Integrated Water Resources Management Approach Research Articles

Past, present, and future of water governance—a reflective walk on advances and failures since 1977

AbstractThere has been a plethora of world water conferences, workshops, and other initiatives over the last four decades. Initially, the focus was on localized water and environmental problems. As environmental issues began to cross borders and became more complex, a new phase of international initiatives emerged, which incorporated environmental objectives with other water related ones. More recently, a focus on international water initiatives has been on improving water governance and transboundary cooperation. The first United Nations conference specifically devoted to water was held in the city of Mar del Plata in Argentina (1977). The increased demand for water across the planet, the degrading anthropic actions, and the development models that exclude the more vulnerable communities, indicate the beginning of a crisis that should be addressed by an integrated water resources management approach. Thus, the Mar del Plata Action Plan was drawn up. Forty‐six years after, another high‐level UN Conference took place in New York. From 22 to 24 last March this year, governments, organizations, and stakeholders from all over the world got together under the major objective to not miss the opportunity to chart a path to water security for the future.

An integrated water resource management approach for Lake Trasimeno, Italy

ABSTRACT This study aims to outline governance actions to mitigate impacts of climate change scenarios (drought) in Lake Trasimeno. A water balance model was integrated with a decision support system to evaluate water levels and water management scenarios. Water quality indices, based on Sentinel-2 images, allow the monitoring of parameters such as chlorophyll-a and turbidity. The possibility of diverting water volume from Montedoglio or Casanova reservoirs into Trasimeno Lake, according to the hypothesis of different “intervention thresholds levels” and volumes immitted, is investigated. Simulation results show that hydrometric zero represents the optimal threshold, maximizing the volume supplied and mitigating a water level decrease. An inverse correlation was observed between the lake water levels, turbidity, and chlorophyll-a concentration indices. Even if further studies to test the effects of mixing water with different physical and chemical characteristics are necessary, the proposed mitigation strategy could avoid the rapid growth of the above-mentioned quality parameters.

Investigation of water allocation using integrated water resource management approaches in the Zayandehroud River basin, Iran

The Zayandehroud River is the largest river in the Gavkhouni basin, Iran. Water management in this basin is beset by poor water-allocation policies that do not adequately meet diverse demands (potable, agriculture, industry, and environmental demands). The Gavkhouni basin suffers from water scarcity and unmet water demands; especially with respect to environmental requirements. Water allocation considering appropriate priorities for all demands would be a major improvement for environmental protection in the Gavhouni basin. The application of the environmental flow in Integrated Water Resource Management offers practical options for water management in the Gavkhouni basin. Environmental flow describes the quantity, timing, and quality of water flow required to sustain freshwater, estuarine ecosystems, the human livelihoods, and well-being. A water resources management model is developed in this study for the purpose of improved water management in the Gavkhouni basin. The model involves six stages. The first stage implements a survey of resources and water use. The Environmental flow is calculated in the second stage with the hydraulic method and the Hydrologic Engineering Center- River Analysis System. The third stage applies the calculated environmental flow to the Integrated Water Resource Management approach by means of the Water Evaluation and Planning model. The fourth stage creates seven possible management scenarios in the Water Evaluation and Planning model to be applied in the period ending in the year 2041. These scenarios are ranked in the fifth stage with a multi-criteria decision-making method. The sixth stage applies the best management scenario in the study region. This study's results indicate that the annual drinking water demand under current conditions would rise from 547.6 to 760.2 Mm3 by 2041. The annual industrial water demand is estimated to increase from 213.7 to 400.5 Mm3, and the agricultural water demand is projected to remain constant at 1789.1 Mm3 per yr. The annual drinking water, environmental, industrial, and agricultural unmet demands are estimated to increase from 68.1, 106.5, 73.4, and 470 to 130.1, 186.1, 141.4, and 480 Mm3, respectively. The considered scenarios are (i) change in water supply priority, (ii) change in the population growth trend, (iii) change in return flow and water loss management utilization, (iv) change in the amount of water transferred to the Gavkhouni basin, (v) change of demand management (consumption per capita reduction), (vi) change of agricultural conditions, and (vii) change of industrial conditions. The change in water supply priority and the change in the volume of water transferred to the Gavkhouni basin scenarios are found to be of the highest priority. The best management alternative is chosen with four types of ranking (i.e., water allocation priorities) in which the ranking (i.e., drinking, Industrial, agricultural, environmental unmet water) and fourth ranking (i.e., environmental, drinking, industrial, agricultural Unmet water) are recommended as the best approach.

