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Newsletter and Technical Publications
<Planning and Management of Lakes and
Reservoirs:
An Integrated Approach to Eutrophication>
CHAPTER 4. PUBLIC AWARENESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
4.4. Environmental Education
4.4.3. Education of Decision-Makers
Environmental education of employees of the state, local government, and
local administration among others should teach how to:
- collect, develop, and transmit information about the quality of the
aquatic environment within a given region,
- organize educational and informational campaigns related to the
aquatic environment,
- prepare publications, produce films and other educational materials,
taking into consideration the specificity of the natural/aquatic
environment in a given region,
- introduce new techniques and technologies,
- apply public relations techniques,
- search for financial resources to carry out the above.
Knowledge in this field can be acquired by attending professional
courses and training in law, environmental management, environmental
protection techniques, spatial development, etc.
The decision-makers facing the eutrophication problem in a given region
should know the answers to the following questions (see discussion in
Chapter 3 of this publication):
- What is the watershed size, area, and the relationship of the
watershed area/reservoir area?
- What is the structure of the hydrographic network in the watershed?
- What are the main sources of pollution in the watershed?
- How is the mosaic in the watershed organized? Consider wetlands,
riparian forest, other forest and vegetation, agriculture, industry, and
settlements. What is the relationship of the area between these
components?
- What are the types and declination of soil in the watershed,
including the consideration of their erodibility and effect on the water
composition?
- What are the predominant soil uses in the watershed?
- What are the consequences of soil uses? Consider erosion, suspended
material transportation, transport of pollutants, and contamination of
groundwater.
- What are the possible consequences of deforestation in the watershed
for rivers and for the reservoir?
- What are the inputs of nutrients (i.e., nitrogen and phosphorus) to
the reservoir?
- What is the water retention time of the reservoir?
- What is the composition of reservoir sediments and the concentration
of nitrogen and phosphorus in the sediments?
- Are there contaminants in the sediments? If so, what are their
concentrations?
- What is the rate of application of herbicides and pesticides in the
watershed?
- What use does the public make of the watershed and reservoir? Include
consideration of fisheries, recreation, irrigation, transportation,
hydroelectricity, drinking water supply, agriculture in the watershed,
and types of crops cultivated.
- What are the economic values of the watershed related to production,
recreation, and all other uses"?
- What historical development has taken place? Consider the current
number of inhabitants in the watershed and expected trends into the
future.
- What existing database is available? Consider maps, water quality
data, climate records, satellite images, human health problems related
to water supply, and population size.
- What is the state of vegetative cover? Include consideration of both
natural vegetation and agricultural crops in the watershed.
- What is the stage of wetlands and riparian forest in the watershed?
Do any need restoration and/or protection?
- What is the rate of sediments deposition in the reservoir?
- What kind of environmental legislation regulates watershed and
reservoir water uses and management policies?
- What are the major existing impacts? Consider industries (type,
production, type of waste produced), mining operations (type,
production, conservation), agriculture and others.
- Analyze the position and distance of pollution sources in relation to
rivers, wetlands and reservoirs.
Background information on environmental, technological and management
aspects of eutrophication is included in Chapters 1, 6, and 7 of this
publication.
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