Watershed Characterization to Enhance Student Learning and Build Capacity for Community-Led Watershed Planning and Management

The watershed characterization process involves compiling, synthesizing, and interpreting existing information to understand current watershed conditions, and uses narrative, maps, and other tools to tell the watershed’s story. It is an important first step in guiding planning and management efforts. Because watershed management problems are complex, jumping straight into management solutions without fully understanding conditions on the ground can produce projects that are ineffective, unsustainable, and harmful. Every watershed is unique, and care must be taken to ensure that watershed maps effectively depict and communicate local issues. Academic partners can help build capacity for watershed work by using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to create high-quality and customized maps, while community members provide local knowledge to inform map design and can use the characterization process to start critical conversations about the watershed. This case study reports on a watershed characterization project for the Fishkill Creek Watershed, a tributary to the Hudson River, New York. The case study describes the importance of watershed characterization, the value of completing the work through academic-community partnerships, and the role of expertise and specialized knowledge in capacity building and ensuring successful outcomes. The case study appendices provide resources to enable students to complete their own watershed characterization maps for summer research, a group course project, or as a guided independent study.