Given the uncertainty of what future generations will
want, and the economic, environmental, and ecological
problems they will face, a guiding principle for the
achievement of sustainable water resource systems is to
maintain the options available to future generations. What
we do now should interfere as little as possible with the
proper functioning of natural life cycles within the watershed.
Throughout the water resource system planning and
management process, it is necessary to identify and include
within the set of evaluation criteria all the beneficial
and adverse ecological, economic, environmental, and
social effects especially the long-term effects associated
with any proposed project.