REVIEWING THE CONTEXTS OF HEADWATER CONTROL

摘要

On a global scale, headwater systems are strongly related to environmental security. They affect the opportunities that humans have to live in peace in a healthy environment. Adverse changes in headwater systems, both physical and socio-economic, may have large scale impacts in terms of the area affected, which may include distant downstream regions, and the time scales over which the impacts develop and which are needed to effect recovery. Headwater control is founded in four beliefs. 1) The headwater system is a critical control of surface and ground water resources. 2) Headwaters are fragile environments and much threatened by human action. 3) Direct intervention can mitigate the impacts of development. 4) Remedies for environmental problems demand the practical application of integrated environmental management.