Concept of environmental water management

Environmental water management is a comprehensive approach to managing water resources that prioritises the protection, restoration, and sustainable use of aquatic ecosystems and their associated habitats. It recognises the intrinsic value of water for ecological health and biodiversity while balancing the needs of human societies for water-related services such as drinking water supply, agriculture, industry, and recreation.

1. Ecological Integrity: Environmental water management emphasizes maintaining the ecological integrity of rivers, wetlands, lakes, and other water bodies. This involves preserving natural flow regimes, water quality, and habitat diversity to support native species, migratory patterns, and ecosystem functions.

2. Flow Regimes: Natural flow regimes, characterized by seasonal variations in water levels and flow rates, play a critical role in shaping river ecosystems. Environmental water management seeks to mimic or restore these flow patterns through flow regulation strategies such as environmental flow allocations, instream flow requirements, and dam operations that prioritize ecological needs alongside human demands.

3. Water Quality Protection: Ensuring the protection and improvement of water quality is fundamental to environmental water management. This includes reducing pollution inputs from point and non-point sources, controlling nutrient runoff, managing contaminants, and minimizing the impacts of sedimentation and erosion on aquatic habitats.

4. Habitat Restoration and Enhancement: Restoring degraded habitats and enhancing ecological connectivity are key components of environmental water management. This may involve re-establishing riparian vegetation, restoring floodplains, creating fish passage structures, and implementing other measures to enhance habitat diversity and resilience.

5. Invasive Species Management: Addressing the threats posed by invasive species is essential for maintaining the health and biodiversity of aquatic ecosystems. Environmental water management strategies may include monitoring and controlling invasive species populations, restoring native vegetation to outcompete invasives, and implementing biosecurity measures to prevent new introductions.

6. Integrated Watershed Management: Recognizing that water quality and ecosystem health are influenced by land use practices and activities throughout entire watersheds, environmental water management adopts an integrated approach to watershed management. This involves coordinating efforts across sectors to address pollution sources, manage land use, and protect critical habitats upstream of water bodies.

7. Climate Change Adaptation: Climate change poses significant challenges to water resources and ecosystems, including altered precipitation patterns, increased temperatures, and more frequent extreme weather events. Environmental water management integrates climate change adaptation strategies such as enhancing water storage capacity, promoting water-efficient practices, and restoring natural buffers to mitigate the impacts of climate variability and enhance ecosystem resilience.

8. Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration: Effective environmental water management requires collaboration among diverse stakeholders, including government agencies, Indigenous communities, water users, non-governmental organizations, and the public. Stakeholder engagement fosters shared decision-making, builds consensus, and promotes collective action to achieve common water management goals.

9. Adaptive Management: Adopting adaptive management approaches allows for flexible and iterative decision-making based on monitoring, evaluation, and learning. This enables managers to adjust management strategies in response to changing environmental conditions, new scientific information, and stakeholder feedback, ensuring the effectiveness and sustainability of water management efforts over time.

Overall, environmental water management seeks to balance human water needs with the conservation and restoration of aquatic ecosystems, recognizing that healthy ecosystems are essential for sustaining water resources, supporting biodiversity, and providing valuable ecosystem services to society.

Concept of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM)

The concept and development of integrated water resources management (IWRM) emerged because of increasingly problems of acute freshwater facing the world. IWRM approach is now accepted internationally for efficient, equitable and management of limited water resources as well as coping with conflicting demands (UN water, 2008). Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) has been designed to provide solutions and is one of the leading concepts for a holistic management of water resources.

IWRM Definition

The classic Global Water Partnership (GWP) definition of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM):

The Global Water Partnership (GWP, 2000) defines IWRM as “a process which promotes the coordinated development 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”.

IWRM is based on the three principles:

Social equity means ensuring equal access for all users (particularly marginalised and poorer user groups) to an adequate quantity and quality of water necessary to sustain human well being. The right of all users to the benefits gained from the use of water also needs to be considered when making water allocations. Benefits may include enjoyment of resources through recreational use or the financial benefits generated from the use of water for economic purposes.

