成為集水區及流域的守護者
這一節的目標是提供準則給大家，在瞭解集水區工程計劃的過程裡，他們所需的知識。希望透過收集以下所列資訊，公民社會將能更有意義地參與這一過程。
大型的開發工程極少接受當地人民的參與，就算有的話，也常常發生在工程規劃的尾聲。即使那些並不適合國家需要、或是相對效益不彰的工程，也能夠很快完成從規劃到竣工這一過程。有許多因素能導致惡質工程的產生：工程規劃者的「專業性樂觀主義」，他們常忽視工程中潛在的負面影響；政府和施工業者的腐敗，缺乏大規模河流盆地的規劃，未能全盤性的解讀生態系統，還有工程規劃者和當地居民之間缺乏溝通。一般草根民主運動有助於保證，當地居民的呼籲能夠被受到重視：關於工程的主要問題能被公佈，以及更重大的議題，像是誰將擁有河流等自然資源等問題能有一個公平聽證的機會。
在此，是保護流域所需要採取的幾個步驟，和關於規劃水文工程的幾個問題。
第一步
更加瞭解：集水區及流域基本知識
瞭解你所在當地的集水區及流域。收集你所在集水區及流域的所有主要工程及規劃中的工程，包括你所在地區上下游的情況。
與當地政府建立聯繫。與當地政府的良好聯繫能使你得到該區域有關新建水利工程的最新消息。
找出將會受到規劃中工程影響的族群和社區。確定他們在瞭解工程方面是否需要幫助，提供他們資訊。收集關於受影響社區的資訊：記錄下他們是如何生活，如何利用集水區及流域的歷史。調查有多少人會受影響，及會受到什麼樣的影響。與族群和社區的領導者討論，發現該族群和社區在工程中的立場。
從族群和社區領導者或長者那裏獲得，對於該族群和社區，關於河流及其生態系統在其文化、歷史、和心靈上的重要性。詳細記錄可能受工程影響的重要地方，如墓穴和聖地。
收集將會受影響的集水區及流域的生態方面的資訊。例如，從漁民那裏盡可能收集最多的資訊，可以是平均漁獲數量，捕到的是什麼魚，以及是在什麼時間捕到魚的。採取水樣測試水質。懇求生態學家幫助調查濕地、森林和動物等集水區及流域的資源。
收集將在你所在集水區及流域興建的工程的公共資源：環境報告，報紙文章等等。找出哪些工程規劃文件是民眾可以取得的，哪些是不能得到的，然後複印一些能夠拿到的文件。
人類對於發展的要求在不斷增長，然而，要求無限，而世界上的資源是有限的。我們必須在人類之間建立更多公平性，對有限資源做更合理分配，以及更永續性地利用這些資源。
設法瞭解誰在控制水資源
每個國家關於水權和水資源使用的法律各不相同。請調查一下貴國的水資源政策。當地政府和地區政府也可能會制訂自己法律，進而影響如何使用河流、自然資源和水資源。
請教育你自己和你所在的社區。維持一個關於下列這些問題的小型資訊庫：
▲關於土地和水的地方和國家法律。
▲開發專案的主要支持者的政策：世界銀行、聯合國開發計劃署，南部非洲開發銀行，以及非洲開發銀行。可以從各個機構和主要的貸款方那裏公開取得它們的政策。
▲國家和地方的環境保護規定。
▲國際環保和人權法律（法律學校或國際非政府組織可能會有所幫助）。
▲關於共用河道的國際法。
BECOMING A CATCHMENT KEEPER
The goal of this section is to provide people with guidelines on what they need to know about proposed projects in their catchments. By gathering the type of information described below, civil society will be better able to participate in the process in a meaningful way.
Large development projects often include only minimal input from local people, and then usually only after the project is already far along in the planning. Even projects which are very inappropriate for a nation's needs or have huge costs compared to expected benefits can advance from planning stages to reality very quickly. A number of factors can help along a bad project: "professional optimism" by project planners, who tend to overlook potentially negative impacts; corrupt governments and corporations, lack of large-scale river basin planning, understudied ecosystems, and lack of communication between project planners and local peoples. Grassroots movements can help ensure that local people's voices are heard, that major questions about the project are brought to the light of day, and that larger issues about who owns natural resources such as rivers are given a full hearing.
Here, then, are steps to take to get involved in protecting your catchment, and questions to ask about proposed water projects.
First Steps
Become Informed: Catchment Basics
Learn about your local catchment. Get information about all major projects in and proposed for your catchment, including those upstream and downstream of your location.
Establish communication with the local government. A good connection to local government can provide access to updated information on new water projects in the region.
Find out about communities that could be affected by proposed projects. Determine if they need assistance in learning about the project, and get information to them. Collect information on affected communities: Take down oral histories of how they live and use the catchment. Research how many people could be affected and in what ways. Talk to leaders to find out where the community stands on the project.
Get information from community leaders and elders about the cultural, historical and spiritual significance of the river and ecosystems to the community. Document important places that could be affected by the project, such as graves or sacred places.
Collect ecological information on the catchment that will be affected. For example, get as much information from local fishermen as you can about average catches, what kind of fish are caught, and when. Get water samples to be tested for water quality. Solicit help from ecologists to survey existing catchment resources like wetlands, forests and animal life.
Gather public resources on projects proposed for your catchment: environmental reports, newspaper articles, etc. Find out which project planning documents are publicly available and which are not, and get copies of those that are available.
There are ever-increasing demands for development, but these demands are infinite while the resources of the world are finite. We have to establish more justice between people, a more equitable distribution of the finite resources of the world and a more sustainable use of them.
Get Information on Who Controls Water Resources
Each country has different laws on water rights and the use of water resources. Research your country's national water policies. Local and regional governments may also have laws affecting the use of rivers, natural resources and water.
Educate yourself and your community. Keep a small library of information on these topics:
▲Local and national laws on land and water.
▲The policies of major
development-project supporters: the World Bank, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Development Bank of Southern Africa, and the African Development Bank. These policies are publicly available from the various agencies and major lenders.
▲National and regional environmental protections.
▲International environmental and human rights laws (law schools or international NGOs may be of help).
▲International laws on shared water courses.
