Water resources stewardship in an era of rapid change

Abstract

Natural and anthropogenic changes in the earth systems impact human and environmental well-being. Water, as a critical component of social-environmental systems, has historically been managed in a way that prioritizes water supply and flood control; some side-effects include stressed ecosystems, water quality declines, and inequitable access to water. The pervasive nature of water issues, both emerging and persistent, reiterate the need for systematization of knowledge and re-envisioning of place-based planning and management of water systems. Here we develop a new conceptual framework for Water Resources Stewardship (WRS) with a focus on equitable and adaptive solutions under changing conditions. This framework organizes and fortifies existing knowledge on this topic and presents a systems-level view. A thematic analysis of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) based on published case studies is used to: (a) appraise elements of the WRS approach, and (b) identify opportunities for integration of a stewardship approach. WRS offers an adaptive and equitable approach that embraces risk-based approaches to steward water systems within an uncertain and changing environment.