Rules and Roles in Water Policy and Management

Abstract

Water policy and management are currently subject to a significant change. Water users and other stakeholders are gradually playing a much more active and also constructive role. This is no substitute for government efforts. Public sector activities and regulatory arrangements are of vital importance. Traditional functions and orientation of work need, however, to be modified, and new tasks are forcing themselves on to the national, municipal, and local agendas. Interaction between government, civil society organizations, and professionals must be based on a policy where water is made everybody's business and where the various components of management, i.e., development of the resource, provision, actual use, and disposal after use, are considered. With a policy where the relations between water, people, development, and the environment are duly recognised, it becomes imperative and natural that the rules for water management are defined that allow various stakeholders to contribute to achieve water security.     

北京市南水北调工程保护实践与思考

南水北调工程是国家实现跨流域调水的国家级重点工程。在工程建设和运行管理期间,工程保护是至关重要的环节。文中分析了《北京市南水北调工程保护办法》实施以来对工程管理实践的影响,旨在进一步完善《办法》,推动北京市南水北调工程保护工作的开展,为全国南水北调工程保护立法提供理论依据和实践参考。     

Construction Aspects of Polders in the World

ABSTRACT

Facing a severe three-year drought, Israel substantially cut water allocations in 1990 and 1991 with minimum advance notice. A survey of the Water Board's minutes reveals that the crisis was an unavoidable consequence of policies taken during the preceding decades. Investments in supply from developed water sources received priority over research and development into possible new sources. As withdrawals exceeded source potential, storage above minimum permissible levels was exhausted. Operating storage was barely sufficient to furnish supply during a one-year drought. Water resources management had been planned with only medium replenishment in mind. This policy was abruptly altered in 1991, the last year of the drought. Allocations were reduced below the mean rate of net replenishment in order to create storage that would suffice in a prolonged drought. No comprehensive hydrologic, economic, and social evaluation was undertaken for either policy. It can be concluded that the crisis was an unavoidable result of a minimum preparedness for extreme hydrologic situations. Lessons learned include enhanced transfer of agricultural irrigation supply from fresh to treated sewage water, and a deeper consideration of the potential for drought situations in planning of water projects.     

Computer Support for Implementation of a Systemic Approach to Water Conflict Resolution

Abstract

Water is an important factor in conflicts among stakeholders at the local, regional, and even international level. Water conflicts have taken many forms, but they almost always arise from the fact that the freshwater resources of the world are not partitioned to match the political borders, nor are they evenly distributed in space and time. Two or more countries share the watersheds of 261 major rivers and nearly half of the land area of the world is in international river basins. Water has been used as a military and political goal. Water has been a weapon of war, and water systems have been targets during the war. A systemic approach has been taken in this research to approach resolution of conflicts over water. By helping stakeholders to explore and resolve the underlying structural causes of conflict our approach offers a significant opportunity for its resolution. We define the five main functional activities for assisting the conflict resolution process as: (i) communication; (ii) problem formulation; (iii) data gathering and information generation; (iv) information sharing; and (v) evaluation of consequences. A computerized technical support is developed in the form of the Conflict Resolution Support System (CRSS) for implementation of a systemic approach to water conflicts. Its principal components include an artificial intelligence-based communication system, a database management system, and a model base management system. At this stage of the development, the model base management system consists of tools for multipurpose reservoir operation, river flow routing, multi-criteria decision-making, spatial data analysis, and other general utilities. A hypothetical river basin with potential conflict between stakeholders with respect to water sharing and flood control is used to demonstrate the utility of the new approach and the computer system developed for its implementation.     

