A conceptual framework for integrating hydrological and biological indicators into watershed management

Development of integrated ecological indicators for assessment of the condition of altered watersheds is fundamental to sound policy and decision making in water resource management. This paper proposes a conceptual framework for developing and integrating a set of hydrological and biologic indicators that can show the modified spatial and temporal distributions of hydrological and biological conditions which result from land use/cover changes across the study watersheds by using Geographic Information Systems, remote sensing, multiple physical and biological databases, and simulation models. Effects of management practices and programs can be evaluated by comparing the temporal distributions of these indicators over a certain period. The paper further outlines steps needed to bridge the gaps between the largely physical and structural aspects of research on watershed indicators and the work on biological processes and indicators of ecosystems for integrating these indicators into watershed planning and management processes.