborhood."
The Kennebec River basin has a total drainage area of 5,910 square miles, constituting one fifth of the total area of the State of Maine. The northern half of the Kennebec basin is comprised primarily of unorganized territories, and because of the harsh climate and rugged terrain of this area, remains sparsely settled with logging and papermaking as its primary industrial activities. The southern cities of Waterville, Augusta, and others in the lower basin comprise most of the industrial enterprises as the river flows to Merrymeeting Bay and empties into the Atlantic Ocean.
Lack of knowledge and understanding of what may happen in one segment of the watershed can negatively affect people and the environment some distance away. For example, pesticide concentration, siltation, and degradation from chemicals used in papermaking upstream can increase the vulnerability of areas downstream. In addition, over-development, excess deforestation and paving permeable areas can raise water temperature in streams and rivers, altering the fragile habitat of fish and many other aquatic species.
Without this understanding, communities' ability to make good decisions about water and land use issues such as wetland protection, logging practices, agricultural runoff and responsible development is impaired.
Many citizens become involved in efforts to protect a small stream, river, or land parcel if the resource is important to them, and they will often commit time and money to insure they will remain safe from any number of environmental threats. While it is important for them to remain focused on individual projects, it is critical to link small-scale conservation efforts into an overarching strategy that will protect an entire watershed.
By dividing a watershed into manageable parts such as sub-watersheds or different river reaches, it is possible to work locally on smaller projects with groups holding a particular interest in projects that are important to them, while still participating in an overall watershed protection effort.
Considering an entire watershed as a method to protect individual rivers and streams is a notion that has been accepted by environmental advocates for some time now; however, political boundaries often make it difficult to develop adequate resources and effective policies that coordinate actual activities taking place.
In order to develop effective policy in terms of stewardship, people need to understand how watersheds function and how water quality is affected by differing conditions in the landscape, and the cumulative impacts human activities may cause to their "watershed home".
Each year water quality changes. Seasonal patterns of water quality occur in all watersheds and the frequency, timing, and magnitude of water runoff from rainstorms or snowmelt are important factors in making decisions about land uses within a watershed.
Problems that exist in watersheds are complex, and existing laws and regulations may not contribute to the most effective resolution. Often, a planning process of cooperation and collaboration develops where multiple parties with diverse can work together. In this way, they can analyze problems, agree upon appropriate solutions and implement plans to assure these solutions are achieved. Successful watershed protection depends on bringing key interests together to the table to find adequate resources to correct those land use activities and human intrusions that contribute to the degradation of our watersheds throughout the State of Maine.
| Want to know more? Check out these clean river resources... | |
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| American Whitewater is a leading boaters-rights advocacy organization. Visit them online at: www.americanwhitewater.org | Maine Rivers’ mission is to protect, restore and enhance the health and vitality of Maine's Rivers. www.mainerivers.org |
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| River Network is a national leader in supporting grassroots river and watershed conservation groups. www.rivernetwork.org | RiverSmart is a national public education campaign helping Americans understand how daily water usage affects rivers. www.riversmart.org www.riversmart.org |
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