Overview of River Hydrological Issues in Kakarbhitta-Pathlaiya Road Segment of East-West Highway of Nepal

The East-West Highway of Nepal is the main trade and physical mobility corridor and of a two-lane bituminous road. Therefore, the Government of Nepal (GoN) is planning to improve it to a standard four-lane highway. In the first phase, the Government of Nepal is planning to upgrade the Kakarbhitta-Pathlaiya road which is the segment of the East-West Highway. It is vital to examine the river hydrology accurately for the appropriate location and design of the structures associated with it. This study aims to work out the features of flood and sediment of the major rivers intersecting the Kakarbhitta-Pathlaiya road. A review of the previous studies and field observation via a walk-through survey was conducted to assess the hydrological issues. The road segment passes through the Terai. The study revealed that the issues of flooding and inundation within the Terai are more critical, and the rivers crossing the road segment transport significant amounts of sediment as well. In the stages of planning and design of the road segment, the capacity of the rivers must be enhanced for transporting water and sediment in the places of bridges. Besides, watershed management techniques and integrated water resources management approaches should be intervened.

Solar-powered irrigation system as a nature-based solution for sustaining agricultural water management in the Upper Indus Basin

Rapid deglaciation in form of lowering of glacial surface under growing warm temperatures form a major cause of disruption in meltwater flows to cryosphere-fed irrigation network which usually affects the agriculture productivity and livelihoods in the Upper Indus Basin (UIB). In such hotspots of cryosphere change and other vulnerable areas, solar powered irrigation system (SPIS) can be adopted as a nature-based solution to uplift water from the nearby glacio-fluvial streams for irrigation and domestic use. In the present study, solar energy harnessing potential was investigated in the UIB region of Pakistan based on climate and topographic suitability to adopt solar powered irrigation system (SPIS) in the region. Overall mean temperature and elevation were found suitable for harnessing solar energy in major parts of the Hindu Kush-Karakoram-Himalaya (HKH) ranges of the UIB. The slope index indicated high suitability for harnessing solar energy in about 92.5% area, while aspect exhibited high suitability in about 13.3% area and medium in 25.3% area of the HKH region. The slope-aspect (SLA) suitability was found good in about 13.5% area of the Hindu Kush, 12% of the Karakoram and 10.9% area of the Himalaya range, whereas it was observed medium in about 26.7% area of the Hindu Kush, 21.8% of the Karakoram and 22.2% area of the Himalaya range. Overall the SLA suitability was found good in about 12.1% area and medium in about 23.5% area of the three HKH ranges. However, maximum benefits of the SPIS approach can be acquired through linking it with integrated water resource management approach for sustainable agricultural water management in the region.

Remote sensing’s role in improving transboundary water regulation and compliance: The Murray-Darling Basin, Australia

Growing agricultural water demand is dramatically affecting the implementation of, and compliance with, water sharing plans in regions such as the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB). Problems can arise from water theft, poor resourcing or questionable actions from stakeholders. Recent actions from MDB governments have resulted in improved regulation, although more is required in a technical, governance and cultural space to create a comprehensive and transparent management framework. This is pivotal in improving overall trust in water regulators. We discuss an integrated water resource management approach for improved water regulation, involving the implementation of remote sensing technologies to complement metering, coupled with a focus on a stronger compliance culture in a range of stakeholder groups and regulatory changes that allow quicker adoption of unbiased best practice science and technology.

