Introduction to IWRM

D. Thalmeinerova based upon GWP ToolBox resources

Local, Regional, National, Fluvial, Global

Ancient

1200 A.D.

1900

1990s

Future

Community

Basic management of water quantity

Sectoral management of water quantity and qualityinstitutional fragmentationspatial fragmentationlocal co-ordination

Integrated multifunctional use river basin as unitinstitutionalised cooperation

Multi-level Comprehensive Governance

Before we start….• The basis of IWRM is that different uses of water are

interdependent

• Integrated management means that all the different uses of water resources are considered together

WATER CYCLE

Driving forces on water resources

• Population growth: demands for more water and producing more waste water and pollution

• Urbanization: migration from rural to urban areas which increases the current level of difficulty in water delivery and waste water treatment

• Economic growth: mainly in developing countries with large populations contributes to increased demand for economic activities

• Globalization of trade: production is relocated to “labor-cheap” areas that takes place without consideration for water resources

• Climate variability: more intense floods and droughts increase vulnerability of people

• Climate change: increase uncertainty about water cycle regimes

WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING ISSUES ARE

THE MAIN TOPICS IN YOUR JOB?

IWRM concept is• an empirical concept which is built up from the on-the-ground experience

of practitioners,

• a flexible approach to water management that can adapt to diverse national and local contexts,

• thus

• it is not a scientific theory that needs to be proved or disproved by scholars.

• and (but)

• it requires policy-makers to make judgments about which reforms and measures, management tools and institutional arrangements are most appropriate in a particular cultural, social, political, economic and environmental context.

IWRM definition

IWRM is a process which promotes the coordinated development and management of water, land and related resources, in order to maximize the resultant economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainability of vital

ecosystems.

GWP, TEC Background Paper No. 4: Integrated Water Resources

Management

IWRM:What does it really mean?• More coordinated development and management of:

– Land and water– Surface water and ground water– Upstream and downstream interests

Discussion questions:

Who should propose measures to protect against floods?

Who should bear a cost to implement measures to mitigate floods?

Key water resources management functions

• Water allocation• Pollution control• Monitoring• Financial management• Flood and drought management• Information management• Basin planning• Stakeholder participation

IWRM

Manage water resources within a basin• What about international basins?

• What about large distances within a basin (with disparate communities and institutions)?

• How to manage a basin that has no monitoring network?

• How to manage a basin where water supply and demand fluctuate both intra-seasonally and inter-annually?

• How to manage a basin where authorities have a little access to financial, transport and technological capabilities?

Three pillars of IWRM

• Implementing IWRM process is a question of getting the “three pillars” right:

1. Moving towards enabling environment of appropriate policies, strategies and legislation

2. Putting in place the institutional framework (through which policies can be implemented)

3. Setting up the management instruments required by these institutions to do their job

CHANGE AREAS

Environmental Sustainability

Economic Efficiency

Social Equity

CHANGES ARE MADE TO SEEK

TO REACH SUSTAINABILITY

Managing competing uses

Water for people

Water for food

Water for

nature

Water for

otheruses

Cross-sectoral integration

•Enabling environment

• Institutions

•Management

instruments

Integrating across levels and sectors

National

Basin

Local

Fisheries

Environme

nt

Tourism Industry

Finance

Agriculture

Energy

Water

IWRM PRINCIPLES• Fresh water is a finite and vulnerable resource, essential to sustain

life, development and the environment.• Water development and management should be based on a

participatory approach, involving users, planners and policymakers at all levels.

• Women play a central part in the provision, management and safe-guarding of water.

• Water has an economic value in all its competing uses and should be recognized as an economic good as well as social good.

Dublin, 1992

IWRM Principles• Fresh water is a finite and vulnerable resource, essential to sustain

life, development and the environment.

Respecting the basin

IWRM Principles

• Water development and management should be based on a participatory approach, involving users, planners and policymakers at all levels.

Difficult to ensure “active involvement”

50 decision

200 work

2 000 participation

200 000 information

2 500 000 population

How to m

ake it?

Pitfalls in putting IWRM into practice

Trying to establish management relations between too many variables risks getting mired in complexity at the expense of effectiveness.

When putting IWRM into practice it’s important to think strategically about where and to what degree coordination and new management instruments are necessary.