Economic Efficiency means bringing the greatest benefit to the greatest number of users possible with the available financial and water resources. This requires that the most economically efficient option is selected. The economic value is not only about price – it should consider current and future social and environmental costs and benefits.

Ecological Sustainability requires that aquatic ecosystems are acknowledged as users and that adequate allocation is made to sustain their natural functioning. Achieving this criterion also requires that land uses and developments that negatively impact these systems are avoided or limited.

IWRM Components and Framework

The IWRM framework and approach recognizes the three pillars of IWRM  which includes :

The enabling environment – the general framework of national policies, legislation and regulations and information for water resources management stakeholders;

The institutional roles and functions of the various administrative levels and stakeholders; and

The management instruments, including operational instruments for effective regulation, monitoring and enforcement that enable the decision-makers to make informed choices between alternative actions.

IWRM is thus a set of common-sense suggestions as to what makes up important management aspects with a flexible approach that can adapt to diverse local and national contexts. It requires policy-makers to make judgments about which set of suggestions, reform measures, management tools, and institutional arrangements are suitable in a particular cultural, social, political, economic or environmental context.

IWRM Principles

A meeting in Dublin in 1992 gave rise to four principles, the Dublin principles for IWRM that are presented as:

1. Freshwater is a finite and vulnerable resource, essential to sustain life, development, and the environment involving an holistic approach.

2. Water development and management should be based on a participatory approach involving users, planners, and policy makers at all levels.

3. Women play a central part in the provision, management, and safeguarding of water. Involvement of women in decision‐making is important.

4. Water has an economic value in all its competing uses and should be recognised as an economic good.

Water allocation and Water scheduling problem

• Water allocation and water scheduling are critical components of water resources management, particularly in regions facing water scarcity, competing water demands, and complex regulatory frameworks.

  Water Allocation

  Water allocation refers to the process of distributing available water resources among various users, sectors, and purposes in a fair, efficient, and sustainable manner. It involves making decisions about how much water will be allocated to different users or uses, considering factors such as water rights, legal frameworks, environmental considerations, and socio-economic priorities.

  Water Rights: Water allocation often operates within a system of water rights, which may include riparian rights, prior appropriation rights, or permits/licenses issued by regulatory authorities. These rights establish legal entitlements to use water and influence allocation decisions.

  Priorities and Preferences: Allocation decisions may be guided by priorities and preferences established through legislation, regulations, water management plans, or stakeholder agreements. These priorities may prioritize water for drinking water supply, agriculture, industry, hydropower generation, environmental flows, or recreational uses, depending on societal needs and values.

  Environmental Considerations: Allocating water for environmental purposes is critical for maintaining the ecological health and integrity of aquatic ecosystems. Environmental flow requirements ensure that sufficient water is allocated to support ecosystem functions, habitat quality, and species diversity, safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystem services.

  Equity and Social Justice: Water allocation strives to achieve equity and social justice by considering the needs and rights of marginalized or disadvantaged communities, ensuring access to safe and reliable water supplies for drinking, sanitation, and livelihoods.

  Adaptive Management: Water allocation processes may incorporate adaptive management approaches that allow for flexibility, learning, and adjustment over time in response to changing conditions, emerging priorities, and new information.

  Water allocation, while necessary for managing water resources, can be fraught with various challenges and problems. Here are some of the key issues associated with water allocation:

  1. Water Scarcity: In many regions, water scarcity is a significant challenge, with demand exceeding available supply. Competing demands from various sectors such as agriculture, industry, urban areas, and the environment can exacerbate scarcity issues, leading to conflicts over water allocation.

  2. Unequal Access: Unequal access to water resources is a prevalent problem, with marginalised communities, rural areas, and disadvantaged groups often having limited access to safe and reliable water supplies. Socio-economic factors, institutional barriers, and historical inequalities can contribute to disparities in water allocation.