Integrated water resources management approach in mitigating the potential impacts of climate change on hydrology in Gurara reservoir catchment, Northwest Nigeria

Abstract. The strategies and actions in the management of African River Basins in a warming climate environment have been studied. Using the Gurara Reservoir Catchment in North-West Nigeria as a case study, summations were proposed using hypothetical climate scenarios considering the Global Climate Models prediction and linear trend of the data. Four (4) proposed scenarios of temperature increase (1 % and 2 %) coupled with a decrease in precipitation of (−5 % and −10 %) were combined and applied for the study area. The Water Evaluation and Planning Tool was used to model and evaluates the impact of the earth's rising temperature and declining rainfall on the hydrology and availability of water by investigating its resilience to climate change. Modelling results indicate a reduction in available water within the study area from 4.3 % to 3.5 % compared to the baseline with no climate change scenario, revealing the current water management strategy as not sustainable, uncoordinated, and resulting in overexploitation. The findings could assist in managing future water resources in the catchment by accentuating the need to put in place appropriate adaptation measures to foster resilience to climate change. Practically, it is pertinent to shape more effective policies and regulations within catchments for effective water resources management in reducing water shortage as well as achieving downstream water needs and power benefit in thefuture, while also allowing flexibility in the operation of a reservoir with the ultimate goal of adapting to climate change.

A review of the design and implementation of Ghana's National Water Policy (2007)

AbstractAccess to water is a matter of daily survival for people around the world. Water is crucial for human survival and also central to the development of every nation. The recent literature on world water suggests that the water crisis being experienced is related to governance and not a real crisis of scarcity and stress. This paper aims at identifying water governance practices and the challenges associated with water governance in Ghana. The paper reviews the literature on the implementation of policy directives and actions with specific focus on water resources governance aspects of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in Ghana. Ghana's National Water Policy is expected to turn the fortunes of the country around in terms of water resources management. Concerning water resources management, the policy advocates for an IWRM approach. Since its implementation, certain setbacks have been challenging the effectiveness of the policy, such as inadequate institutional capacity, inadequate funding, ineffective enforcement of existing regulations, inadequate legal framework, and lack of adequate data. The paper suggests, among other things, the building of both human and institutional capacity, and making the environment a government priority, as ways to contribute to the effective implementation of the National Water Policy.

Practicality of integrated water resources management (IWRM) in different contexts

ABSTRACT The significance of integrated water resources management (IWRM) is broadly recognized, but practical implementation methods are little known. This paper proposes a Practical IWRM approach that has the potential to accelerate consensus-building and problem-solving relating to water resources based on the formation of an aligned perception of natural and human-made water resource systems among stakeholders, and the establishment of a properly functioning multi-stakeholder partnership (MSP). This approach was applied in four countries – Sudan, Bolivia, Indonesia and Iran – where it has worked well in different contexts, and can be an effective methodology usable elsewhere in the field.

USE OF ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS AND MULTIVARIATE STATISTICAL ANALYSIS FOR MODELING THE POLLUTION PRESSURE OF WATER RESOURCES IN THE SEYBOUSE VALLEY (NORTH-EASTERN ALGERIA)

The water supply environment in Seybouse Valley (North East of Algeria) is sensitive and fragile as the aquifer is highly vulnerable to various sources of pollution, must recognize the pollution sources and water quality integration. So, there is a need for a better knowledge and understanding of the water pollution determinants to meet the Domestic, agricultural and Industrial uses. The pollution of this ground water was determined by Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). This represents the salinity of freshwater and originate from natural sources, sewage, urban, runoff, industrial wastewater and chemicals. Based on cause-and-effect relationships, the Driver–Pressure–State–Impact–Response (DPSIR) plan was used to establish indicators for an integrated water resource management approach to water quality in the semi-arid Mediterranean region. The aim of this work is to determine the most pressing pollution source of Seybouse Valley. With this intention, the artificial neural network (ANN) models were used to model and predict the relationship between groundwater quality with point and diffuse pollution sources determinants. The selected variables were classified and organized using the multivariate techniques of Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA), factor analysis (FA), principal components and classification analysis (PCCA). It was concluded that the industrial wastewater that is the most pressing pollution source followed by seawater intrusion.

