1. INTEGRATED WATER
RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
Lecture – 1

2. Over-riding Criteria IWRM Environmental & ecological sustainability
The present use of the resource should be managed in a way that does not undermine
the life-support system thereby compromising use by future generations of the same resource.
Over-riding Criteria
IWRM
Economic
efficiency
Equity
The basic right for all people to have access to water of adequate quantity and quality for the sustenance of human wellbeing must be universally recognized;
Interventions often bring benefit to certain section of population while disbenefits to another section. Need equity in the distribution of social costs and benefits among stakeholders
Because of the increasing scarcity of water and financial resources, the finite and vulnerable nature of water as a resource, and the increasing demands upon it, water must be used with maximum possible efficiency;

3. “Interdisciplinarity”
“IWRM”
and
“Interdisciplinarity”

4. Socio-technical OR Sociotechnical??
Interdisciplinarity
Disciplinary ?
Multi-disciplinary ?
Interdisciplinary ?
Cross-disciplinary ?
Transdisciplinary ?
“Interdisciplinarity in an Individual”
Socio-technical OR Sociotechnical??

5. Why IWRM? - Key issues in water management
The world’s freshwater resources are under increasing pressure.
Water is vital for human survival, health and dignity and a fundamental resource for human development.
Resources are scarce
Demands are outstripping supplies

6. Why IWRM? - Key issues in water management
Population under
water stress
Water withdrawals have increased more than twice as fast as population growth
Currently 1/3rd of world's population live in countries that experience medium to high water stress.
The impact of pollution
Deteriorating water quality influences water usability d/s, threatens human health and the functioning of aquatic ecosystems, thus reducing effective availability.

7. Why IWRM? - Key issues in water management
Policy and institutional issues are complicated
Current approach is sectoral and fragmented
Water governance crisis
Sectoral approaches to water resources management have dominated in the past and are still prevailing. This leads to fragmented and uncoordinated development and management of the resource.
Increased competition...
Increased competition for the finite resource is aggravated by inefficient governance.

8. Challenges in Water Resources Management
Securing water for people
1/5th of world’s population is without access to safe drinking water and half of the population is without access to adequate sanitation.
Securing water for food production
Over the next 25 years food will be required for another 2-3 billion people. Water is increasingly seen as a key constraint on food production…
Protecting vital ecosystems
Aquatic ecosystems depend on water flows, seasonality and water-table fluctuations and are threatened by poor water quality.
Gender disparities
Water management is male dominated. Though their numbers are starting to grow, the representation of women in water sector institutions is still very low.

9. Challenges in Water Resources Management
Managing risks. Providing security to human life and other economic, social and environmental systems from floods, droughts, pollution and other hazards.
Coping with climate change. climate variability and climate change demand improved management of water to cope with more intense floods and droughts.
Forging the political will to act. political attention and commitment are vital to ensure good decision-making and the necessary investments in WR development and management.
Collaboration across sectors and boundaries. finding appropriate ways to co-ordinate policy-making, planning and implementation in an integrated manner across sectoral, institutional and professional boundaries.

10. Where Are We Headed? Decreasing per-capita availability
Degrading water quality
Increasing competition/conflict within sectors and within society
Agriculture versus fisheries; agriculture versus water supply
Haves versus have nots
Upstream versus downstream
National versus international
Increasing competition/conflict with the environment

11. Challenges and Issues in Water Resources management in Bangladesh
Ever expanding water needs of a growing economy and population
Maintaining food security for this huge population puts tremendous challenge
(additional food grain demand of 9.5 million tons in 2025)
More and more agricultural land is being taken up for urban and other uses.
Preserving natural ecosystems
Maintaining environmental flow
With the anticipated population growth, the increased stress will enhance the already existing conflicts between different users and different regions, e.g., between domestic and agricultural uses, agriculture and industry, agriculture and fisheries, upstream and downstream, etc.