  3. Legal and Institutional Frameworks: Complex and fragmented legal and institutional frameworks governing water rights, permits, and regulations can lead to inefficiencies, inconsistencies, and conflicts in water allocation. Lack of clarity, enforcement mechanisms, and coordination among stakeholders can impede effective management.

  4. Environmental Degradation: Inadequate consideration of environmental needs in water allocation decisions can lead to environmental degradation, including habitat loss, reduced biodiversity, water quality deterioration, and ecosystem decline. Insufficient allocation for environmental flows can exacerbate ecological impacts and undermine ecosystem services.

  5. Climate Change: Climate change poses additional challenges to water allocation, with altered precipitation patterns, increased temperatures, and more frequent extreme weather events affecting water availability, reliability, and predictability. Adapting water allocation strategies to changing climate conditions requires proactive planning and resilience-building measures.

  6. Population Growth and Urbanisation: Rapid population growth, urbanisation, and land use change place increasing pressure on water resources, leading to higher water demands and competition for limited supplies. Balancing urban development with water conservation and environmental protection is essential for sustainable water allocation.

  7. Transboundary Conflicts: Water allocation disputes and conflicts often arise in transboundary river basins shared by multiple countries or regions. Disagreements over upstream-downstream water rights, dam construction, water withdrawals, and pollution can escalate into diplomatic tensions and even conflict, necessitating collaborative and cooperative approaches to water management.

  8. Inefficient Water Use: Inefficient water use practices, such as water waste, over-extraction, inefficient irrigation methods, and lack of water conservation measures, contribute to wastage and exacerbate water scarcity issues. Promoting water efficiency, conservation, and demand management is essential for optimizing water allocation.

  9. Lack of Data and Information: Inadequate data, monitoring, and information systems can hinder effective water allocation decision-making, leading to uncertainty and suboptimal outcomes. Improving data collection, hydrological modeling, and information sharing among stakeholders are essential for informed and transparent water management.

  Water Scheduling

  Water scheduling involves the detailed planning and coordination of water releases, deliveries, and withdrawals to meet specific water demands, operational requirements, and regulatory constraints. It aims to optimize the use of available water resources, minimize conflicts, and ensure reliable water supply for various users and purposes.

  Infrastructure Operations: Water scheduling often involves managing the operation of water infrastructure such as dams, reservoirs, canals, pipelines, and pumping stations to regulate water flows, store water during surplus periods, and release water during periods of high demand or shortage.

  Demand Forecasting: Scheduling decisions may be informed by demand forecasting models that predict water demands for different users and sectors based on historical data, population growth, land use changes, climate variability, and other factors. Accurate forecasting helps optimize water allocation and infrastructure operations.

  Hydrological Conditions: Scheduling takes into account hydrological conditions, including rainfall patterns, snowmelt, runoff, groundwater recharge, and streamflow variability. Adjustments may be made in response to changing hydrological conditions to ensure water availability and reliability.

  Regulatory Compliance: Water scheduling must comply with regulatory requirements, permits, water rights, environmental regulations, and operational rules established by relevant authorities. Adherence to regulatory constraints ensures legal compliance and minimizes risks of conflicts or penalties.

  Risk Management: Scheduling decisions may incorporate risk management principles to anticipate and mitigate potential risks, such as water shortages, infrastructure failures, climate extremes, or water quality issues. Contingency plans and adaptive strategies help manage uncertainty and enhance system resilience.

  Both water allocation and water scheduling are integral components of integrated water resources management, providing the foundation for sustainable and equitable water management practices that balance the needs of human societies with the protection of ecosystems and the environment. Effective allocation and scheduling strategies require collaboration, stakeholder engagement, adaptive management, and the integration of technical, socio-economic, and environmental considerations.

