The Watershed Health Assessment Framework (WHAF) uses five components to view natural systems. Like looking through different colored lenses, each component brings a different perspective and a consistent approach for exploring complex landscapes.The five components 'frame' the WHAF in several ways:- How we explore and understand the ways natural systems function and interact
- How we calculate and deliver health index scores
- How we evaluate trade-offs between resource management approaches.
The Five Components
Biology
The study of life, encompassing the plants and animal species present in the stream, riparian lands and contributing watershed.About Biology »
Connectivity
The maintenance of pathways that move organisms, energy, and matter throughout the watershed.About Connectivity »
Geomorphology
The study of landscape features; from their origins and evolutions to the processes that continue to shape them.About Geomorphology »
Hydrology
The inter-relationships and interactions between water and its environment in the hydrologic cycle.About Hydrology »
Water Quality
The chemical, biological, and physical characteristics of water; the current condition and future susceptibility of surface water and groundwater to degradation.About Water Quality »