12. Challenges and Issues in Water Resources management in Bangladesh
Management of risk due to natural hazards -- the greatest challenge to water management in Bangladesh

13. Water Resources Management Issues

14. Water Resources Management Issues - FLOODS
wide spread river floods over floodplains, flash floods in hilly streams, tidal flood and occasional cyclonic storm-surge flood

15. Water Resources Management Issues - EROSION
wide spread river floods over floodplains, flash floods in hilly streams, tidal flood and occasional cyclonic storm-surge flood
huge sediment loads; river erosion along about 75 rivers

16. Water Resources Management Issues - DROUGHT
wide spread river floods over floodplains, flash floods in hilly streams, tidal flood and occasional cyclonic storm-surge flood
huge sediment loads; river erosion along about 75 rivers
moderate to severe droughts spreading over 10 districts
Dry season from November to May brings water shortages. Extensive irrigation are impacting on hand-tubewells.

17. Wat. Res. Mgt. Issues - low dry season water availability
wide spread river floods over floodplains, flash floods in hilly streams, tidal flood and occasional cyclonic storm-surge flood
huge sediment loads; river erosion along about 75 rivers
moderate to severe droughts spreading over 10 districts
Dry season from November to May brings water shortages. Extensive are impacting on hand-tubewells.
very low dry season water availability in SW region due to Farakka diversion
increased salinity intrusion, threatened agriculture &. ecosystem (Sundarbans)

18. Wat. Res. Mgt. Issues – DEGRADING WATER QUALITY
wide spread river floods over floodplains, flash floods in hilly streams, tidal flood and occasional cyclonic storm-surge flood
huge sediment loads; river erosion along about 75 rivers
moderate to severe droughts spreading over 10 districts
Dry season from November to May brings water shortages. Extensive irrigation are impacting on hand-tubewells.
very low dry season water availability in SW region due to Farakka diversion
increased salinity intrusion, threatened agriculture &. ecosystem (Sundarbans)
degrading water quality

19. Wat. Res. Mgt. Issues – DEGRADING WATER QUALITY
wide spread river floods over floodplains, flash floods in hilly streams, tidal flood and occasional cyclonic storm-surge flood
huge sediment loads; river erosion along about 75 rivers
moderate to severe droughts spreading over 10 districts
Dry season from November to May brings water shortages. Extensive irrigation are impacting on hand-tubewells.
very low dry season water availability in SW region due to Farakka diversion
increased salinity intrusion, threatened agriculture &. ecosystem (Sundarbans)
degrading water quality
widespread GW arsenic contamination

20. Basic components
Precipitation
Evaporation
Evapotranspiration
Infiltration
Overland flow
Streamflow
Groundwater flow

21. Linkage of landscape to hydrologic cycle
Floodplain Landscape
Deltas of the Ganges & the Brahmaputra (80% is floodplain)
Floodplain wetlands (Haor, Baor, Beel, Jheel)
Storage Function of Floodplain
Moderates flood flow
Recharges groundwater
Contributes water during dry season from release & baseflow
Maintains river morphology

22. ‘Land’ and ‘Water Management’
The hydrologic cycle is being continuously affected by the modification of landscape.
Elimination of wetlands reduces storage space for floodwater.
Modification of land cover by land use change, encroachment of floodplains, deforestation and hill cutting changes the physical properties of land surface.
Road, water control and hazard prevention infrastructures trigger land use change, modify drainage pattern and transfer hazard risk elsewhere.
These activities bring changes in the infiltration and groundwater recharge processes and surface runoff and sediment transport processes that cause increased flood flow and decreased dry season flow in the river.

23. Functions of water resources systems
Environmental functions: moderation of flood peak, drainage of surface water, transport of sediment, maintenance of river morphology, recharging wetlands and groundwater, augmentation of dry season flow, prevention of saline water intrusion, assimilation of wastes, etc.;
Ecological functions: providing soil moisture for vegetation, providing habitat for fish, aquatic plants and wild life, supporting bio-diversity, etc.;
Socio-economic functions: supply of water for domestic use, agriculture, industry and power generation, providing conditions for navigation, recreation & tourism, etc.
These functions are essential for socio-economic activities and ecological sustenance. Ignoring these functions in water management decisions can have large impacts on economies, environment and rural livelihoods, and can undermine economic and poverty reduction goals and degrade ecosystems.