Water Resources Liability Measurement and the Driving Factors of Water Resources Liability Intensity

Water resources liability (WRL) is the responsibility and obligation assumed and repaid after human activities cause excessive consumption and damage to water resources. It is the creditor's right and debt relationship between the economy and natural environment based on water resources. With the intensification of water competition and the deterioration of water ecology, it is urgent to accurately calculate the real occupation of water resources by national and regional economic activities. From the perspective of sustainable utilization of water resources, this study constructs an accounting model of WRL and water resources liability intensity (WLI), analyzes the spatial and temporal characteristics of WLI, and discusses the driving factors of WLI. The results reveal that the total amount of WRL in China experienced a decreasing trend from 2012 to 2019. The increase in available water resources and the decrease in total water demand are the direct reasons for the decrease in WRL. China's average WLI experienced a downward trend, indicating a significant improvement in water use efficiency. The WLI was higher in the western region and lower in the eastern region. In terms of regional differences, the overall spatial differences of WLI were in the process of continuous adjustment. The analysis of the driving factors of WLI reveals that the urbanization rate and the degree of economic openness had a significant driving effect on reducing WLI. The WLI in China presented an inverted N-shaped Kuznets curve, and most of the regions were between the first and second inflection points.

     

An Evaluation of Public Concerns About Water Management in the Palestinian Territory Pre,During, and Post the National Uprising

We have evaluated the extent of public concerns about water management in the Palestinian Territory (PT) through a survey of the main Palestinian newspaper over the last thirteen years divided in three periods: pre (1984–1987), during (1988–1991), and post national uprising period (1992–1996). The public concern in the PT about various water management aspects was clear and influenced by the prevailing political conditions indicating (1) poor concerns in the first and second period where full Israeli military control of the PT and harsh practices prevailed with relatively more emphasis on regional water issues and (2) extensive-strong concerns in the third period when the peace process started and a partial lift of some of the Israeli water practices took place, along with an increased freedom in expressing public concerns which was granted with more emphasis on local issues and problems. Lack and limitation of water available to Palestinians, alternative solutions, and water quality and pollution control constituted the overwhelming majority of the topics of concern to the public for the three periods studied. Palestinian concerns were always greater than regional ones for the three periods and all of the topics considered. Public concern in the PT about all other water management aspects was poor and negligible especially in the first two periods. A massive increase in public concern has been observed in the third period in which the public expressed their concern over most water management aspects, indicating a possible change in public attitude toward water and water management and reflecting the change of the political status by the start of the peace process and the signing of the peace agreements.     

近2000年鲁西南地区河湖水系水环境变迁脉络研究

鲁西南地区是历史时期黄河、淮河、海河三大流域的"交汇"区,在自然因素和人类活动因素的共同作用下,区域水系水环境发生了沧海桑田的剧变。本文基于历史文献,分析了几个典型历史时期区域河湖水系格局及湖泊数量、积水面积等指标,试图复原区域水环境变迁的大体脉络,并基于水利史的视角分析区域环境演变的动因。研究认为,黄河1128年南徙夺淮、元代京杭运河的营建及1855年铜瓦厢改道是区域水系演变的三个重要节点,不同阶段区域湖泊数量及积水面积逐渐减少,黄河变迁成为区域水环境演变的重要影响因素,而人类活动对其演变历程也产生重要影响,尤其是在元明清时期,会通河的开凿和经营塑造了区域相对稳定的水系格局及水环境。认知区域水环境的历史背景,总结变迁规律和蜕化原因,为当前修复区域水环境、改善生态具有重要意义。     

Problems of Management and Reuse of Waste Water in Agriculture

ABSTRACT

Responsibility for water resources is shared between the federal and provincial governments. Education is primarily a provincial responsibility, but the federal government does provide financial support to colleges and universities and is a major source of research funds for the Universities.

Training for water technicians is provided at community colleges. In universities, education programs oriented to water are available in engineering, science and social science. At the undergraduate level, students are introduced to a variety of water problems, but are not able to specialize in water. Specialization normally occurs during graduate programs. Several interdisciplinary graduate programs and research centres or institutes provide alternative ways for students and faculty to address water problems.

Water research attracts interest from the federal and provincial governments, the universities, and the private sector. The federal government provides nearly 75% of the funding for water research, and in turn consumes about 50% of available research funds. Measured in constant dollars, research funding for water has been decreasing in Canada during the 1980's. Water quality and protection was receiving over 50% of all research funds by the mid 1980's. Second in importance was research on the water cycle, although funding for that aspect of water research has fallen by over 20% since the mid 1960's.

