Integrated water resources management and knowledge transfer

Harsha RatnaweeraDirector Business Development, Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA)

Professor of Water and Wastewater Technology, Norwegian University of Life Sciences

IWRM Projects:Lessons learned

The importance of and the possibilities to:Scientific collaboration for compliance facilitationScientific collaboration to revitalise transboundary partnerships Stakeholder participationLocal competence and capacity buildingSecuring political and administrative supportUse of modern tools and concepts

IWRM - Definition

”IWRM is a process, which promotes the co-ordinateddevelopment and management of water, land and related resources, in order to maximise the resultant economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems.”

Little guidance about how to achieve this coordination/Integration?

Need for technology oriented management with a human dimension

Integrated Water Resources Management

Availability of fresh water (No 2!)

River Water Quality: Phosphorous Concentrations

Water Quality: Quite good

Many areas have no pollution problems

Yet, there are challenges………….

Impact from mines and leachates

Untreated sewage in sparsely populated areas

Pollution from agriculture

Canals and lack of edge plantation

Impact from modified waters:

Hydropower

And to complicate it further…

we have a fractionated Water Management

A fractionated water management

Ministry ofEnvironment

Ministry of Oil and Energy

Ministry of HealthGovernment/-State

PollutionControl

Authority

Directoratefor Nature

Management

The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy

Directorate

Norwegian FoodSafety Authority

19 Counties

Regional/-County

Local/Municipalities

Water QualityManagement

Water QuantityManagement

Drinking Water Management

5 Regional Offices

8 Regional Authorities

440 Munici-palities

440 Munici-palities

64 DistrictOffices

Main responsibility

…and the need to implement the Water Framework Directive (WFD)

EU’s Water Framework Directive: WFD

Environmental objectivesGood status for all waters by 2015

Analysis of water statusPressures and impacts; economic analysis

River Basin Management Plan with programme of measures including existing DirectivesMain instrument for planning and reporting

Water Pricing Policies operational 2010Instrument supporting environmental objectives

Public participationParticipation - not just information

EU’s WFD: facilitates Technology oriented IWRM

WFD is a new tool in IWRM,-…but we have IWRM experience -

WRM River Basin Planning and Coastal Zone Management – from late 70-ties til early 90- ties

Yet, it is a challenge….And certainly is a challenge for other countries with less experience, resources and knowledge…

Partnership with a number of new EUand South-Eastern European

countries on WFD implementation..

Share our experience and knowledgeCollaborate with sister institutions and organise twinning between the authorities

Substantial part of the funding is from Norway

The Drim/Drini: A unique catchment

Covers about 20 000 km2

but runs through several countries Has three large lakes, Prespa, Ohrid and Skadar

Albania

Serbia

Kosovo

Greece

Macedonia

Monte-negro

Approaches to quantification of nutrient load in the Drim/Drini River

Catchment

Sharing of knowledge & Capacity building

Quantification, consolidation and analysis of Water Quality and Quantity DataPollution budgetsAbatement plans

As a part of WFD compliance activities

Simulation models and tools

Building up partnerships

DRIMPOL: Albania, Macedonia

DRIMNET: Serbia & Montenegro, Albania, Macedonia, Serbia (Kosovo) and Greece.

The DRIMNET idea is to bring managers and scientists from these five countries together in a dialogue over scientific and managerial issues concerning the Drim/Drini

Drimpol projectScientific collaboration for compliance facilitationScientific collaboration to revitalise transboundary partnerships Stakeholder participationLocal competence and capacity buildingSecuring political and administrative supportUse of modern tools and concepts

Lake restoration in Inner Mongolia, PRC

Stakeholder participation

Stakeholder ownershipSustainability

Low depth, 1.5m avg60% of 300km2 covered with reed & submerged vegetationLot of pollutants/nutrientsFish killsBiodiversityLake is gradually dying..Many users…

Task: how to rehabilitate and secure sustainability of the actions

Water Quality: Class V

Poor water quality – a concern

Worse than Class V

BOD T-PT-NCOD

CODBOD T-N T-P

Non irrigationperiod

Irrigationperiod

Class V

Poor circulation –A concern

Dead zone

Stakeholder participationRole of stakeholders

Top-down traditions in decision makingComplicated / Hierarchical stakeholder relationships

Convincing the partners to “what's in it for them?”Sustainability & ownershipA broader support does not harmHonest and professional intentions have nothing to fear!Modern tools – Multi Criteria Analysis

Actions

Zoning Pollution ControlChanging of inlet Self purificationHarvesting submerged vegetationDredging of selected areasIncrease of water supply Raise water level Improve internal circulationUtilisation of resources

Weighting of parametersSub criteria

Effect indicators

Lake Wuliangsuhai projectScientific collaboration for compliance facilitationScientific collaboration to revitalise transboundary partnerships Stakeholder participationLocal competence and capacity buildingSecuring political and administrative supportUse of modern tools and concepts

Revitalisation of the Grand Canal –DTD- between Crvenka and Vrbas

in Serbia

Convincing polluters to act

The problem

Ca. 10% of all Serbia’s industrial water pollution accumulate in the Vrbas part of the DTD canal- from untreated domestic and industrial point sources

The canal stretch and pollution

more

Complex issue

Agriculture and industry : important users and pollutersDrinking water, fishing and recreation become impossible long ago..Reversal and maintenance!

Attitude change Convincing that pollution reduction

is not only a cost, but also a savingIs a must to avoid a catastrophe (with serious consequences to all)Resource demanding dialogues..

Building the local competence and capacities

Let the local partners to carry out the task.Competence, practice, attitude, capacities, resourcesUniversities & AuthoritiesLocal consultants

Vrbas projectScientific collaboration for compliance facilitationScientific collaboration to revitalise transboundary partnerships Stakeholder participationLocal competence and capacity buildingSecuring political and administrative supportUse of modern tools and concepts

A responsibility of International partners

Many “Capacity building” projects…But how many of them really build local capacities???

Many projects are seen as unfair and selfish activities from industrial countries..

Consultants who are less willing to share the knowledgeImplementation of tasks by international consultants rather than transfer of knowledge..

Conclusion: Let us build up partnerships based on our success stories!

Scientific collaboration for compliance facilitation

Scientific collaboration to revitalise transboundarypartnerships

Stakeholder participationLocal competence and capacity buildingSecuring political and administrative support

Use of modern tools and concepts

Thank you

WFD IntentionsObtain long-termsosioeconomic beneficial useof water resources

Effective Water ManagementSystem to obtain this

Advisory actions

Areas of Application

All surface freshwaters

■ Groundwater

■ Marin and coastal waters delineatedby the coastal baseline

■ Terrestrial ecosystems dependent oninteraction with an aquatic environment

Water Frameworks Directive

A legal instrument trough Europe to ensure sustainable development, taking care ofthe water resources in a long term perspectiveIs binding for member states and must be transposed into national lawsGives the framework for effective, integrated and knowledge based water managementIs not aiming at conservation per se, but at balanced use versus protection to preserve healthy water eco-systems which provide enough water of good quality

Characteristics of WFD?Management by Objectives

Objectives on ecological status – not only chemical

Assumes a comprehensive water resources management across the sectors

WFD shall secure that the good status shall preserved, not only rehabilitation where it is bad

WFD emphasis on how to improve than how to avoid worsening.

P & N

Heavy metals

Micropollutants

Main elements Preparation and planning

Characterization and typification

Development of environmentalgoals

Monitoring

Water Management Plan

Action Plan

Implementation Actions