Watershed Science and Management

Ted Rodgers

Timothy Randhir, Associate Professor in the Department of Natural Resources Conservation, works with the most important molecule known to earth- H2O. From the amoeba to ourselves, everything needs water, and watersheds are the source of it. Watersheds, as Randhir will tell you, are not only bodies of water, but also “any mass of land that drains into the point itself.” The sheer scope of watersheds has contributed to Randhir’s wide-ranging research interests, which include watershed science, climate change impacts, ecological economics, and water quality and policies.

Close to home, Randhir has made a study of the effects that urbanization is having on the watershed on Westfield River Watershed. Because watersheds play such an important role in terms of recreation, natural resources, and biodiversity, research needs to cross many disciplinary boundaries. In the Westfield River Watershed study, Randhir and Paul Ekness, also of the Department of Natural Resources Conservation, studied the detrimental impacts of urbanization on the flora and fauna of the watershed and developed policy suggestions on how to minimize these effects. The study estimates how far urban areas can go before breaching a threshold in animal populations. Another finding is that suburbs can cause more damage to wetlands than cities, as, “suburbs sprawl across watersheds; breaking up the land and creating a need for a more widely spread water supply system.”

Due to the need to have both watersheds and humans exist together, Randhir says, “Conservation policy approaches need to be based on science, as well as people’s needs, “ and also be, “flexible, in that they need to find a balance between a communities’ objectives and the preservation of watersheds.” He describes how a single objective would be a poor way to manage watersheds. “Regulations are needed, but there are other ways to reduce problems like sedimentation and pollution, such as incentives and education.” Randhir and UMass graduate student Olga Tsvetkova have designed a few tradeoffs that would allow continued development in the Blackstone River Watershed in Massachusetts and Rhode Island with minimal impact to the watershed itself. Suggestions include adding vegetation cover and storm water buffers to mitigate the damage. As with most of Randhir’s recommendations, these are not meant to be enforced by law, but rather encouraged through the creation of incentives.

Watershed problems are not created equally. Basins down stream are far more vulnerable to pollution and sedimentation, and developing countries, especially in South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia suffer from serious water quality issues. In a project based in Honduras, Randhir has worked to improve the water quality by suggesting that a coffee plantation take specific actions to reduce runoff carried downstream. Randhir is also conducting research on the Rift Valleys in Africa, coined “hot spots of biodiversity. “ Future international projects that Randhir has in mind include researching different locales in Africa, South America, and the Ganges river basin, to assess how climate change variations might affect local communities without much fresh drinking water.

One of the major water quality issues in the Third World is the prevalence of arsenic in drinking water, such as found in Bangladesh. Arsenic itself is a poisonous element that can cause various gastrointestinal problems, tremors, and death. It can be found in watersheds by pollution or naturally occurring deposits. “Many are exposed to a small amount of arsenic through the water supply on a daily basis,” Randhir explains, “By the time that the symptoms of arsenic poisoning are seen, it is already too late.” Due to the fact that the arsenic can occur naturally, there is no chance of curbing the problem at its source. “We cannot build a large-scale treatment plant to get rid of arsenic in a country as impoverished as Bangladesh,” Randhir states. “To do something, we need solutions that would take place at the consumer level, and education is key”.

Perhaps the most topical of Randhir’s studies is research on how climate change, brought about by global warming, and may affect the stability of watersheds. The research available shows a disturbing trend for the future if greenhouse gasses are not contained. In Randhir’s study of the Connecticut River Watershed, likely outcomes include, “significant affects on stream flow, sediment loading, and nutrient loading in the watershed. Climate change also influences the timing and magnitude of runoff and sediment loads.” If global warming continues, the Connecticut River Valley may face, “water shortages during peak season, disruption of fish migration, and increased pollution.”

With his diverse range of research, interests, and projects, Randhir addresses the full range of watershed science and management. In the future, Randhir also will be investigating ways to mitigate water shortage stress in drought prone areas, develop watershed adaptations in the face of hurricanes in Florida, and closer to home, assess how climate change will likely impact effect the local maple syrup industry.