The reality of fragmentation of responsibility for water and education, and the presence of diverse interests, suggests that a national strategy for water resources research is needed if resources are to be allocated and used effectively. The federal government needs to show initiative if a national strategy is to be developed.     

Training,research, and technical assistance to improve the water resources management in Southern Italy — The experience of CSEI Catania

Water resources management may be improved through the activities of organizations devoted to practice-oriented research, continuing education, and technical assistance. The experience carried out in southern Italy by CSEI Catania during 13 years of activity is presented. Two main activities are discussed: the research and training program on regional pollution control plans and the development of a water data bank.     

The Need and Requirements for Modernizing Surface Water Quality Monitoring in the Russian Federation

Abstract

Water quality monitoring in the Russian Federation faces political, technical, institutional, and financial problems. The current Russian model for gathering and production of water quality data is unreliable, out-of-date, and disconnected with current water management issues. While insufficient financing and ineffective legislation are the most obvious limitations, more importantly there is a need for a major overhaul of the program that would begin with a national framework for water quality management. This framework would provide for legal, institutional, and technical modernization of the program within a clearly-defined set of national goals for water quality management. The monitoring program in use in Russia is the legacy of the former USSR. The current growth of national priorities in terms of control and improvement of surface water quality is in contrast to the nation's decreasing ability to provide appropriate information within sustainable technical and institutional environments and that is affordable. This situation requires a new model based on the development of a flexible monitoring system focusing on water quality management. Ensuring financial stability of the monitoring system requires having a transparent and consistent program meeting the specific demands of water management. This, in turn, requires resource-saving methods and innovative relationships between agencies and with the private sector allowing cost reductions for the government.     

Assessing Impact of Flood on River Dynamics and Susceptible Regions: Geomorphometric Analysis

Natural climatic hazards like flood, an important hydro-geomorphic process of earth’s surface, have different regional and local impacts with significant socio-economic consequences. Similar was the case in Gujarat State, India during last week of June 2005. This study is about assessing the impact of Gujarat flood on river dynamics. It deals with extraction of water bodies information using radiance image and standard water indices i.e., Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) and Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI) for pre- and post-flooding periods. Geomorphometric analysis along with drainage network extraction was done using two different Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) i.e., Advanced Space borne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) and Shuttle Radar Topographic Mission (SRTM) and compared. Finally, depressions mapping and comparative analysis of magnitude and directional change of drainage networks was carried out. Results confirmed better accuracy of MNDWI in separating water bodies. The water bodies area increased by 10.4 % in post-flood monsoon compared to pre-flood monsoon and by 3.8 % in post-flood dry season compared to pre-flood dry season. Geomorphometric analysis indicated that ASTER DEM gave more values of maximum slope, average slope, and standard deviation as compared to SRTM. Aspects distribution algorithm did not work well in low relief regions. The drainage network generated using SRTM DEM was more accurate. The depressions identified were more susceptible to flood events. Change analysis of drainage network (deviating 100–300 m) indicated that 5.22 % points deviated between October, 2004 and 2005 and 3.18 % between February, 2005 and 2006.     