IWRM Principles

• Women play a central part in the provision, management and safe-guarding of water

IWRM Principles

• Water has an economic value in all its competing uses and should be recognized as an economic good as well as social good

– Water is becoming scarcer and its value rising– Recognition that costs should be borne by those who benefit

Source: The Economist

Arguments for treating water as an economic good:

• Market-based approach will ensure that people are better stewards of water resources

• Encourages conservation• Improves quality• Helps allocate water to maximize

benefits

Arguments for treating water as a human right:

• Ensures water for all• Helps set priorities of water policy• Focuses attention on resolving

water conflict• Helps safeguard other human

rights

Why IWRM?

• Globally accepted and makes good sense.

• Key element in national water policy.

• Incorporates social and environmental considerations directly into policy and decision making.

• Directly involves the stakeholders.

• Is a tool for optimizing investments under tight financing climate.

Traditional versus IWRM approaches

…in order to understand better “integrated” approach…

• Traditional approach

– One sector

– Limited institutions involved

– Decision making at one sector

– Specific issues addressed

– Specific interests solved

– Sectoral allocation of funds

• Integrated approach

– Multi sectors

– Various institutions involved

– “collective” decision making

– Complex issues addressed

– Overriding interests solved

– National allocation of funds

In order to understand better “integrated” approach

Traditional approach:

• Hydrological/hydraulic

– What is expected yield of the

catchment?

• Engineering

– How much water leaks from

the system?

– How can leakage be reduced?

• Management

– What is the economic level of

leakage?

Integrated approach:

• How will new investment be

agreed upon?

• How can local management

structures balance competing

uses?

• How will stakeholders negotiate

water rights in different conditions

of water availability (scarcity)?

• How will consumers respond to

periodic water shortages or to

increasing environmental

concerns?

Lessons learnt

Risks of fully sectoral approach

Sectoral approach

Integrated approach

Overlooking negative impacts on environment and other sectors

Inefficient use of resources—natural and financial

Risks of fully integrated approach

Sectoral

approac

h

Integrate

d

approach

Getting mired in complexity.

Not making good use of specialist expertise.

Finding a balance

Sectoral approac

h

Integrated

approach

Each country needs to decide where integration makes sense based on its social, political and hydrological situation.

The nature of IWRM: Lessons from IWRM in practice

How water is developed and managed must reflect country priorities (including environmental standards) and governance approaches.

Water management will not be successful if it is set up as a stand-alone system of governance and administration, separate to the rest of government.

Examples: IWRM is linked to key development issues

Key development issue How IWRM helps Example

Securing food production Assists the efficient production of food crops in irrigated agriculture

FAO round table (2003, Rome) agreed that all African countries should improve efficiency in irrigated agriculture for food production by adopting IWRM approach

Reducing health risks Better management of water quality

UNECE Protocol on Water and Health (2007) requires to set health targets. Progress towards IWRM has been chosen as an indicator for improved water management

Freshwater and coastal water IWRM recognizes freshwater and coastal zone as a continuum

Integrated Coastal Area and River Basin Management (ICARM) is endorsed by GWP as a basic concept for the GEF projects portfolio

Key development issue How IWRM helps Example

Mitigating disaster risks Assists disaster preparedness

WMO adopted IFM approach within the framework of IWRM in 2000

Planning transboundary cooperation

Assists water management of shared basins

ECOWAS adopted the West African Regional Action Plan for IWRM in 2000. The IWRM is a framework for transboundary Niger, Volta and Senegal rivers

Adapting to climate change Assist appropriate planning of water use with better resilience

IPCC emphasizes IWRM approach that is based on the concepts of flexibility and adaptability

Summary about IWRM: what we have learnt

• IWRM is linked to sustainable development

• IWRM is not a one-size-fits-all prescription and cannot be applied as a checklist of actions

• IWRM is not a prescription but an iterative process and an adaptive approach

• IWRM implementation must reflect country priorities

• Water management will not be successful if it is set up as a stand-alone system of governance

• IWRM includes both ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ components

Lessons from IWRM in practice

IWRM is a means not an end. None of the successful case studies analysed set out to achieve IWRM. Rather they set out to solve particular water-related problems or achieve development goals by looking at water holistically within larger physical and development contexts.

IWRM

Equity Sustainability

Efficiency