24. Previous water management approaches
Fragmented approach
-- Increase Aman production (combat disasters!)
-- Increase production through massive irrigation
Did not fully take account of the potential impacts on fisheries, navigation, forests, domestic and industrial water supply, bio-diversity and salinity management.
No consultation was made across sectoral and institutional boundaries, meaning little coordination among agencies related to water sector.
Social equity was largely ignored in project planning and development (inequitable distribution of costs and benefits)
Project designs and implementation also largely ignored people’s participation.

25. Impacts of fragmented approach
DOMESTIC and AGRICULTURAL USES
Rural domestic water supply impacted by irrigation for agriculture.

26. Impacts of fragmented approach
AGRICULTURE and INDUSTRY
(In major cities)

27. Impacts of fragmented approach
AGRICULTURE and FISHERIES
De-watering of beels for agriculture putting stress on fisheries
FISHERIES and FLOOD CONTROL PROJECTS
FCD&I projects responsible for reduction in open water fisheries
(e.g. an 80% decline in capture fisheries in FC covered area in NW region).
DOMESTIC WATER SUPPLY and URBANIZATION
Urban water supply impacted by rapid urbanization

28. Impacts of fragmented approach
FC PROJECTS and NAVIGATION
Closure of the outlet of floodplain khals by FC embankment creates obstruction to country boats.
(Among 66 FC projects in the northeast region, 19 have major and 14 have medium level negative impacts on country boat transport)

29. Impacts of fragmented approach
Courtesy: IWM
FC PROJECTS and NAVIGATION
Closure of the outlet of floodplain khals by FC embankment creates obstruction to country boats.
(Among 66 FC projects in the northeast region, 19 have major and 14 have medium level negative impacts on country boat transport)
FC polders in the tidal floodplains of SW and SC regions have resulted excessive siltation causing severe deterioration of morphology of tidal rivers.

30. Impacts of fragmented approach
FC PROJECTS and NAVIGATION
Closure of the outlet of floodplain khals by FC embankment creates obstruction to country boats.
(Among 66 FC projects in the northeast region, 19 have major and 14 have medium level negative impacts on country boat transport)
FC polders in the tidal floodplains of SW and SC regions have resulted excessive siltation causing severe deterioration of morphology of tidal rivers.
Reduction of freshwater flow to the Ganges distributary because of diversion of Ganges water at Farakka by India, has aggravated the problem

31. Impacts of fragmented approach
TRANSPORTATION and FLOOD MANAGEMENT
Ill-planned roads and highways causes drainage congestion and flooding.

32. Impacts of fragmented approach
AQUACULTURE and AGRICULTURE
Shrimp aquaculture in SW region --- conflict with agricultural land use.
WRM system must include cross-sectoral information exchange and co-ordination procedures, AND evaluation of individual projects with respect to implications for others (and society).

33. Why is IWRM useful? More coordinated decision-making
Many different uses of water resources are interdependent; management of the water resource must take this into account
IWRM - a significant step in addressing the shortcomings of traditional approaches;
More coordinated decision-making
- across sectors
.....and scales

34. What is IWRM?
Integrated management means that all different uses of water resources are considered together.
‘Management’ emphasizes that we must not only focus on development of water resources but that we must consciously manage water development in a way that ensures long term sustainable use for future generations.
Integrated water resources management is therefore a systematic process for the sustainable development, allocation and monitoring of water resource use in the context of social, economic and environmental objectives.
The basic IWRM concept has been extended to incorporate participatory decision making.

35. Definition of IWRM GWP (2000):
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.
All different uses of water resources are considered together
Water allocation and management decisions to consider the effects of each use on the others
Take overall social and economic goals as well as achievement of sustainability into account
Incorporate participatory decision making

36. Environmental & ecological sustainability
The present use of the resource should be managed in a way that does not undermine
the life-support system thereby compromising use by future generations of the same resource.
Economic
efficiency
Equity
The basic right for all people to have access to water of adequate quantity and quality for the sustenance of human wellbeing must be universally recognized;
Because of the increasing scarcity of water and financial resources, the finite and vulnerable nature of water as a resource, and the increasing demands upon it, water must be used with maximum possible efficiency;

37. Water Management Principles
(1) Fresh water is a finite and vulnerable resource, essential to sustain life, development and the environment.
Effective management of water resources demands a holistic approach.
Finite – HC on average yields a fixed quantity.

