Water and sustainable development: the turn around decade'?

The paper comments on the development of an international movement towards both sustainability and subsidiarity in the management of large river basins, and also stresses the significance of river basins for their sense of place and symbolism as environmental territory. Two contrasting efforts are compared, in the developed world (European Community) through the Freshwater Europe Campaign, and in the developing world through the lead‐in to the Earth Summit. Finally, suggestions are made that the best manifesto for the problem of water and development is an ecosystems approach to the river basin, modified by a greater use of approaches from social science and objectives of social justice.     

CONFLICT AND COOPERATION OVER INTERNATIONAL FRESHWATER RESOURCES: INDICATORS OF BASINS AT RISR1

ABSTRACT: In this paper we seek to identify historical indicators of international freshwater conflict and cooperation and to create a framework to identify and evaluate international river basins at potential risk for future conflict. We derived biophysical, socioeco‐nomic, and geopolitical variables at multiple spatial and temporal scales from GIS datasets of international basins and associated countries, and we tested these variables against a database of historical incidents of international water related cooperation and conflict from 1948 to 1999. International relations over freshwater resources were overwhelmingly cooperative and covered a wide range of issues, including water quantity, water quality, joint management, and hydropower. Conflictive relations tended to center on quantity and infrastructure. No single indicator—including climate, water stress, government type, and dependence on water for agriculture or energy—explained conflict/cooperation over water. Even indicators showing a significant correlation with water conflict, such as high population density, low per capita GDP, and overall unfriendly international relations, explained only a small percentage of data variability. The most promising sets of indicators for water conflict were those associated with rapid or extreme physical or institutional change within a basin (e.g., large dams or internationalization of a basin) and the key role of institutional mechanisms, such as freshwater treaties, in mitigating such conflict.     

INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT OF THE RIO GRANDE BASIN THE UNITED STATES AND MEXICO1

ABSTRACT. Despite radical differences in water laws, water management agencies, approaches to water planning, and financial resources, Mexico and the United States forged a common program to manage water and related land on the Rio Grande. Actions of Rio Grande Commissions related to stream gaging, boundary definition, and multiple-purpose construction projects are among the more successful international water-management efforts in the world. Cost-sharing arrangements promoted rapid completing of international works. However, joint action accomplished only part of expectations. International developments were competitive rather than complementary until basin water appropriation was virtually complete. Moreover, Commissions were not empowered to consider long-range competitive water needs, or regional water requirements, throughout the basin. International groundwater use coordination does not exist. International structures produce less than anticipated benefits. Hydroelectric generators are financial liabilities, irrigated acreage exceeds dependable streamflow, and soil salinization is experienced. Unanticipated environmental changes occurred in every major program. The Rio Grande experience points to the need for society to specify goals to which the use of water should contribute and to specify priorities for water use among different sectors of river basins and various segments of society.     

湄公河污染防治法律机制研究

湄公河作为亚洲重要的国际河流,也是关系到我国发展的重要河流.由于人为和自然原因,湄公河水质不断恶化,对水资源的安全造成威胁.通过对湄公河沿岸各国关于水污染防治进行探讨分析,流域各国在湄公河水资源开发利用方面有着共同遵守的行为准则.基于此,立足湄公河流域水污染防治法律机制的基础上,通过分析该流域水污染的原因,以及湄公河污...     

中国国际河流可持续利用战略探讨

由于世界性的水资源问题 ,国际河流以其独特的地缘关系及与国际政治、经济的密切联系而受到关注。根据中国边疆地区主要国际河流的基本情况 ,探讨可持续利用的战略性对策。     

Sharing waters: Post-Rio international water management

Transcending human-defined political and administrative boundaries, the world's transboundary freshwater resources pose particularly challenging management problems. Water resource users at all scales frequently find themselves in direct competition for this economic and life-sustaining resource, in turn creating tensions, and indeed conflict, over water supply, allocation, and quality. At the international scale, where the potential for conflict is of particular concern, significant efforts are underway to promote greater cooperation in the world's international river basins, with notable achievements in the past decade following the Dublin and Rio conferences. Over the past ten years, the international community has adopted conventions, declarations, and legal statements concerning the management of international waters, while basin communities have established numerous new basin institutions. Despite these developments, significant vulnerabilities remain. Many international basins still lack any type of joint management structure, and certain fundamental management components are noticeably absent from those that do. An understanding of these weaknesses, however, offers an opportunity for both the international and basin communities to better respond to the specific institution-building needs of basin communities and thereby foster broader cooperation over the world's international water resources.     

