Lake management in Italy: the implications of the Water Framework Directive

This paper constitutes the first consideration of the implications of the lake management in Italy arising from the requirements of the Water Framework Directive (WFD), in comparison to the provisions of existing national legislation. As a matter of fact, the Italian decrees anticipated the principles of the WFD and have substantially modified the legislation in the field of water in Italy. Important changes were introduced, both in the monitoring systems and in the classification methods for surface waters. The environmental quality status will be determined not only by monitoring the aqueous matrix, but also the sediment and the biota. The new WFD is the major piece of European Union (EU) legislation with environment at its core; it will guide the efforts for attaining a sustainable aquatic environment in the years to come. In the WFD one can see elements from all the different forces that guided the reform of EU water policy: environmental protection, deregulation and subsidiarity. Moreover, elements of the economic instruments approach (introduction of the cost recovery principle), quantitative concerns (setting of minimum flow objectives for rivers and abstraction limits for ground waters) and the quest for integration (river basin management with representation of all stakeholders) are all reflected in the WFD. The paper summarizes the present condition of the most important lakes in the Italian lake district and also highlights the case of Lake Varese, representing a unique case of lake management in Italy. Preliminary results show that there are very few examples dealing with the elements thought appropriate to lake water assessment as required by the WFD. The application of the objectives of the type specified is a largely unknown issue.     

Implementing the EU Water Framework Directive: Experiences of Participatory Planning in the Ribble Basin,North West England

Abstract

The Water Framework Directive (WFD) is potentially the most significant piece of water management legislation to be developed by the European Union (EU) in the last forty years. Whilst water legislation is already regarded by many people as the ‘gold plating’ of EU environmental policy, many of the previous regulations and policies have focussed on specific point and non-point source water quality problems and have stipulated stringent standards to be achieved within specified time limits. In sharp contrast, the WFD aims to establish a planning and management framework for sustainable use of water and the ecological restoration of entire river systems, many of which do not fit neatly within the political or administrative boundaries of the Member States. Public participation in planning and management decisions is a key aspect of the WFD. This paper describes the specific requirements of the WFD for public participation and examines their implementation in the Ribble basin in North West England. The Ribble is part of a EU river basin network designed to test the WFD implementation guidelines issued by the European Commission. Particular challenges associated with engaging stakeholders in WFD implementation are highlighted and recommendations for future practice are offered.     

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.     

德国WASY流域水资源信息管理系统在太湖流域的应用

介绍了德国WASY流域水资源信息管理系统（WISYS）的软件架构、数据库结构和主要功能;针对太湖流域实际和流域水资源综合利用信息管理的要求,充分借鉴和吸收了WISYS软件系统的设计理念和技术思路,定制了太湖流域水资源综合管理系统;通过消化与应用开发,总结了WISYS软件的特色,可为水资源信息管理系统的建设提供借鉴。     

GEF海河流域水资源与水环境综合管理知识管理系统

GEF海河流域水资源与水环境综合管理知识管理系统是GEF海河项目的核心内容之一,是海河流域水资源和水环境管理信息的存储、管理和共享交换中心;利用先进的3S（GIS/RS/GPS）和IT技术,建设流域水资源与水环境知识共享平台,实现海河流域水利与环保部门之间的信息交流与共享;以遥感监测ET为管理措施、水功能区为管理单元、水权为管理核心、模型为支撑工具、取水许可与排污许可为控制手段,构建海河流域水资源与水环境综合业务管理系统;该系统的建设为加强海河流域水资源与水环境综合管理,促进各级水行政管理部门间的协调合作,改善海河流域水资源与水环境状况提供了重要的技术手段和成功经验。     

Asymmetry and Equity in Water Resources Management; Critical Institutional Issues for Southern Africa