Towards Poverty Alleviation: The Water Sector Perspectives

Given the context of diminishing water availability as a result of water pollution and inadequate development of water resources on the supply side and increasing population and expanding economic activity on the demand side, this paper reviews water-poverty interfaces and suggests ways of contributing to poverty alleviation through water sector interventions. The unequal distribution of the available water within communities and among various water users in the same country and across countries is discussed as a key issue in this context. The paper examines the causes of poverty with particular reference to the pattern of access to water supply as well as to water for various economic activities. It also considers water-related disasters such as flood, cyclone and riverbank erosion and their adverse human and natural consequences. Water deprivation is seen as both a state and a process--the former being the situation prevailing at a particular point of time and the later implying how that state has been reached and how may it evolve in future. The paper argues that the water crisis is primarily one of management, given the persisting traditional--sectorally focused and fragmented--approach. The appropriate alternative, it is argued, is integrated water resource management (IWRM), which is holistic in approach and focuses on the various uses of water and different categories of its users. It suggests ways of moving forward in terms of improved and participatory water development and management, which can contribute significantly to poverty alleviation. The second part of the paper highlights the National Water Policy of Bangladesh as a case study. The policy, adopted in 1999, broadly encompasses the various elements of IWRM. It enunciates principles and directions for water planning and utilization towards fulfilling the national goals of economic development, poverty alleviation, food security, public health and safety, decent standard of living of the people and protection of the natural environment. The policy has adopted a holistic approach and provided guidelines for participatory water management. The paper points out that a Bangladesh National Water Management Plan has been drafted within the framework of the National Water Policy with a view to improving water development and management so as to address human, economic and environmental needs of water, with special emphasis on the water needs of the poorer segments of society.     

Regulation of International Watercourses under the UN/ECE Regional Agreements

Abstract

This article deals with the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE) regional agreements, and their use as implementing instruments for protecting and managing international water courses. The background and issues of the regional instruments developed by the UN Economic Commission for Europe are addressed. The contents of the 1992 Helsinki Convention and its implementation are described, as well as the recent development of the Protocol on Water and Health. The relationship to the 1991 Espoo Convention and a comparison with the 1997 UN Convention on the Law of International Watercourses are also included. The potential of the UN/ECE conventions as tools to promote conflict prevention and dispute settlement is discussed. Lessons and conclusions are drawn from the experience on the management of transboundary waters in Europe.     

Achieving Urban Water Security: a Review of Water Management Approach from Technology Perspective

Water Resources Management - The term water security (WS) shows an overwhelming superiority in both policy and academic circles. Firstly, the paper reviews the multiple interpretations of WS....     

黄河海勃湾水利枢纽取水影响分析

黄河海勃湾水利枢纽是一座防凌、发电等综合利用的大型水利枢纽。重点从工程建成后对区域水资源、水域纳污能力、坝下河段最小生态水量、水温、水质、水生生物、西鄂尔多斯国家级自然保护区以及内蒙古河段防凌等方面的影响进行了详细的分析论述,总结了水利水电建设项目水资源论证中取水影响分析的经验以及需重点关注的问题,可为类似建设项目水资源论证取水影响分析提供参考。     

Hydrologic Variability Influences Local Probability of Pallid Sturgeon Occurrence in a Missouri River Tributary

A river's flow regime creates and maintains spatial variability in habitat and dictates the distribution and abundance of riverine fishes. Changes to patterns of natural hydrologic variation and disturbance create novel flow conditions and may influence distribution of native fishes. We examined local and regional‐scale factors that influenced the presence of pallid sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus in the Platte River, a large tributary to the Missouri River in Nebraska, USA. Daily river discharge, diel flow variability, season and location in the study area were the most supported variables in logistic regression models explaining pallid sturgeon distribution. The probability of pallid sturgeon occurrence was greatest during periods of high discharge (>90th percentile flows) in the spring and fall. Pallid sturgeon occurrence was always lower when variability in diel flow patterns was high (i.e. hydropeaking). Our results indicate that pallid sturgeon use of the lower Platte River was strongly tied to the flow regime. Therefore, the lower Platte River may provide an opportunity to preserve and restore sturgeon and possibly other large‐river fishes through appropriate water management strategies. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The Inter-American Water Resources Network: A Tool for Capacity Building

