What is one of the main goals of watershed management for water quality?

• A. Protect nutrient runoff, sedimentation, and aquatic habitats.
• B. Set regional tax rates.
• C. Control air pollution from factories.
• D. Regulate fishing quotas.

Answer: (A)

The main concept here is that watershed management aims to keep water clean by limiting what enters streams and rivers from the surrounding land. Protecting nutrient runoff, sedimentation, and aquatic habitats is central because nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizer or urban runoff can cause algal blooms that rob water of oxygen and harm fish and other life. Sediment from soil erosion clouds water, reduces light reaching aquatic plants, and smothers habitats. By managing land use to reduce these inputs—through practices that limit runoff, control erosion, and preserve habitat—water quality and ecosystem health in the watershed improve.

Other topics like setting tax rates, controlling air pollution from factories, or regulating fishing quotas relate to different policy areas and don’t directly address the water quality within a watershed.