Spatial data and watershed management in the United States: Practitioner perspectives on data needs and decision‐making barriers

Water resource managers use a range of spatial data products to assess watershed condition, prioritize sites for restoration or preservation, and identify future research needs. Many data products exist, but their usefulness and shortcomings are poorly understood. We surveyed 103 water quality managers across the United States to understand their (1) perceptions of watershed condition and approaches to watershed assessment, (2) use of and need for spatial data products describing watershed condition (e.g. watershed health indicies) on watershed condition and (3) perceived barriers to improving watershed condition. Respondents identified funding and organizational challenges as the most significant barriers to improving watershed condition. We also find that spatial data sets are commonly used in watershed assessments, but available spatial data are not well aligned with water resource managers' needs. Notable gaps exist around socio‐economic data. Managers reported that estimates of the projected costs of management actions would be very useful for guiding conservation investments, and the lack of reliable economic data was identified as a significant barrier to improving watershed condition. In addition, respondents identified funding and organizational challenges as significant barrier to improving watershed conditions. In contrast, only about half (46%) of respondents said that the availability of biophysical data was a barrier to improving watershed condition. Therefore, investments in improving data on the social and economic costs of proposed projects must happen alongside further developments of biophysical data sets. This study reveals the ready use of spatial data by water resource managers and opportunities for researchers to create the multi‐disciplinary spatial data products desired by managers to address a wide variety of watershed management decisions. Practical implications . Our findings suggest that future investments in spatial data should expand to include economic and implementation‐focused information, such as project cost estimates and cross‐agency activity tracking, to complement existing biophysical data. Addressing socio‐political and organizational barriers, alongside technical improvements, will enhance the practical utility of spatial tools and better support decision‐makers in implementing effective, coordinated watershed management strategies.