‘Integrated’ approaches to water and natural resources management in South Australia

In the context of criticism that the definition and scope of integrated water resources management have not been clearly defined, experience in South Australia from the early 1970s to 2014 related to a holistic and integrated approach to water and natural resources management is examined. Three different approaches have been used in South Australia, each striving to be more holistic and integrated than its predecessor. A key challenge for managers is to achieve efficient and effective implementation of related policies, programmes and plans as more aspects become incorporated into a holistic and integrated approach. A main conclusion is that to successfully implement a holistic and integrated approach it is essential to be clear what ‘integrated’ and ‘holistic’ mean, because they are not the same or interchangeable. Furthermore, integrated and focused approaches are not mutually exclusive, and can be pursued simultaneously. This conclusion questions the argument that an integrated approach inevitably leads to so many variables being considered that it becomes so complex, unwieldy and cumbersome that it leads to non-actionable initiatives.     

Two decades of Brazil’s participatory model for water resources management: from enthusiasm to frustration

In January 2017, the water community in Brazil celebrated the 20th anniversary of the promulgation of Brazil’s National Water Resources Policy (Federal Law 9.433). However, Brazil’s participatory model has not delivered the expected policy outcomes yet. Inclusiveness in decision making has become pointless since mechanisms of social control and accountability are almost nonexistent. Despite the widely celebrated opportunities for stakeholder engagement and decentralized water management, implementation of water policies remains largely dependent on state actors. These findings indicate the need for carefully planned and evidence-based water reforms in Brazil.     

Research progress on water resources management theory of “basing four aspects on water resources”EI北大核心CSCD

In order to implement the rigid constraint system for water resources and promote refined management of water resources, based on the analysis of the concept and notion of “basing four aspects on water resources” and the summary of the experience of water resources management, the basic theory and management guidelines for water resources control of “basing four aspects on water resources” are proposed. The latest progress of “ basing four aspects on water resources” is systematically sorted out, and it is pointed out that further research on the water resources control of “basing four aspects on water resources” should be deepened from the aspects of macro-system evaluation system construction, water resources optimization allocation model reconstruction, and refinement of water resources control system. © 2023, Editorial Board of Water Resources Protection. All rights reserved.     

Integrated water quality management of the große dhünn reservoir

In this paper I introduce protection measures and management options which are applied to the watershed as well as to the reservoir itself and later their impact on water quality is discussed. Emphasis is given to nutrients from non-point sources and nutrient removal from such sources by pre-reservoirs is considered in detail. Phosphorus removal has to work mainly during flood events, when most of the nutrient load enters the reservoir. As our results reveal, 55% of the total annual TP-input can be removed in pre-reservoirs. I also introduce our concept of fishery management, which involves stocking the reservoir with lake trout (Salmo trutta lacustris) and pike perch (Stizostedion lucioperca). The advantage of having lake internal management options available, i.e. selective take-off from raw waters, is also considered in the case of development of metalimnetic blue-green algal (Planktothrix) populations. Preparatory measures i.e. cleaning of the reservoir basin, which has to be done before the rivers are impounded, are discussed. “Trophic upsurge”, in the sense of nutrient leaching, was not important during the first filling years. Improvements in water quality during the “ageing process” are due to lake internal mechanisms, i.e. the increase of sedimentation capacity and decrease of the ratio of epi- to hypolimnetic water volume, which were supplemented later by sewage diversion. Our results present ample evidence that it is due to our philosophy of integrated water quality management that Große Dhünn Reservoir is oligotrophic today - always able to fulfil its purposes.     

Participatory and decentralized water resources management: challenges and perspectives for the North Paraíba River Basin committee - Brazil

The Brazilian Water Resources Policy (Law 9433/1997) establishes participatory and decentralized management, involving civil society, water users and governmental bodies, with the basin committees as the basis of this process. Fifteen years after its implementation, it is possible to perceive accomplishments, but, at the same time, there are some difficulties in regards to the operation of the basin committees in the country. Considering the North Paraíba River Basin - which is completely included in the State of Paraíba, Northeastern Brazil, and presents great social and economic importance for the state - this article analyzes the process of formation, installation and functioning of its Basin Committee (CBH-PB), focusing on its composition, the reasons for the mobilization and demobilization of its members, the intra-relations between segments, and the inter-relations between the CBH-PB and other entities of the State Water Management System (the Water Executive Agency and the State Water Resources Council). The level of decentralization and the quality of participatory management (as it is being performed at the CBH-PB) are discussed and guidelines are suggested in order to allow greater effectiveness to the committee.     

