Water resources management and Integrated Water Resources Management implementation in Malawi: Status and implications for lake basin management

Many countries, including Malawi, are implementing integrated approaches for the development, management and use of water and other natural resources. Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is, arguably, one approach considered helpful in addressing water issues effectively and sustainably. This study assesses the implementation of IWRM in Malawi to the present time, in relation to the five priority areas the country's Integrated Water Resources Management/Water Efficiency (IWRM/WE) Plan (2008–2012) sought to address, as well as the potential benefits of infusing Integrated Lake Basin Management (ILBM) in this approach. Document reviews, key informant interviews, questionnaire surveys and site visits were the employed methods in this analysis. Considering the significant importance of lakes in the country, this study, through application of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats framework, provides insight on how lake basin management issues can best be incorporated within the existing IWRM‐based framework to promote the management and utilization of lakes for sustainable use. While acknowledging the relevance of a holistic approach, the study highlights the importance for the country to ensure that its development agenda is not negatively affected in the course of implementing IWRM.     

The use of models for synthesizing knowledge for integrated lake basin management, and facilitating implementation of the World Lake Vision

Integrated water resources management (IWRM) is becoming increasingly accepted as the most logical and effective means of managing aquatic ecosystems for their sustainable use. Despite efforts to provide practical examples of the application of IWRM, we still lack knowledge on how to best consider and integrate the potentially large quantity of data and information, both scientific and socioeconomic, which must be considered in pursuit of the goal of sustainable water resources. The unique features of (i) an integrating nature; (ii) long water retention time, and (iii) complex response dynamics make the management of lakes and reservoirs particularly difficult to achieve. Although the World Lake Vision has provided substantial management guidance to address some of the complex issues facing lake and reservoir management, additional work directed to analysing the interactions and linkages between the scientific/technical and the socioeconomic components of the sustainability ‘equation’ is needed. This report examines the use of mathematical models as a synthesizing tool in developing and applying management strategies for lakes and reservoirs. The different types of available models, and the criteria that can be used to select the ‘best’ model for a given situation, also are discussed, as is the important role of environmental indicators in the process. A case study focusing on the restoration of Lake Fure in Denmark provides an illustrative example of the application of the approach discussed in this report.     

太湖流域管理体制机制评析

实施流域综合管理被认为是解决水问题的出路,《太湖流域管理条例》明确了太湖流域实行流域管理与行政区域管理相结合的管理体制。通过对我国有关流域管理法律法规体系框架、协调机制、流域和区域关系分析,对太湖流域管理体制的制订和实施作出了详细的评析,认为《太湖流域管理条例》所确定的太湖流域管理体制既体现了流域综合管理的理念,又符合我国的国情和太湖流域的实际情况。在这一体制框架下实现流域综合管理,需要正确认识和处理流域管理与行政区域管理的关系,建立常设的流域管理协调机构,制订和完善流域管理的专项协调机制。     

流域管理中公众参与的探讨与思考

流域综合管理已成为水资源管理的有效模式.有效的公众参与成为流域综合管理成功的关键因素.对公众参与流域管理内涵、流域管理中相关利益群体分析及有效的公众参与方式三方面进行总结与探讨,提出随着流域良治理念的深入,有效的流域管理公众参与需要对相关利益群体进行界定,应用多学科方法与工具吸引尽可能全面的参与者与群体,并在参与过程中加深公众对管理行为的理解,提升公众的参与能力,从而引导公众对环境做出科学决策,同时认为,尽可能全面而广泛的流域管理公众参与将是实现流域良治的有效途径.     

Stakeholder evaluation of the feasibility of watershed management alternatives,using Integrated Lake Basin Management principles

Containing more than 90% of the liquid fresh water on our planet's surface, lakes are used for a wide range of human needs. Managing them for sustainable use also requires consideration of a multitude of scientific, socioeconomic and governance issues. Integrated Lake Basin Management (ILBM) is a comprehensive approach for achieving sustainable management of lakes and reservoirs through gradual, continuous and holistic improvement of basin governance, involving sustained efforts for improvement of six governance ‘pillars’ (Policy; Institutions: Stakeholders; Knowledge; Technology; Finances). This study demonstrates that ILBM is applicable not only to lentic water systems (lakes, reservoirs), but also to the upstream and downstream water systems (rivers, tributaries) of which they are a part. Two watersheds in eastern Pennsylvania (USA), designated as ‘Critical Water Planning Areas,’ are used as a case study for this application, with a focus on the ILBM Stakeholder pillar. The primary objective was to rank the feasibility of alternative management options for these watersheds on the basis of watershed stakeholder perceptions and discussions. The results of this process and the analyses undertaken in this study are discussed, including the management options ultimately identified, the lessons learned in the evaluation process, and means for improving the process for future evaluations.     

