Development of a watershed health assessment framework integrating ecological, social, cultural, economic and policy attributes

Abstract

ABSTRACT Watershed health assessment is vital for effective resource management, necessitating an integrated framework that captures the multidimensional nature of watershed health and guides protection and restoration efforts. This study presents the development of the Integrated Watershed Health Assessment Framework (IWHF), incorporating ecological, social, cultural, economic and policy attributes to comprehensively assess watershed health as a socio-ecological system. By integrating primary and secondary data, including literature reviews and expert opinions, the IWHF captures the multidimensional nature of watershed health and provides a practical tool for sustainable watershed management. The results, evaluated through the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) within the context of Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM), prioritize ecological factors (48.80%), followed by economic considerations (21.90%), socio-cultural factors (16.91%) and policy aspects (12.39%). This highlights the critical importance of preserving ecological integrity, emphasizing sustainable economic practices, inclusive community engagement and well-defined policy frameworks. The IWHF's holistic and flexible approach, comprehensive integration, and enhanced decision support capabilities set it apart from other frameworks, contributing to the understanding, management, and preservation of watershed health while guiding policy direction and optimizing the utilization of watershed resources.