This paper reviews perceived notions of the relationships between catchment land use and hydrology and explores whether much of the widely disseminated folklore, so often inextricably linked with issues of land use, is based on myth or reality. Gaps in our knowledge of the underlying processes in relation to land use and hydrology are identified. Our ability to apply this knowledge at different scales ranging from the plot to the catchment and regional scales are discussed and specific examples are drawn from Indian and African case studies.

This issue of Unasylva focuses on the challenges facing mountain development into the twenty-first century.

National Water Conference on Status and Future Directions of Water Research in Sri Lanka, BMICH, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 4-6 November 1998. Session 4: Participatory management of irrigation; Session 5: Water resource data; Session 6: Managing water quality

Geography and population�

Climate and water resources:
Climate;
River basins and water resources;
Lakes and dams;
Water withdrawal�

Irrigation and drainage development�

Institutional environment�
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Trends in water resources management�
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Main sources of information.