Integrated Water Resources Management Approaches to Improve Water Resources Governance

The water crisis can alternatively be called a governance crisis. Thus, the demand for good water governance to ensure effective water resources management and to attain specific water goals is growing. Many countries subscribe to the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) approach to achieve this goal. The Integrated Water Resources Management approach aims to ensure a process that promotes the coordinated development and management of water, land, and related resources in a drainage basin to maximise economic and social welfare equitably without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems. The design of the Integrated Water Resources Management approach, including its pillars and principles, aspires to good water governance and effective resource management. However, empirical studies examining this hypothesis and analysing the impact of the Integrated Water Resources Management approach on water resources governance are limited, especially in developing countries. Therefore, we characterised and compared the water resources governance aspects of two catchments in Uganda’s Lake Albert basin. One of the catchments was exposed to integrated water resources management projects, while the other had no exposure to integrated water resources management projects. Some of the factors that supported the comparability of the two sites included spatial proximity linking into a related hydrological and social-economic setup, common water needs and belonging to the same water administration zone. Comparing both areas led us to analyse whether there was a difference in water resources governance actions, as well as in the quality of water resources governance, under the same overall water management and administrative zone. The data were based on field surveys using questionnaires and information guides in both catchments. The results show that the performance of water resources governance is markedly better in the catchment with Integrated Water Resources Management practices than the base catchment unaffected by these practices. Key themes examined include water resources governance styles, water resources governance systems presence, functionality, the performance of good governance principles, and water resources management effectiveness. The findings contribute to the aspirations for the promotion of integrated water management approaches for improved water resources governance, and the concept that the effectiveness of water resources management measures depends on governance effectiveness. Water governance is significant, as it spells out the power, rights, decisions, and priorities relating to given water resources and communities.

Aproximación a la gobernanza de las cuencas transfronterizas del Líbano y su geopolítica

El objetivo del presente artículo es analizar las cuencas transfronterizas entre la República del Líbano y los países ribereños, considerando aspectos de cooperación y conflicto, geopolíticos de la región árabe, así como gobernanza. Esto se complementa con la propuesta del paradigma de la Gestión Integrada de Recursos Hídricos (GIRH). Tradicionalmente, la cuestión de recursos hídricos compartidos en la región árabe ha estado altamente politizada, así como las negociaciones de alto nivel entre gobiernos han sido críticas. Al mismo tiempo, esto genera preocupación sobre la justicia y la seguridad hídrica. La atención ha estado centrada en disputas de largo recorrido surgidas de la dependencia árabe en recursos hídricos superficiales originados (o controlados por) países no árabes. El agua es uno de los recursos más preciados en Líbano, como en todo el mundo, en especial si se consideran los actuales y futuros escenarios de cambio climático. La crisis humanitaria de 1,5 millones de refugiados sirios en territorio libanés presiona en mayor medidasobre los servicios de agua y sobre los recursos; si bien dicha crisis hídrica antecede a la llegada de dichos refugiados y está marcada por la propia situación geopolítica. El agua disponible discurre por ríos, lagos, embalses y aguas subterráneas. Los recursos hídricos de este país se encuentran bajo estrés debido a distintos factores: prácticas de manejo no sostenibles, aumento de la demanda desde todos los sectores, contaminación y gobernanza inefectiva (casi ausente) del agua. El Líbano comparte las siguientes cuencas con países ribereños: el río Jordán, el río Orontes y el río Nahr Al Kabir. En lo que respecta a agua subterránea, la cadena montañosa de Anti-Líbano está ubicada en la frontera con Siria. La promoción de la cooperación es crucial para el manejo de los recursos hídricos compartidos en esta región. En este sentido, una acción más cooperativa y un diálogo constructivo son necesarios para gestionar estos recursos compartidos, considerando la gobernanza del agua, los principios de la hidrodiplomacia y la GIRH. Las preguntas que guían este estudio son conocer qué cuencas hídricas comparte el Líbano, cuáles son las características de las mismas, y si existen acuerdos internacionales que regulen su uso y aprovechamiento conjunto. En cuanto a la metodología utilizada, la siguiente investigación se basa en información de fuentes primarias y secundarias (investigaciones académicas, prensa especializada, estadísticas, entre otras). El análisis de datos es cualitativo y documental. Este artículo comienza con una introducción a la administración del agua en los países árabes. A continuación, se proponen bases teóricas para el estudio de cuencas transfronterizas. Como aporte al marco teórico, se desarrollan los principios sobre cursos de agua compartidos en el Derecho Internacional. A continuación, se presentan las cuencas transfronterizas del país de origen fenicio. Finalmente, se proponen las conclusiones del estudio.