  
  

  Additional information for the Water Allocation:-

• Water allocation Process
• The allocation process typically culminates in the granting of water entitlements to individual abstractors. The process can involve allocating water at a variety of administrative and geographic levels, including at a national, basin, sub-basin or regional level.  The allocation of water at the basin scale, typically through a water allocation plan that establishes regional water shares, granted to subcatchments or regional governments, and with a particular focus on basin allocation within a single country. However, basin-level allocation still needs to consider:
• a)  national-level water allocation planning, which can determine how water will be shared amongst basins (for instance, through inter basin transfers) or between provinces.
• b) Regional or sub-basin plans, which may be required, and which give effect to basin-level allocation decisions
• c)  individual water users within a basin, which can affect the levels of reliability of supply that are required
• d)  other water-related plans, such as those related to flood management, hydropower development and water resources protection, which may link closely to water allocation decisions.
• Water allocation planning involves consideration of the total water resources available within a basin.This can include surface and groundwater supplies, as well as water from inter basin transfers.
• The amount of water available for allocation will be a function of this total volume, less:-
• 1.  water that cannot in practice be used (for example, water that cannot be stored or used and passes during uncontrolled flooding)
• 2.  water retained in the river system to meet ecological needs (i.e. environmental flows). Establishing a water allocation plan now commonly involves a detailed situation assessment to identify water availability, existing water use and expected future demand, and water requirements for environmental purposes. This information is used to develop different allocation scenarios, which can be assessed based on their social, economic and environmental consequences.  The particular approach adopted should be tailored to suit the situation. Notably, the nature of technical assessment that is appropriate can differ greatly depending on the level of water development and water stress in a basin.
• Objectives of allocation Basin water allocation planning is typically undertaken to achieve a series of overarching policy objectives. In many jurisdictions, these now include:
• Equity
• Allocating water in a way that is fair and equitable amongst different regions and user groups. This can include equity between different administrative regions and between upstream and downstream areas.
• Environmental protection
• Allocating water in a way that recognises the needs of freshwater-dependent ecosystems and protects key freshwater services such as sediment transport, groundwater recharge, waste assimilation and estuarine functioning.
•  Development priorities
• Allocating water in a way that supports and promotes economic and social development. This can include supporting strategic priorities and protecting existing dependencies.
• Balancing supply and demand
• Water allocation plans need to balance water supplies with demands, particularly to manage the natural variability of water availability, and to avoid frequent or unexpected water shortfalls.
• Promoting the efficient use of water
• Allocating water in a way that promotes the most efficient use of available water.
• Sharing water amongst competing users Internationally, approaches to deciding on how water resources will be shared between different administrative regions have included approaches based on:
• 1.  proportionate division, for example based on the physical characteristics of the basin (size, runoff and other factors in each region), or based on population living in or dependent on the basin’s water resources
• 2.  existing use, for example based on historic use, levels of dependency, or current efficiency and productivity
• 3.  future use, for example based on growth projections or to align with development planning.
• It is common for some of the allocable water to be granted or reserved for priority purposes, prior to water being shared between different regional interests. Water may be set aside to satisfy environmental requirements, for domestic purposes, or for national or strategic priorities, such as for power supply. Such interests may be given priority both at the time of granting (long-term) water entitlements and during the annual allocation process.

Concept of sustainable water resources development

Sustainable Management of Water involves using water in ways that fulfil present, environmental, social  and financial requirements without risking the capacity to meet those needs for the future. It involves integrating environmental, social, and economic considerations to ensure the long-term availability, reliability, and quality of water resources while promoting equitable access, environmental protection, and socio-economic development.

1. Integrated Water Management

   Sustainable water resources development takes an integrated approach that considers the interactions between water resources, ecosystems, land use, and human activities. It seeks to balance competing water demands across various sectors, such as agriculture, industry, energy, urban development, and the environment, to achieve optimal outcomes for both people and nature.

2. Water Conservation and Efficiency

   Promoting water conservation and efficiency is fundamental to sustainable water resources development. This involves reducing water waste, improving water use practices, investing in water-saving technologies, and implementing demand management measures to optimize water allocation and minimize water losses throughout the water cycle.

