National Water Basin Management Strategy 2014-2023.

The National Watershed Management Strategy is a national policy with a cross-sectoral approach. The timeframe of the Strategy is 10 years between 2014 and 2023. The goals of this Strategy are (i) improve watershed management in a coordinated, participatory and ecosystem-oriented manner, (ii) ensure biodiversity conservation, (iii) improve the quality of life and the welfare of the country by providing sustainable, environmental, economic, socio-cultural services and benefits of the basins.
The main priority of the Strategy is to eliminate the natural resource and environmental degradation process in the water catchment basins in order to protect and improve the efficiency and quality of soil, groundwater and surface water resources, and to ensure the protection of the fauna and flora in the basins. A National Water Quality Management Strategy will be developed to protect and improve water resources, increase water use efficiency, and to take necessary measures for water conservation in the basins. Good agricultural practices will be promoted to conserve water and soil quality. Sustainable natural resources management will be ensured through the protection and improvement of agricultural land, pastures, forest area, forest resources, flora, biodiversity, protected areas, ecosystem, species and their genetic resources. Biodiversity monitoring system will be developed with ecosystem approach.
The watershed management will be improved to raise the welfare of the low income rural population living in the basin by maximizing its contribution. Alternative income generation opportunities will be developed for rural communities, such as marketing of non-timber products in order to reduce the pressure on natural resources.
The main strategies for improving the management of the basins are: (a) institutional and legal arrangements for strengthening coordination and participation in watershed management; (b) consensus on the use of hydrological basin identification consisting of 25 river basins and their sub-basins and micro-watersheds for watershed management planning and practices carried out by water bodies of different institutions and organizations; (c) prioritizing basin areas and investments based on appropriate scientific criteria and methods; (d) strengthening the basin database, monitoring and evaluation capacities, and establishing a common monitoring and evaluation system for watershed management; and (e) evaluation of the ecological, economic and social costs and benefits and internal and external impacts of alternative projects and practices. A National Basin Classification System will be established to determine the areas and borders of river basins, sub-basins and micro-watersheds. A National Integrated Watershed Management Information System will be established with the basis of geographical information system and therefore this Information System will be integrated with the information systems on water, forestry, agriculture, environment, land, and disaster risk management. The water needs for drinking and for household, agricultural and industrial uses will be met with sufficient quantity and quality in rural and urban areas. To this end, wastewater collecting and treatment systems will be established in all settlements throughout the country. Agricultural irrigation areas will be expanded through improved irrigation systems and irrigation efficiency, in accordance with climate, soil and water conditions of basins. The use of modern irrigation systems including drip and sprinkler irrigation method will be promoted.
Disaster risk reduction and management will be strengthened to lessen the adverse impacts of flood, erosion and avalanches. In order to increase the resilience to disasters, measures will be taken for prevention, mitigation and preparedness such as risk mapping and establishment of early warning systems in the basins. Climate change adaptation and mitigation will be integrated into the watershed management. Therefore, the capacity of carbon sinks will be enhanced in forest areas.
The Directorate General for Water Management under the Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs shall be responsible for the monitoring of the implementation of this Strategy. According to the progress, a National Watershed Management Monitoring and Evaluation Report will be prepared every year.