Groundwater Governance in Pakistan: From Colossal Development to Neglected Management

Groundwater is playing an essential role in expanding irrigated agriculture in many parts of the world. Pakistan is the third-largest user of groundwater for irrigation in the world. The surface water supplies are sufficient to irrigate 27% of the area, whereas the remaining 73% is directly or indirectly irrigated using groundwater. The Punjab province uses more than 90% of the total groundwater abstraction. Currently, 1.2 million private tubewells are working in the country, out of which 85% are in Punjab, 6.4% are in Sindh, 3.8% are in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, and 4.8% are in Baluchistan. The total groundwater extraction in Pakistan is about 60 billion m3. The access to groundwater has helped farmers in securing food for the increasing population. However, unchecked groundwater exploitation has created severe environmental problems. These include rapidly falling groundwater levels in the irrigated areas and increased soil salinization problems. The groundwater levels in more than 50% of the irrigated areas of Punjab have dropped below 6 m, resulting in increased pumping cost and degraded groundwater quality. Despite hectic efforts, about 21% of the irrigated area is affected by different levels of salinity. The country has introduced numerous laws and regulations for the sustainable use and management of groundwater resources, but the success has so far been limited. Besides less respect for the law, unavailability of needed data and information, lack of political will and institutional arrangements are the primary reasons for poor groundwater management. Pakistan needs to revisit its strategies to make them adaptable to local conditions. An integrated water resource management approach that brings together relevant government departments, political leadership, knowledge institutions, and other stakeholders could be an attractive option.

Outsourcing governance in Peru’s integrated water resources management

Participatory water governance has become highly influential around the world as a means for managing water resources. Scholars and practitioners advocate for the inclusion of previously marginalized communities in water resources management through the devolution of power, responsibility, and participation. Where community institutions are weak or missing, experts recommend strengthening or re-building them to enable inclusive decision-making over water resources. Our study looks at devolution in a government-initiated integrated water resources management approach in the Caylloma Province, located in the department of Arequipa, Peru. We used process tracing to analyze 97 qualitative interview transcripts with crop farmers and pastoralists managing water for irrigation, interview transcripts with personnel in water management agencies, and field notes from participant observation in water-related meetings. We found that farmers had limited ability to participate in local institutions for water management due to market integration and labor migration, among other socioeconomic and political stressors. For this reason, transferring more water management responsibilities and decision-making power to community-level institutions without considering the factors that limit their sustainability over time is not necessarily feasible or even desirable by local communities. Instead, strengthening and streamlining intermediary and government institutions at regional scales may be more effective at addressing local needs in watershed management.