De-nationalization and de-securitization of transboundary water resources: the Israeli–Palestinian case

Many people think of transboundary water in terms of national security. However, water is not, nor is it likely to become, a cause of war. Rather, the need is for water security, which implies that water management must balance the goals of efficiency, equity, sustainability and implementability. This article suggests how a joint management structure for fresh water can be designed to promote ongoing resolution of issues, and do so in a way that de-nationalizes and de-securitizes transboundary water. Though designed with the Israeli–Palestinian case in mind, the approach is applicable wherever water divides rather than unites states or peoples.     

India’s water management debate: is the ‘civil society’ making it everlasting?

Abstract

This article discusses the bias of the growing constituency of civil society activists in India against conventional water management solutions implemented by the government, and the ‘alternatives’ they champion, which force the government to enter into an endless debate with these groups. The article goes into the fundamental reasons for this bias, and identifies four types of civil society activist: ‘professional’, ‘ideologue’, ‘romantic’ and ‘doomsday prophet’. The article also argues that water bureaucracies in India should adopt evidence-based policy making, subjecting the ‘alternatives’ to the same degree of scrutiny as the conventional ones, to end the policy dilemma, while enhancing the overall quality of design, execution and management of projects for better outcomes.     

Exporting water from the desert? An analysis of the virtual water content of Saudi Arabian agricultural exports

This study applies input-output analysis to evaluate and trace Saudi Arabia’s virtual water exports arising from exports of agricultural products. Saudi Arabia’s total virtual exports in 2011 were around 2.42 km³, mainly to neighbouring Arab countries. This amount is enough to meet the water demand of the country’s entire population. Agricultural exports seem economically beneficial only because they rely on groundwater; however, since the indirect cost of desalinating equivalent amounts of water for domestic purposes is much higher, a better strategy would have been to direct those water resources towards domestic needs.     

Water productivity and water footprint: misguided concepts or useful tools in water management and policy?

Water productivity (WP) and water footprint (WFP) are popular concepts in research and discourses on water management. Yet there are concerns about their theoretical validity and practical value. This paper shows that the water production function, the concept with a sound theoretical foundation, is the basis for WP. Total WFP is the reciprocal of WP. The practical value of WP and WFP depends on the context of water use and stress. Maximizing WP, not a panacea to all water problems, mainly suits arid rainfed areas. In other regions, economic and marginal WP for increasing overall production should take precedence in water management and policy decisions.     

Data-sharing bottlenecks in transboundary integrated water resources management: a case study of the Mekong River Commission’s procedures for data sharing in the Thai context

Integrated water resources management (IWRM) relies on co-ordination, co-operation and sharing of collected data amongst relevant organizations. This article presents the results of systematic research into non-technical barriers that influence IWRM-related data sharing in transboundary contexts, with a focus on the Mekong River Commission’s procedures for data sharing in Thailand. The current extent of data sharing is quite limited. The main bottlenecks hindering relevant Thai organizations’ sharing data across national boundaries appear to be a perception of limited gains, and concerns for national security. The article concludes that data sharing for IWRM implementation cannot be radically improved without significant changes in the mindsets of the relevant organizations, and suggests how to achieve this.     

Sleeping with the enemy? Capturing internal risks in the logical framework of a water management project

Logframes are fundamental to contemporary development. However, there are ongoing debates about their efficacy. This paper pinpoints the limitations of the logframe approach in a water project in Central Asia. Issues surrounding logframes are identified. These include addressing internal risks; the use of baseline studies for the accuracy of assumptions; the ability to adapt under an inflexible budget; and linking the logframe and contract. Findings show that rigid planning may constrain effective project implementation. Greater flexibility through embedded learning and adaptation, adjustable budgets and meaningful mainstreaming of risks may equip projects to cope with uncertainties to achieve sustainability.     

Commercial farmers’ strategies to control water resources in South Africa: an empirical view of reform

This article shows how large-scale commercial farmers, individually and collectively, are responding to land and water reform processes in the Thukela River basin, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. With a high degree of innovative agency, commercial farmers have effectively executed four strategies, enabling them to adapt and use their access to resources to neutralize multiple water reform efforts that once promised to be catalysts for inclusive change in the post-apartheid era. It is likely that policy alone will not facilitate the envisioned transformation, if local practices are not sufficiently understood and anticipated by the governmental officials charged with the implementation of water reform processes.     

