Water management is a very broad term which can include human direct or indirect impacts on the water cycle. Water management can involve (1) changing the Earth's surface such as when dams are created to control flooding (perhaps due to more deforested and overgrazed slopes), (2) pollution control, when decisions are made to minimize the chemicals, such as fertilizers, pesticides, or road salt, that are used on the soil surface in order to minimize the amount of pollutants that will leach into the soil, and (3) amount and quality of water available for human use as when water is used for irrigation, industry or for direct human consumption.
Definition source: United States Department of Agriculture