38. Water Management Principles
(2) Water development and management should be based on a participatory approach, involving users, planners and policymakers at all levels.
Raising awareness among policy-makers and the general public.
Real participation – when stakeholders are part of decision making
Stakeholders at all levels have an impact on decision at different levels of management.

39. Water Management Principles
(3) Women play a central part in the provision, management and safeguarding of water
Pivotal role of women in collecting and safeguarding water.
Seldom reflected in institutional arrangements for the development and management of WR.
Need positive policies to address women’s specific needs and to equip and empower women to participate at all levels.
Social and cultural circumstances vary – need to explore different mechanisms.

40. Water Management Principles
(4) Water has an economic value in all its competing uses and should be recognised as an economic good.
“Water has a value as an economic good as well as a social good”
Many past failures in WRM – full value of water has not been recognized, leading to wasteful and environmentally damaging uses.
An important means for decision making on the allocation of water;
It is vital to recognise first the basic right of all human beings to have access to clean water and sanitation at an affordable price.

41. Implementing IWRM Integration of land and water management
Interdependence of land, water, ecosystems and socio-economic development
Existing Wetlands Conservation Act alone can not prevent degradation of wetlands.
Integration can be facilitated by formulating and implementing a floodplain land use regulation.
restriction so as to ensure hydraulic link between the river and the floodplain, and the socio-economic and environmental functions of floodplain
constraint of environmental flow in order to ensure in-stream flow requirement
Programs are required to restore storage function of floodplain and for restoration of wetlands.

42. Implementing IWRM
Integration of surface water and groundwater management
A single resource
Integration of quantity and quality in WR
development of appropriate quantities of water with an adequate quality.
Integration of u/s and d/s water-related interests
Identification of conflicts of interests
Freshwater and coastal zone management
Basin-wide management
Basin level integration
It is not only important as a means of integrating land use and water issues, but also critical in managing the relationships between quantity and quality and between upstream and downstream water interests

43. Basin wide management would serve following purposes:
to address problems of flood, drought, water shortage, power shortage and environmental pollution faced by the countries sharing Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna basins, and
to augment dry season flow of the rivers to supply water for public health, agriculture, industry, inland fisheries, water transport and environmental conservation.
An institutional mechanism is needed for cooperation among riparian countries for basin wide planning and integrated approach to hazard reduction and multi-sectoral utilization of water resources.

44. Implementing IWRM Mainstreaming WR management with national economy
Integration of water management (Water policy, strategies and decisions) with overall development process in order to make progress towards the goal of poverty reduction and sustainable development.
None of the major agencies in Bangladesh in the water sector have articulated the essential linkages between water and poverty.
In Bangladesh, it requires decision-making to be based on the assessment of the impacts of water management strategies, options and programmes on the NDGs, as stated in the NWP (economic development, poverty alleviation, food security, public health and safety, decent standard of living for the people, and protection of the natural environment)
Development of criteria, indicators, linkage relationships and operational guidelines is needed to assess the contribution of water management options to the NDGs.

45. Water Resources Development : Sectoral approach
Implementing IWRM
Water Resources Development : Sectoral approach

46. Water Resources Development : The IWRM Process
Implementing IWRM
Water Resources Development : The IWRM Process

47. Implementing IWRM
Cross-sectoral integration in national policy development
Water-related developments within all economic and social sectors are to be taken into account in overall management.
WRM system must include cross-sectoral information exchange and co-ordination procedures, AND evaluation of individual projects with respect to implications for others (and society).

48. Implementing IWRM
Integration of all stakeholders in the planning and decision process
Needs to be made mandatory at identification, appraisal and O & M stages of water use, land use and infrastructure construction projects.
Needs operational tools for conflict management and resolution.

49. Implementing IWRM Management instruments Enabling Environment
A1. Policies
A2. Legislation
A3. Financing & incentive structures
Institutional roles
B1. Creating an organizational framework
B2. Institutional capacity building
Management instruments
C1. Natural resources assessment
C2. Plans for IWRM
C3. Demand management
C4. Social change instrument
C5. Conflict resolution
C6. Regulatory instruments
C7. Economic instruments
C8. Information management