Watershed Planning and Management

Watershed Planning and Management examines the science, technology, and practice of managing land and water resources through the watershed approach. It integrates hydrology, geomorphology, soil and water conservation, land use planning, socio-economic considerations, and modern tools such as remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS). This book presents an overview of global water resources and their diverse uses, followed by fundamental concepts of watersheds, hydrological cycles, and delineation methods. With a balance of theory, methodology, and practice, this book serves as a valuable resource for students, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. It not only strengthens conceptual understanding but also provides practical insights into implementing watershed projects in diverse regions.

Key Features:

• Explains watershed concepts from basic hydrology to advanced applications in planning, management, and policy concepts designed for optimizing crop yields and reaping economic and environmental benefits.
• Focuses on sustainable development and aligns watershed management with environmental conservation, climate resilience, and sustainable agriculture.
• Explains methods of watershed prioritization, erosion modeling, hydrological budget analysis, and water yield assessment.
• Includes practical real-world examples to present insights of watershed planning and management for climate change mitigation.

Dr. Rohitashw Kumar (B.E., M.E., Ph. D.) is Associate Dean and Professor in the College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Sher‑e‑Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir, Srinagar, India. He worked as Professor Water Chair (Sheikkul Alam ShiekhNuruddin Water Chair), Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India, at the National Institute of Technology, Srinagar (J&K). He is also Professor and Head, Division of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering. He earned his Ph.D. degree in Water Resources Engineering from NIT, Hamirpur, and his Master of Engineering degree in Irrigation Water Management Engineering from MPUAT, Udaipur. He got the Nation Fellow in 2025, the Gold Medal Award in 2022, the Leadership Award in 2020, the Special Research Award in 2017, and the Student Incentive Award in 2015 (Ph.D. Research) from the Soil Conservation Society of India, New Delhi. He also got the first prize in India for the best M.Tech. thesis in Agricultural Engineering in 2001. He has published over 165 papers in peer‑reviewed journals, more than 30 popular articles, 13 books, six practical manuals, and 40 book chapters. He has guided five Ph.D students and 19 M.Tech. students in Soil and Water Engineering. He has handled more than 20 research projects as a principal or co‑principal investigator. Since 2011, he has been the Principal Investigator of ICAR – All India Coordinated Research Project on Plastic Engineering in Agriculture, Structure and Environment Management.

Prof. Vijay P. Singh is a Distinguished Professor, a Regents Professor, and the inaugural holder of the Caroline and William N. Lehrer Distinguished Chair in Water Engineering at Texas A&M University. His research interests include surface‑water hydrology, groundwater hydrology, hydraulics, irrigation engineering, environmental quality, water resources, water‑food‑energy nexus, climate change impacts, entropy theory, copula theory, and mathematical modeling. He graduated with a B.Sc. in Engineering and Technology with emphasis on Soil and Water Conservation Engineering in 1967 from the U.P. Agricultural University, India. He earned an MS in Engineering with specialization in Hydrology in 1970 from the University of Guelph, Canada; a Ph.D. in Civil Engineering with specialization in Hydrology and Water Resources in 1974 from Colorado State University, Fort Collins, USA; and a D.Sc. in Environmental and Water Resources Engineering in 1998 from the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. He has published extensively on a wide range of topics. His publications include more than 1365 journal articles, 32 books, 80 edited books, 305 book chapters, and 315 conference proceedings papers. For his seminar contributions, he has received more than 100 national and international awards, including three honorary doctorates. Currently, he serves as the Past President of the American Academy of Water Resources Engineers and the American Society of Civil Engineers. Previously, he served as the President of the American Institute of Hydrology and Chair, Watershed Council, the American Society of Civil Engineers. He is Editor‑in‑Chief of two book series and three journals, and he serves on the editorial boards of more than 25 journals. He has served as the Editor‑in‑Chief of three other journals. He is a Distinguished Member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, an Honorary Member of the American Water Resources Association, an Honorary Member of the International Water Resource Association, and a Distinguished Fellow of the Association of Global Groundwater Scientists. He is a fellow of five professional societies. He is also a fellow or member of 11 national or international engineering or science academies.

Dr. Sabah Parvaze is serving as an Assistant Professor‑cum‑Junior Scientist in the Division of Irrigation and Drainage Engineering, College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, SKUASTKashmir. She holds a B.Tech. in Agricultural Engineering (SKUAST‑Kashmir, 2014, Gold Medalist), an M.Tech. in Hydrology (IIT Roorkee, 2016, Gold Medalist and Kathpalia Awardee), and a Ph.D. in Soil and Water Engineering (SKUAST‑Kashmir, 2021, Gold Medalist). She specializes in flood forecasting, hydrological and hydraulic modeling, drought assessment, water quality management, and Artificial Intelligence (AI)‑based applications in agriculture and water resources. Her doctoral research focused on developing a real‑time flood forecasting system for the Jhelum Basin using advanced hydrological models. She has professional experience as a Senior Water Resources Engineer at RMSI Pvt. Ltd., where she integrated AI, GIS, and hydrological models for flood risk, drought resilience, and water distribution. Currently, she has made significant contributions to sustainable mountain development, particularly in the Himalayan region, by modeling glacial‑fed river systems, assessing climate change impacts, and developing decision support systems for climate‑resilient water resource planning. She has been actively engaged in capacity‑building programs, workshops, and field‑level interventions to promote climate‑smart agriculture and water management in fragile mountain ecosystems. Her academic contributions include 25+ research publications, technical reports, and project proposals. She has received numerous awards, including Gold Medals for securing the highest OGPA in B.Tech., M.Tech., and Ph.D. programs and the Kathpalia Award for the best M.Tech. dissertation in Environmental Engineering.