Economic Aspects of Forest Management on Public Lands

WATSED for WINDOWS

Software for Hydrologic and Sediment Response Modeling
The cumulative effects of land management activities on water `quality, stream channels, and water dependent resources from the introduction of sediment and changes in quantity and timing of water flow are ever increasing concerns to land managers. Various regulations require that all Federal Agencies consider cumulative impacts in the environmental analysis process. Council of Environmental Quality Regulation 40 CFR 1508.7 defines cumulative impact as "the impact on the environment which results from the incremental impact of the action when added to other past, present, and .reasonably foreseeable future actions regardless of what agency (Federal or non-Federal) or person undertakes such other actions." Because of the need to assess the cumulative watershed effects of past, present, and future management activities on all land ownerships within watersheds in the National Forests of the Northern Region, the Forest Service has developed WATSED, a computer model to aid in Forest Service planning efforts and for use by cooperating agencies and landowners concerned with cumulative watershed effects.

USDA Forest Service - Rocky Mountain Research Station
Last Modified: December 14, 2006
Modified by: Janet Sullivan