Water users wish to achieve the highest benefits from water resources. Rules limit the manner in which water users may utilise the water resources occurring within their constituencies or territories. However an asymmetrical situation exists whereby downstream users may not affect upstream users but upstream users do cause downstream impacts. Because of this asymmetry the equitable sharing of water resources between upstream and downstream users will always imply that upstream users have to forego some potential water benefits. The general question that this paper addresses is: which institutional arrangements can be devised to (re-)establish an equilibrium between up- and downstream entities within a catchment area or river basin? The paper addresses this question by first focusing on some local and national water allocation arrangements. After briefly reviewing the different management regimes, customary and colonial, that co-evolved in Southern Africa, it assesses the water management principles that are currently being espoused. The focus then turns to the principles in international water law that deal with the allocation of water in transboundary river basins. It is concluded that it often proves difficult to reach agreement over how to share the scarce resource. The paper then discusses the current trend to look beyond water and beyond the river basin when seeking peaceful means to share a common water resource. The concept of “hydrosolidarity” emerges as a normative value that may help to recreate a balance between the various (asymmetrical) interests that exist within a river basin. The paper concludes that water resources can only be governed wisely is there is capacity to understand and monitor the water fluxes within a river basin. If such capacity is wanting, priority should be given to strengthen it.     

Reconciling Hydropower and Environmental Water Uses in the Leishui River Basin

Today's water systems require integrated water resource management to improve the water supply for conflicting water uses. This research explores alternative policies to improve the water supply for two conflicting uses, hydropower and environmental, using the Leishui River basin and Dongjiang reservoir as a case study. First, the natural flow regime prior to reservoir construction (pre‐1992) was estimated by performing a statistical analysis of 41 years of daily streamflow data (March 1952–February 1993). This natural flow regime was used as a template for proposing environmental flow (e‐flow) requirements. The post‐reservoir flow regime (post‐1992) (March 1993–February 2011) was analysed to estimate the streamflow alteration. Results show that the natural flow regime has been completely transformed; post‐1992 winter normal flows are greater, and summer flows are smaller than pre‐1992 conditions. Also, the occurrence of natural floods has been prevented. Second, a planning model was built of the current operation of the Dongjiang reservoir and used for comparison of four alternative water management policies that considered e‐flow releases from the Dongjiang reservoir. The scenarios that considered combinations of the current operational policy and e‐flow releases performed better in terms of hydropower generation than the current operation. Different volumes of e‐flow requirements were tested, and an annual e‐flow volume of 75% of the pre‐1992 hydrograph was determined to generate the most hydropower while providing for environmental water needs. Trade‐offs are essential to balance these two water management objectives, and compromises have to be made for both water uses to obtain benefits. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

新疆玛纳斯河流域水资源利用与管理

随着社会经济发展,生活水平的提高以及城市规模的扩大,玛纳斯河流域内水资源供需矛盾日益突出,用水结构发生重大变化,水资源污染日趋恶化。探讨流域水资源在利用与管理过程中出现的诸多问题,并提出改进的几点意见与建议。     

21世纪的水利建设应从强化流域管理体制入手

为迎接新世纪的挑战，水利行业要变换水利与可持续发展水利，建设综合开发水的资源功能，环境功能、生态功能的大水利。而 则无法保证这一目标的实现的，应当根据新世纪水利发展的目标，强化流域管理体制。     

A Modeling System for the Evaluation of Water Resources Management Strategies in Thessaly,Greece

A modeling system was developed to evaluate the sustainability of water resources management strategies in the two major basins of Thessaly Region in Greece, namely the Pinios River and the Lake Karla basins. The intense and extensive agriculture of water demanding crops, such as cotton, and the absence of reasonable water resources management have lead to a remarkable water demand increase, which is usually fulfilled by the over-exploitation of groundwater resources. This unsustainable practice has deteriorated the already disturbed water balance and accelerated water resources degradation. The modeling system consists of a hydrological model, a reservoir operation model and methods for the estimation of water demands. The study area was sub-divided into sub-basins and water balance analyses were performed for each sub-basin and each control node of the system for a number of water resources management strategies. Four strategies of hydro-technical project development were coupled with two strategies of groundwater withdrawal and three water demand strategies. In total, more than 24 water management strategies were evaluated. The results showed that, under the existing water resources management, the water deficit of the Pinios River and Lake Karla basins is very large. However, the development of proposed hydro-technical projects in the Pinios River basin coupled with water demand management measures, like improvement of existing water distribution systems, change of irrigation methods, and changes of crop cultivation could alleviate the problem and lead to sustainable and ecological use of water resources in the study area.     