While the Latin American and Caribbean Region has an abundance of water resources, the uneven distribution of water and the rapid growth of urban areas have created a set of water management problems which, if left unresolved, are projected to lead to a water crisis of hemispheric proportions during the next century. Shrinking foreign aid and experience gained during the past four decades are changing the traditional mechanisms of technical cooperation between developed and developing nations. Building on the momentum of the Earth Summit (1992), which stressed the need for mechanisms for water resources information exchange, the First Inter-American Dialogue on Water Management (1993) called for the establishment of an Inter-American Water Resources Network (IWRN) to distribute and exchange information on water issues, promote technology transfer, and share water management experiences in the western hemisphere. To date, 22 governments have officially designated water agencies to represent them on the IWRN as country focal points. Current network activities consist of the preparation of directories of water and water-related organizations, educational opportunities and existing networks in the western hemisphere; publication of a newsletter; and operation of an electronic forum and several World Wide Web sites on the Internet. Future activities, defined in part by the Second Inter-AmericanDialogue on Water Management held in Buenos Aires in September 1996, will emphasize the establishment of a regional and sub-regional Internet-based water information network with linkages to the global water resources community, regional dialogues on water management, increased cooperation between all parties in transboundary river basins, and endorsement of a number of recommendations for strengthening integrated water resources management.The Third Inter-American Dialogue on Water Management will be held in Central America in 1999.     

Environmental resilience and intergovernmental collaboration in the Pearl River Delta

Abstract

Water resource management is a crucial issue in the rapidly urbanizing Pearl River Delta. Numerous studies have examined transboundary water management, but those focusing on Hong Kong are largely technical, with little consideration for political dynamics or collaboration. This study’s contribution is a systematic analysis of water governance in China’s ‘one country–two systems’ setting. Through interviews and historical analysis, the study applies Ostrom’s Institutional Analysis and Development framework to a setting with political complexity and environmental vulnerability. The principal finding is that cooperation on supply infrastructure reflects a regional interdependence that builds the multiparty trust needed for more strategic governance.     

Building New Water Resources Projects or Managing Existing Systems?

Abstract

The planning of regional water resources systems and their subsequent management has to rest firmly on three foundations: availability of water of adequate quality, demand for water expressed quantitatively for specific periods of time, and direct, indirect, and externality costs. Mathematical models of hydrosystems represent only a segment of the real world. The basic science of hydrology is an empirical discipline, and its basic law is the continuity equation. Optimization of operating rules based on this law of conservation of matter may face difficulties when the objective function is expressed in economic terms. Overcoming this obstacle requires the use of targets (for water releases and stored volumes) expressible in physical units. The optimization objective can then be expressed as the sum of the squares of the differences between the results of the analysis and the targets. An additional complexity is created by parties who are interested in regional hydrosystems for purposes other than the traditional water supply and flood control. They may require certain elevations of water levels in streams and reservoirs for wildlife or recreational purposes or minimal flows needed for fishing and fisheries. All these complexities lead to an expansion of regional water resources models so as to enable the manager to investigate factors and decision alternatives not included in the model. A regional water resources system is relevant only in so far as it advances the solution of socio-economic and political issues and promotes development rather than growth. Management of existing systems should take precedence over building new water resources projects     

Regional cooperation and benefit sharing for sustainable water resources management in the Lower Mekong Basin

Benefit sharing is a concept associated with regional cooperation for sustainable water resources management. To this end, the present study analyses how implementation of this concept may contribute to economic growth and the promotion of sustainable livelihoods in the Lower Mekong Basin (LMB). It focuses on the balance between economic and human development, national interests, and the procedures used to manage water resources in the basin. It was found that: (a) Benefits obtained from the Mekong River are not equally shared between riparian countries because of inadequate regional cooperation, with economic and social development in the LMB being uneven, with Thailand and Vietnam achieving better human development, poverty reduction and food security outcomes than Laos and Cambodia; (b) Lack of shared national interests, or a common development agenda, has resulted in unsustainable water resource management outcomes; and (c) Procedures for water resources management agreed by the four LMB countries are well‐aligned with the conceptual framework for benefit sharing defined by Sadoff and Grey (2002, Water Policy, 4, 389), although while these procedures have the potential to facilitate a more cooperative agenda for equitable sharing of social, economic and environmental benefits from the water resources of the Mekong River, implementation of the 1995 Mekong Agreement currently remains controversial. The five procedures for water resource management developed by the Mekong River Commission have not resulted in satisfactory outcomes, due in part to the institution lacking regulatory authority.