   Water Conservation

   • Human intervention could change the availability of water in various regions worldwide
   • Generally, regions of water scarcity are nearly identified in the regions of acute poverty
   • Rains in India are primarily due to the monsoons and falls in certain months of the year
   • Despite nature’s monsoon bounty, failure to sustain water availability has mainly resulted in:
   • Loss of vegetation cover
   • Diversion of water towards high demanding crops
   • Pollution from industrial effluents and urban wastes
   • Irrigation methods like dams, tanks and canals have been utilised in various parts of India since the past
   • The maintenance of those irrigation systems was an area affair. This system changed when the British arrived
   • These mega-projects eventually led to the neglect of local irrigation methods that have been in practice since our past
   • Further, the government also took control over the administration of these systems leading to the loss of control over the local water sources by the local people

3. Protection of Ecosystems

   Recognizing the intrinsic value of healthy ecosystems, sustainable water resources development prioritizes the protection, restoration, and conservation of aquatic ecosystems, wetlands, rivers, lakes, and watersheds. It ensures sufficient water flows, habitat quality, and biodiversity to support ecosystem functions, services, and resilience.

4. Climate Resilience and Adaptation

   Addressing the challenges posed by climate change is essential for sustainable water resources development. This includes assessing climate risks, building resilience to extreme weather events, integrating climate change considerations into water planning and infrastructure design, and implementing adaptive management strategies to cope with changing hydrological conditions.

5. Water Quality Management

   Ensuring the protection and improvement of water quality is critical for sustainable water resources development. This involves preventing pollution, controlling contaminants, reducing nutrient runoff, and implementing watershed management practices to safeguard water quality for human consumption, aquatic ecosystems, and recreational uses.

6. Community Engagement and Participation

   Sustainable water resources development emphasizes stakeholder engagement, community participation, and inclusive decision-making processes. It involves consulting with local communities, indigenous groups, water users, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders to ensure their voices are heard, their needs are addressed, and their knowledge is incorporated into water management strategies.

7. Equitable Access and Social Equity

   Promoting equitable access to water resources is a core principle of sustainable water resources development. It involves ensuring that all individuals and communities, particularly marginalized or vulnerable groups, have access to safe and reliable water supplies for drinking, sanitation, livelihoods, and cultural practices, regardless of their socio-economic status or geographical location.

8. Water Governance and Institutions

   Effective water governance mechanisms, policies, and institutions are essential for sustainable water resources development. This includes establishing clear legal frameworks, regulatory mechanisms, and institutional arrangements for water management, as well as enhancing capacity, transparency, accountability, and coordination among water stakeholders at local, national, and transboundary levels.

9. Long-term Planning and Monitoring

   Sustainable water resources development requires long-term planning, monitoring, and evaluation to assess the effectiveness of management interventions, track changes in water availability and quality, and identify emerging water challenges or opportunities. Continuous learning, adaptive management, and feedback loops help improve water management practices and ensure the resilience of water systems over time.

Case Studies: Various Water conflicts, YAP, GAP

Water Conflicts in India

Cauvery River Dispute: The Cauvery River, shared by the states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry, has been a source of contention for decades. Disputes arise over water sharing, particularly during times of drought when downstream states demand their allocated share. The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal and subsequent legal battles have attempted to resolve conflicts, but challenges persist in equitable water allocation.

Krishna River Dispute: The Krishna River Basin, shared by the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, has witnessed conflicts over water allocation for irrigation, hydropower generation, and drinking water supply. Disputes often arise between upper riparian states, which seek to harness water for development, and downstream states, which rely on the river's flow for agriculture and livelihoods.

Inter-state Rivers: India's federal structure and the presence of inter-state rivers have led to numerous conflicts over water sharing among neighbouring states. Disputes over rivers like the Mahanadi, Godavari, Narmada, and others involve issues such as dam construction, water diversion, pollution, and ecological impacts, requiring coordinated management and conflict resolution mechanisms.

CASE STUDIES

YAMUNA ACTION PLAN(YAP)

Background: The Yamuna River, one of India's major rivers, faces severe pollution due to untreated sewage, industrial effluents, and solid waste disposal. The degradation of the Yamuna's water quality has significant environmental and public health implications for millions of people living along its banks, particularly in Delhi and surrounding areas.