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<br />rocks, biodiversity, wetlands, farms, and cities.
<br />
<br />A watershed-based approach in managing natural resources is characterized by the
<br />following elements:
<br />
<br />Geography. Watershed-based approaches demonstrate a geographic perspective that
<br />governs and manages natural resources within the limits of the watershed rather than
<br />conventional political jurisdictions such as a city, state, or nation (Natural Resources Law
<br />Center 1996). This perspective is advantageous simply because natural resources such as
<br />water or habitats do not adhere to conventional political jurisdiction boundaries. For
<br />example, the Tijuana River Watershed transcends the municipal boundaries of Tijuana
<br />and Tecate, the international boundary between Mexico and the United States, and the
<br />boundaries of a number of sovereign Indian tribal groups in San Diego County. Since the
<br />river flows through three cities and two countries, so do pollutants, sediments, and
<br />virallbacterial pathogens. Pollutants discharged in Tecate may very well end up in
<br />potable water supplies in Tijuana. In addition, riparian corridors and migratory bird
<br />habitats along the Tijuana River also transcend political boundaries. To solve these multi-
<br />jurisdictional natural resources management challenges, a watershed-based approach will
<br />encourage local government to collaborate and develop comprehensive water and land
<br />use management strategies.
<br />
<br />Integrated Resources Management. Watershed approaches espouse a broad and
<br />interconnected view of natural resources management (Natural Resources Law Center
<br />1996). From this perspective, water resources managers, water users, land use planners,
<br />and other stakeholders balance competing interests and determine how to satisfy human
<br />needs within the limits of available water resources. As a first step, the provision of a
<br />basic amount of clean, reliable, and cost-effective water should be guaranteed to every
<br />resident regardless of socioeconomic status. Besides household needs, cost-effective
<br />clean water is needed for a sustainable local economy. Similarly, since river ecosystems
<br />improve water storage capacity and water quality, efforts should be made to identify
<br />minimum ecological water needs to support diminishing riparian ecosystems. In essence,
<br />watershed-based approaches tend to integrate numerous resource problems including
<br />water quality, water quantity, aquatic ecosystem restoration, storm water management,
<br />soil erosion control, flood management, land use planning, and local economic
<br />development (Michel 2000). In fact, a primary goal of Mexico's Comision Nacional del
<br />Agua (CNA, National Water Commission) watershed council program is to harmonize
<br />the use, management, and administration of all natural resources (soils, water, flora, and
<br />fauna) in a watershed (CNA 1998).
<br />
<br />Local Control; Grass Roots Stewardship. In Southern California, and increasingly in
<br />Tijuana, top-down fragmented management of natural resources is being put aside in
<br />favor of local approaches that encourage community-based management of the local
<br />environment (Michel 2000). From a watershed perspective, diverse stakeholders such as
<br />land use planners, farmers, residents, water agencies, academics, environmentalists,
<br />recreational users, land developers, and local business owners work together to achieve
<br />environmental, economic, and quality oflife gains in watersheds (Natural Resources Law
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