Nexus meets crisis: a review of conflict,natural resources and the humanitarian response in Darfur with reference to the water–energy–food nexus

Darfur has been widely used as a case study by both those arguing for causality between environmental scarcity and war and those disputing it. This article challenges that approach by drawing on debates taking place within Darfur, reflecting on both the conflict and the humanitarian response. It argues that reviewing Darfur on its own terms makes a stronger basis to identify transferable lessons for interventions elsewhere. It considers water, food and energy, and finds that supporting governance is an essential theme for promoting economic recovery and laying a foundation for a well-managed water–energy–food nexus.     

The human right to water and foreign investment: friends or foes?

States have a duty to respect, protect and fulfil the human right to water. Water-related foreign investment, governed by international investment agreements (IIAs) that do not yet incorporate human rights provisions, can have both positive and negative impacts on human rights. It is argued here that the right to water could be used as an argument to justify measures taken against water-related investments in disputes between host states and foreign investors. While arbitral tribunals have not yet accepted this argument, it might be accepted in the near future as IIAs incorporate human rights provisions.     

A long-term view of water consumption in Barcelona (1860–2011): from deprivation to abundance and eco-efficiency?

Water consumption in Barcelona in Spain, and the corresponding water imprint, followed a path resembling an Environmental Kuznets Curve. They grew slowly from the mid-19th century before reaching a peak in 1967–70, and a downward trend followed up to 2010. This paper uses a decomposition analysis to assess the role played by population growth, income increase and water intensity as determinants of these trends. It is stressed that water intensity does not express technical change alone, but includes social inequalities, consumer habits and cultural perceptions as well. It can be explained by taking into account the social conflicts and public policies of each period.     

Hydrosolidarity and beyond: can ethics and equity find a place in today's water resource management?

The notion of hydrosolidarity has permeated international discourses on water management, but it has received little comprehensive review. This paper traces the intellectual origins of hydrosolidarity and it explores how the concept has been applied by water scholars, organizations and in global water venues, like World Water Forums. Evolving conceptions and meanings of hydrosolidarity are presented and its kinship to related, sometimes oppositional terms, untangled. In particular, it explores how hydrosolidarity has evolved to serve as a socio-ethical annex to integrated water resources management. The paper concludes by examining some critiques and addressing the potential of hydrosolidarity in water management.     

Microbial fuel cell cathodes: from bottleneck to prime opportunity?

Microbial fuel cells that can generate energy out of wastewaters are close to pilot scale testing. As such, MFC technology is complementary to methane generation due to the possibility to rapidly convert organic acids, polish effluents and work at low substrate concentrations. The main bottleneck perceived at the moment is the cathodic electron transfer. A variety of catalysts has been investigated for the direct transfer of electrons from the cathode to oxygen in the air. Overlooked in this context were bacteria. Bacteria could indeed be worthwhile to replace chemical catalysts. Moreover, their versatility enables us to not only target at oxygen, but also at nitrous oxides and contaminants as possible drivers of electricity generation, nutrient removal and bioremediation. This paper addresses several recent developments in MFC cathode research, and demonstrates that energy generation is but an aspect of this versatile technology.     

A holistic water balance of Austria - how does the quantitative proportion of urban water requirements relate to other users?

Traditional water use statistics only include the blue water withdrawal/consumption of municipalities, industry and irrigated agriculture. When, however, green water use of the agricultural sector is included as well as the virtual water use/water footprint (WF), water use quantity statistics become very different. In common water use statistics, Austria withdraws in total about 2.5 km(3) per year, only 3% of available resources (total discharge 81.4 km(3) = surface and ground water). The total water consumption (0.5 km(3)) is less than 1% of available resources. Urban (municipal) water requirements account for 27% of total withdrawal or 33% of consumption. When agricultural green water use (cropland) is included in statistics, the fraction of municipal water requirements diminishes to 7.6% of total withdrawal and 2.5% of total consumption. If the evapotranspiration of grassland and alpine meadows is also included in agricultural green water use, this fraction decreases to 3.2% and 0.9% respectively. When the WF is assessed as base value for water use in Austria, the municipal water use represents 5.8% of this value. In this globalized world, these traditional water use statistics are no longer recommendable. Only a holistic water balance approach really represents water use statistics.