Hydrodynamic Model of the Lower Hudson River Estuarine System and its Application for Water Quality Management

In this paper a hydrodynamic model and associated post-processing tools for the Lower Hudson River (LHR) are presented. The model computes the two-dimensional (2D), depth-averaged Eulerian time-dependent velocity field in response to various external signals. The paper documents the mathematical background of the model, describes modeling logistics and provides the comparison of model results with observed data. As an example of the potential application, the scenario of managing sewage releases from two New York City water pollution treatment plants was investigated using this numerical model. The study was undertaken as part of research on the chaotic nature of the LHR estuarine system and pollutant dispersion characteristics.     

石羊河流域水资源管理与生态修复成效、问题与对策措施研究

结合石羊河流域干旱缺水,地下水资源严重超采,生态环境严重恶化的实际,分析了水资源管理与生态修复的初步成效与存在问题,提出了严格总量控制和定额管理、强化过程控制和精细管理、深化水价改革、建立水权交易长效机制、加快末级渠系配套建设、优化农业结构和推行区域化种植六项对策措施,以实现农民增收、经济发展、生态修复及水资源可持续利用的目标。     

气候变化对黄河水资源的影响及其适应性管理

气候变化将直接影响降水、蒸散发和径流等水文要素,并在一定程度上改变水资源量及其时空分布,进一步影响水资源利用格局及水安全形势。气候变化对水资源安全的影响是国际上普遍关心的全球性问题,也是我国可持续发展面临的重大战略问题。黄河作为中华民族的母亲河,在全球气候变化的条件下,水资源的供需矛盾日益尖锐。结合黄河的水资源特点,研究和评价了气候变化情景下黄河水资源的脆弱性,并从配置、利用、调度、管理方面系统地提出了适应性对策:探讨有序适应的黄河流域水资源优化配置方案;完善水沙调控体系,探讨高效输沙模式;合理开发非常规水资源;优化调整梯级水库运用方式;实施最严格的水资源管理制度;积极实施外流域调水。     

Environmental Flows in a Human‐Dominated System: Integrated Water Management Strategies for the Rio Grande/Bravo Basin

Water management in the transboundary Rio Grande/Bravo (RGB) Basin, shared by the US and Mexico, is complicated by extreme hydrologic variability, overallocation, and international treaty obligations. Heavy regulation of the RGB has degraded binationally protected ecosystems along the Big Bend Reach of the RGB. This study addresses the need for integrated water management in Big Bend by developing an alternative reservoir operation policy to provide environmental flows while reducing water management trade‐offs. A reach‐scale water planning model was used to represent historical hydrology (1955–2009), water allocation, and reservoir operations, and key human water management objectives (water supply, flood control, and binational treaty obligations) were quantified. Spatially distributed environmental flow objectives and an alternative reservoir rule curve were developed. We simulated current and alternative water management policies and used an iterative simulation–evaluation process to evaluate alternative policies based on water system performance criteria with respect to specified objectives. A single optimal policy was identified that maximized environmental flows while maintaining specified human objectives. By changing the timing but not the volume of releases, the proposed reservoir re‐operation policy has the potential to sustain key ecological and geomorphic functions in Big Bend without significantly impacting current water management objectives. The proposed policy also improved water supply provisions, reduced average annual flood risk, and maintained historical treaty provisions. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Climate Change and Resource Management in the Columbia River Basin