The effectiveness of small-to-medium river basin organizations in China: a case study of the Erhai Lake Basin Management Commission

Drawing on empirical evidence from a case study conducted in the upper Mekong catchment, this article assesses the performance of the Erhai Lake Basin Management Commission, an organization mandated to control pollution and integrate the diverse interests of those individuals and communities living and working near Erhai Lake. Clear local rules, strong enforcement, practical protocols, clear responsibilities and extensive mobilization have been crucial to the success of this small river basin organization. However, the insufficient involvement of numerous important stakeholders in decision-making processes has decreased the commission’s capacity to address water issues.     

Integrated watershed management: A planning methodology for construction of new dams in Ethiopia

Integrated watershed management (IWM) is emerging as an alternative to the centrally planned and sectoral approaches that currently characterize the planning process for dam construction in Ethiopia. This report clarifies the concept of IWM, and reviews the major social, environmental and economic problems caused by dams in Ethiopia and elsewhere. Dams are planned from a top‐down perspective in Ethiopia, some people are relocated against their will, haphazard land‐use changes can occur, and soil erosion and reservoir sedimentation can increase. Many communities affected by dam constructions have not been sufficiently recognized or compensated, and environmental protection measures such as land‐use planning and soil and water conservation have not been adopted in watersheds in which construction of dams is occurring. Furthermore, revenues generated from hydropower and water supplies often benefit urban dwellers, or the national economy, at the expense of rural inhabitants in watersheds. Creation of a multistakeholder platform, integration of soft system methodology with hard system tools, and completion of environmental protection measures should be among the major components of an improved planning methodology for construction of new dams in Ethiopia. This translates into an environment wherein science and knowledge can help watershed inhabitants create a diversity of locally appropriate resource management solutions. Effective implementation of environmental policies and strategies could improve the quality of watershed‐based developments. The conclusion is that the IWM approach is a good alternative to effectively address the social, environmental and economic problems associated with planning and constructing new dams in Ethiopia.     

浅析太湖流域水问题及对策

随着流域社会经济的发展，太湖流域的水问题日益突出，主要是防洪标准的提高跟不上社会经济的刀菜，水污染造成的水质型缺水日趋严重、水资源管理无序。解决问题的对策是进一步完善防洪除涝设备、实施水资源统一管理和建立新型的流域管理体制，并建立太湖流域水调度管理中心，实现太湖流域水利现代化，使太湖流域水利与流域经济、社会、环境协调发展。     

国外流域综合管理模式对我国河湖管理模式的借鉴

针对我国现阶段河湖管理采用流域管理和行政管理相结合的模式,管理实践中存在着流域管理机构与主导政府机构权责不清、公众有效参与不足的问题,以美国五大湖流域、英国东南流域、澳大利亚墨累-达令流域、法国卢瓦尔-布列塔尼流域等为例,对美国、英国、澳大利亚、法国、德国5个主要西方发达国家的各自最有特色的河湖管理模式中流域管理机构、主导政府机构、公众参与、流域管理特点进行了分析及归纳总结,以期对我国最近提出的流域综合管理提供参考。     

加强流域综合管理确保鄱阳湖一湖清水

分析了鄱阳湖存存的问题及江湖关系,总结了多年来鄱阳湖流域综合管理所取得的成效．鄱阳湖及鄱阳湖流域的保护与管理面临着新的严峻挑战,并提出了当前和今后一个时期要做好的几项重点工作．     

The Effect of Suspended Solids Loading from the Linthipe River on Light in Lake Malawi

Increasing land use pressure has resulted in increasing suspended solids loading to many African lakes in recent decades, causing concern that littoral habitat may be degraded by sedimentation and light limitation. In a companion paper in this issue, we showed that much runoff into Lake Malawi plunges below the euphotic zone and spreads through the lake via the upper metalimnion, thus mitigating nearshore and upper water column impacts. In this study we use data from multiple surveys through two rainy seasons to describe spatio-temporal distributions of suspended solids concentration (SSC) and transparency caused by the flow of runoff through the Linthipe River delta region of Lake Malawi. SSC in interflow at 30–50 m depth was typically an order of magnitude greater than in surface plumes. Seasonal median transparency near the river mouth was inversely proportional to the suspended load in surface-buoyant inflow, but independent of total loading. This is because storm runoff was more dense (cooler and with higher SSC) than runoff during low-flow periods, so that it was more likely to plunge. The effect was to moderate inter-annual variability in light attenuation near the river mouth because transparency was lower (due to more surface-buoyant inflow of turbid water) in the year when solar irradiance was higher (less cloud cover). The effect was, however, local. Beyond a few kilometers of the river mouth upward mixing of suspended particles carried in interflow reasserted the more intuitive inverse dependence of transparency on total loading.     

洪泽湖管理处水利综合管控系统建设方案研究

通过对洪泽湖管理处所辖水利工程当前自动控制系统建设运行现状的调研及集中控制需求等方面的分析,提出水利工程综合管控系统的建设方案,从设计思路、网络结构、总体架构等方面进行详细阐述,在此基础上分析综合管控系统与传统集中控制系统的不同,综合管控系统的优势,对水利工程管理单位集中控制系统的方案设计具有一定的参考作用。     

Changes in the biomass of chambo in the southeast arm of Lake Malawi: A stock assessment of Oreochromis spp.