Diplomatic Advances and Setbacks of the Guarani Aquifer System in South America

The Guarani Aquifer System (GAS) covers 1,088,000 km2, 68% of which is in Brazil, 21% in Argentina, 8% in Paraguay, and 3% in Uruguay. It is one of the most important aquifers on the continent and one of the largest transboundary aquifers in the world. More than 15 million people share this resource. Extensive analysis of existing documentation, supported by research questions, resulted in classification of five cooperation phases regarding management of the GAS: (i) 1970–2000, where scattered initiatives tried to grasp the aquifer’s geological and hydrogeological features as well as its regional circulation dynamics; (ii) 2000–2003, time needed for developing the project proposal; (iii) 2003–2010, the period marking the beginning of the official launching of the Environmental Protection and Sustainable Integrated Management of the Guarani Aquifer (GASP), funded by the Global Environmental Facility, the implementation of which lasted until 2009. This period was marked by intense cooperation efforts and concrete partnership achievements, including the Strategic Action Plan and, later, the Guarani Aquifer Agreement (GAA); (iv) 2010–2017, marked by a slowdown in transboundary cooperation, limited to sporadic cross-border projects, and some new local/national projects; and (v) 2017–present the benchmark of which is the ratification of the GAA by the four countries, a bright and formal move forward. Water availability in the region is extensive, and the absence of transboundary conflicts within the GAS has created a sense of abundance that is leading, unfortunately, to a lack of proactivity in terms of agreement implementation. The consequences are clear: data and tools developed by the GASP have not been updated; there has been a disruption of cooperation and administrative networks; there has been a loss of momentum generated by the GASP by societies and stakeholders; and there has been a loss of opportunities for detailed assessments to manage the aquifer’s heterogeneities and dynamics. Absent any coordinated approach, chances to obtain international funds are diminishing. There is no doubt that the GAA is one of the first examples of groundwater-related hydrodiplomacy—a negotiation process that seeks to simultaneously balance national interests and strengthen regional and local cooperative governance in aquifers shared between countries. Thus, the GAA should be considered a model, both for fulfilling requirements of international treaties and for designing an integrated water resource management approach.

A national border-based assessment of Malawi’s transboundary aquifer units: Towards achieving sustainable development goal 6.5.2

Study regionMalawi. Study focusThe adoption of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6 in 2016 has triggered countries across the globe to assess and improve management and use of water resources. Monitoring of these resources is becoming increasingly important, and the management of transboundary water resources, in particular groundwater aquifers, required to meet SDG target 6.5.2, is lagging behind. It is vital to assess and manage these resources in a sustainable manner within an integrated water resource management approach. Transboundary aquifer assessments have largely focused on the regional scale which is not sufficient for countries to manage their transboundary aquifers effectively. This paper focuses on results of a national transboundary aquifer unit assessment in Malawi as a case study to support the countries plans for achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6.5.2.New hydrological insights for the region: We have identified 38 new transboundary aquifer units shared between Malawi and its neighbours. These results can form the basis for future transboundary aquifer management between Malawi and its neighbouring countries. We also highlight the current limitations of transboundary aquifer assessments and management that should be addressed to achieve SDG 6.5.2. These include institutional mechanisms, limited cross-border data sharing, limited groundwater monitoring, and a need to revisit the wording of the transboundary-focused SDG target and its indicators.

Predicting behaviour of the Indus basin aquifer susceptible to degraded environment in the Punjab province, Pakistan

Rapid changes in the irrigated system due to climate change and drastic growth in urbanization and industrialization have raised serious concerns related to available groundwater resources of the Indus basin on which millions of people depend upon for their sustenance. Under the prevailing scenario, three-dimensional numerical groundwater flow model Visual MODFLOW has been used to evaluate the regional groundwater flow from the steady-state period of 1987 (used as a base to run the model for several simulation periods) up to the predictive period of 2030 for sustainable water resource management in the Indus plain of Pakistan. The steady-state calibration of the model indicated a close agreement between the simulated and the observed heads as indicative from the residual mean value of 0.10 m and an absolute residual mean of 0.47 m. The velocity vectors of the groundwater flow indicate that in most parts of the study area groundwater is discharged into the Jhelum and Chenab rivers. In the transient-state condition, groundwater levels indicated a rising trend till 1989, but as the irrigated area tends to increase continuously, the heads started to drop from year 1991 onward at an average rate of 0.45 m/year. The Bari Doab in the south appears to be more under stress than the Rechna and the Lower Chaj Doabs because of the overexploitation of groundwater, low flows in the Ravi River and less recharge from rainfall. The negative impacts of environment changes on the underlying aquifer could be minimized through long-term monitoring of the groundwater system and adoption of integrated water resource management approach in future.