Abstract

Scenarios of global climate change were examined to see what impacts they might have on transboundary water management in the Columbia River basin. Scenario changes in natural streamflow were estimated using a basin hydrology model. These scenarios tended to show earlier seasonal peaks, with possible reductions in total annual flow and lower minimum flows. Impacts and adaptation responses to the natural streamflow scenarios were determined through two exercises: (a) estimations of system reliability using a reservoir model with performance measures and (b) interviews with water managers and other stakeholders in the Canadian portion of the basin. Results from the two exercises were similar, suggesting a tendency towards reduced reliability to meet objectives for power production, fisheries, and agriculture. Reliability to meet flood control objectives would be relatively unchanged in some scenarios but reduced in others. This exercise suggests that despite the high level of development and management in the Columbia, vulnerabilities would still exist, and impacts could still occur in scenarios of natural streamflow changes caused by global climate change. Many of these would be indirect, reflecting the complex relationship between the region and its climate.     

松辽流域水权体系框架及实现途径初探

结合松辽流域水资源综合规划工作,通过对流域水资源量及对应水权的结构划分,构建了松辽流域水权体系框架.对松辽流域初始水权分配的实现途径和监管手段进行了探讨,以期用清晰的思路来完成松辽流域的初始水权分配工作.     

浅谈海河流域水资源与水环境综合管理规划的特点

简要介绍了目前正在进行的海河流域水资源与水环境综合管理规划所蕴含的新理念、新技术和新方法。在总结GEF海河项目的有关成果和经验的基础上,通过拓展试点,最终在全国更大范围内推动以ET（蒸腾蒸发）为中心的流域与区域水资源与水环境综合管理,对促进节水型社会的建设,遏制地下水的进一步超采,改善生态环境等,均具有非常重要的现实意义和长远意义。     

海河流域再生水利用现状及效益分析

该文结合海河流域再生水的利用现状,分析了再生水利用的优势,提出了再生水作为城市的第二水源的必然性。     

Synthesizing Environmental Flow Needs Data for Water Management in a Water‐Scarce State: The Arizona Environmental Water Demands Database

Water rights for environmental flows are not universal, and oftentimes, legal tools used to incorporate the environment into water management only require new users to consider their impact. It can be difficult to include the needs of riparian and aquatic ecosystems in new plans when relevant information is not always available, especially when other existing uses already outstrip available supplies. There is a need for easily accessible and understandable science on the water requirements for riparian and aquatic species, so managers can make informed decisions about whether or not to include riparian and aquatic species in their community's water management future. In this paper, we describe the current understanding of the link between hydrology and Arizona's riparian and aquatic ecosystems through the creation of a geospatial Environmental Water Demands database that can be used to determine the water needs to maintain habitat. Analysis of 121 studies reveals that there are very few analyses of the surface water and groundwater requirements for intermittent or ephemeral river systems, and there are only limited generalizable data for aquatic species. Except for a few species, such as Cottonwood (Populous fremontii) and Willow (Salix gooddingii), few data are available on the flow requirements for vegetation. The Environmental Water Demands database can be used to identify critical geographic and topical knowledge gaps where further research is needed, as well as serve as a single place for water and land managers to assess and use the most currently available information to make more informed management decisions and recommendations. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

灌区灌溉用水管理决策支持系统总体设计

在分析灌溉用水管理主要内容和决策流程以及确定的系统开发原则基础上,提出了具有系统结构合理、软件设计先进、实用性强、扩充性能好、适应实时决策要求的灌溉用水管理决策支持系统总体设计方案以数据库和知识库作为信息基础,以模型库作为管理决策的重要支撑手段,针对以上三库相互之间在概念和结构上存在交叉,在运行中存在数据流交换的特点,建立总控系统。通过多组件之间的接口集成整个决策支持系统,实现信息查询、灌水预报、水量分配等功能。该系统界面友好、直观,操作灵活、方便。