Lake Malawi has one of the most diverse fish faunas in the world (500–650 species) and is a major source of protein for the people of Malawi. Chambo (Oreochromis spp.) is one of the most important food fishes; its abundance has declined sharply over the last twenty-years. Surveys by the Malawi Department of Fisheries have shown a decrease in chambo density in the southeast arm of the lake and the annual harvest has dropped substantially since 1985. We conducted a dynamic stock assessment of Oreochromis spp. which included all vessel and gear types and covered the entire southeast arm of Lake Malawi. Chambo biomass peaked in 1982 and then declined continuously through the early 2000s. The biomass is highly correlated with the mean lake height two years prior suggesting that recruitment may be linked to increased nutrient input, and spawning and nursery habitat associated with the flooding of low lying areas. The main driver of chambo biomass, however, was fishing pressure which was above the level that would achieve maximum sustainable yield during the entire time series. This study provides a baseline from which to measure changes due to future management actions or climate variations.     

博斯腾湖流域风险源管理信息系统研究

为弥补博斯腾湖流域传统风险源管理系统中缺乏空间实体定义能力、空间关系查询能力、情景预测分析能力等问题,综合采用Arcgis Engine2010与Visual Studio2008集成技术及SQL Server 2008数据库开发平台开发了博斯腾湖流域风险源管理信息系统,实现风险源数据的输入、定位、储存、管理和污染风险预警等功能.可以从宏观上清晰地掌握全流域风险源的基本情况,为风险源管理提供技术支持和决策信息.     

Better governance for integrated management of the Lake Biwa—Yodo River Basin

The present study discusses the efforts of the Union of Kansai Governments to resolve serious issues in the Lake Biwa—Yodo River Basin in Japan. It identifies many of the issues related to the basin on a ‘no man's land’ mindset of today's governmental framework, which has constrained both the will and the approach to remedy the associated problems. It also highlights better governance that not only encourages individual efforts, but also promotes collaboration and cooperation among the major stakeholders in the area, as important to developing acceptable solutions to relevant issues. The present study also recognizes objective scientific evidence as an effective driver for improving governance, being the basis for making informed decisions and highlighting the use of appropriate indicators to evaluate the conditions characterizing a specific location or the basin as a whole. The present study also describes the Union of Kansai Governments as a behind‐the‐scenes coordinator that gathers knowledge and intelligence on the basin, and works to integrate policies by getting basin stakeholders to gradually improve governance by repeating a cycle of: (a) recognizing the current situation; (b) identifying relevant issues to be addressed; (c) establishing a framework and policy for collaboration and corporation; and (d) taking necessary actions. To this end, the present study discusses the studies and efforts of the Union of Kansai Governments to develop and implement integrated management of this important interlinked lake–river water system in Japan.     

Application of integrated environmental management through the preparation of an environmental action programme: Case study from the Songkhla Lake Basin in southern Thailand

The concepts and principles for integrated environmental management (IEM), which is based on a strategic and participatory approach to environmental and regional planning, has been successfully applied to a large lake system in the southern region of Thailand. The application was achieved through the Danish Cooperation for Environment and Development funded project ‘Environmental Management in the Songkhla Lake Basin’ (EmSong Project) in the Office of Environmental Policy and Planning within the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment. Through the application of the methods and tools for IEM, including the use of a participatory and strategic planning approach, and the establishment of a comprehensive database and an integrated surface water model for the lake system, an environmental action programme (EAP) has been developed. This action programme, which is based on a broad consensus at the local and regional level, includes vision and mission statements, resource objectives and strategies for management from an economically and ecologically important lake system in Thailand. The operational part of the EAP is a project catalogue, which contains immediately needed projects described to an international pre‐feasibility level. The former is the tangible output of the EmSong Project. A more intangible output from the EmSong Project is committed and informed local and regional government and community‐based organizations.     

从生活环境主义的立场解读琵琶湖流域的河川管理

为了解决伴随城市化发展、过度开发产生的河川环境污染问题,使人与河川和谐相处,以日本琵琶湖河川管理为实例,从社会学理论之一,即生活环境主义的立场出发,提出水利工程应该在考虑与河川生态系统共生的前提下进行可持续利用;在河川与流域管理中,注重恢复河川生物多样性,增加河川活力,实行管理部门与当地居民共同参与的方针。     

松辽流域水资源统一管理的目标和任务

为加强流域水资源的统一管理,优化配置水资源,松辽委积极探索水资源流域管理与行政区域管理相结合的模式,以适应全面建设小康社会和振兴东北地区老工业基地等发展战略.今后一个时期水资源统一管理的目标和任务是:做好流域水资源使用权初始分配工作,努力推进节水型社会建设,继续开展涉水事务一体化管理改革,开展流域与区域相结合的水资源管理机制研究和实践.根据水资源承载能力制定区域发展政策,进一步完善水资源管理法规体系,依靠科技进步和经济杠杆,发挥"松辽管理模式"的作用,进一步加强流域水资源统一管理.