Towards a Socio-Political Approach to Water Management: Successes and Limitations of IWRM Programs in Rural Northwestern China

In rural northwestern China, the tension between economic growth and ecological crises demonstrate the limitations of dominant top-down approaches to water management. In the 1990’s, the Chinese government adopted the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) approach to combat the degradation of water and ecological systems throughout its rural regions. While the approach has had some success at reducing desertification, water shortage, and ecological deterioration, there are important limitations and obstacles that continue to impede optimum outcomes in water management. As the current IWRM approach is instituted through a top-down centralized bureaucratic structure, it often fails to address the socio-political context in which water management is embedded and therefore lacks a complete treatment of how power is embedded in the bureaucracy and how it articulates through economic growth imperatives set by the Chinese state. The approach has relied on infrastructure-heavy and technocratic solutions to govern water demand, which has worked to undermine the focus on integration and public participation. Finally, the historical process through which water management mechanisms have been instituted is fraught with bureaucratic fragmentation and processes of centralization that work against some of its primary goals such as reducing uncertainty and risk in water management systems. This article reveals the historical, social, political, and economic processes behind these shortcomings in water management in rural northwestern China by focusing on the limitations of a top-down approach that rely on infrastructure, technology, and quantification, and thereby advances a more holistic, socio-political perspective for water management that considers the state-society dynamics inherent in water governance in rural China.

Toward a socio-political approach to water management: successes and limitations of IWRM programs in rural northwestern China

In rural north-western China, the tension between economic growth and ecological crises demonstrates the limitations of dominant top-down approaches to water management. In the 1990s, the Chinese government adopted the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) approach to combat the degradation of water and ecological systems throughout its rural regions. While the approach has had some success at reducing desertification, water shortage, and ecological deterioration, there are important limitations and obstacles that continue to impede optimum outcomes in water management. As the current IWRM approach is instituted through a top-down centralized bureaucratic structure, it often fails to address the socio-political context in which water management is embedded and therefore lacks a complete treatment of how power is embedded in the bureaucracy and how it articulates through economic growth imperatives set by the Chinese state. The approach has relied on infrastructure heavy and technocratic solutions to govern water demand, which has worked to undermine the focus on integration and public participation. Finally, the historical process through which water management mechanisms have been instituted are fraught with bureaucratic fragmentation and processes of centralization that work against some of its primary goals such as reducing uncertainty and risk in water management systems. This article reveals the historical, social, political, and economic processes behind these shortcomings in water management in rural northwestern China by focusing on the limitations of a top-down approach that rely on infrastructure, technology, and quantification, and thereby advances a more holistic, socio-political perspective for water management that considers the state-society dynamics inherent in water governance in rural China.

Implementing the integrated water resources management approach in a volcanic river basin: a case study of Opak Sub-Basin, Indonesia

ABSTRACT The ways in which integrated water resources management (IWRM) is implemented in a volcanic river basin (the Opak Sub-Basin) on the flanks of Mt Merapi volcano in Indonesia is examined. Data deriving from semi-ethnographic fieldwork and in-depth interviews are analysed through a multilevel governance lens that considers three pillars of management – conservation, utilization and hazard control – and three levels of governance – national, regional and municipal. The research shows that the regional level is the priority playing field; that the degree of integration differs between levels of government; and that actors called ‘whisperers’ support higher integration levels, have the greatest ability to form bridges between communities and government.