流域比较视角的钱塘江与黑河流域水资源问题及对策研究——基于水足迹核算分析

产品贸易及水权交易使得水资源问题"跨流域化",不再单纯是流域内部管理问题。本文从流域比较视角出发,在区分蓝、绿、灰三种水足迹的基础上,应用水足迹模型,测算了两流域典型地区的水足迹,进行流域水资源问题对比分析,并分析了经济发展模式对流域水资源可持续性的影响。结果发现,杭州市经济用水中灰色水足迹占总量的90%,而张掖市经济用水中绿色水足迹占总量的60.8%,说明钱塘江流域水资源问题在于质,而黑河流域水资源问题在于量;经济发展模式中的产业结构、水资源开发效率、工业化路径等影响流域水资源可持续利用,同时基于GDP导向的流域间的水资源逆向配置,更加剧了流域水资源矛盾。最后根据流域对比结果提出治理措施,从而形成流域间协作的良性循环。     

The application of information entropy in basin level water waste permits allocation in China

The water waste discharge permits allocation among great river basins in national level is the firs step of national wide water waste management strategy and a key point of total mass control as well. The challenge is coming from the conflict between equality and efficiency. In this research, a new allocation method based on the conception of information entropy and maximum entropy method is introduced into the basin level wastewater permits allocation. Four indexes are chosen to compose a multi-criterion system in information entropy method (IEM) including, GDP, population, water environmental capacity and water resource quantity. The allocation of chemical oxygen demand (COD) in national basin level among the seven great river basins in China is illustrated as a case study.     

A WATER QUALITY ASSESSMENT OF DEVELOPMENT IN THE SENEGAL RIVER BASIN1

A study was made to determine the impact on water quality due to water resource development in a large river basin in a semi-arid region of West Africa. Mathematical modeling and the examination of case histories were used to project impacts. The impacts associated with changes in water quality were shown to be slight assuming that modern basin and agricultural management practices are adopted. Analytical techniques normally implemented in studies of more highly developed basins are useful for analysis of water quality impacts in relatively undeveloped basins.     

河长制背景下流域协同治理问题探讨——基于共容利益理论

河长制是中国水环境治理的重大创新实践,其明确的责任、针对性的治理模式有效实现了水环境质量的大步提升。然而,以行政区划为基础的河长制与流域整体性治理之间依然存在着操作上的缝隙亟待解决。以流域水污染为典型对象,从共容利益的角度,讨论了上、下游河长协同治理的利益博弈结构,明确影响上、下游合作的因素,进而提出河长制背景下促进流域协同治理要从强化协同治理收益、降低交易风险、构建多方联动的协同治理网络三方面展开。     

The need for flexibility in freshwater treaty regimes

Shrinking freshwater supplies pose particular threats in international drainage basins, which serve some 40% of the global population and account for around 60% of the world's river flows. The use and management of these basins are increasingly governed by treaties between the riparian states. While the rules of international law, properly understood, are sufficiently flexible to permit adaptation to changing conditions such as development, population growth and climate change, treaties are essentially rigid instruments that are modifiable only under certain limited conditions. Countries should take this fact into account in designing the regimes to govern their shared freshwater resources, including joint management institutions.     

The African experience with river basin development

The aim of this paper is, first, to examine the record to date for river basin development in tropical Africa; and second, to examine in more detail the role and performance of institutions in this record of African river basin development. The experience of institutions with river basin development are assessed against outcomes - namely, the extent to which the resources of Africa's river basins have actually been developed in recent years and the role that institutions have played in that development.     

A GIS Framework for Regional Modeling of Riverine Nitrogen Transport: Case Study,San Antonio and Guadalupe Basins

This article presents a framework for integrating a regional geographic information system (GIS)‐based nitrogen dataset (Texas Anthropogenic Nitrogen Dataset, TX‐ANB) and a GIS‐based river routing model (Routing Application for Parallel computation of Discharge) to simulate steady‐state riverine total nitrogen (TN) transport in river networks containing thousands of reaches. A two‐year case study was conducted in the San Antonio and Guadalupe basins during dry and wet years (2008 and 2009, respectively). This article investigates TN export in urbanized (San Antonio) vs. rural (Guadalupe) drainage basins and considers the effect of reservoirs on TN transport. Simulated TN export values are within 10 percent of measured export values for selected stations in 2008 and 2009. Results show that in both years the San Antonio basin contributed a larger quantity than the Guadalupe basin of delivered TN to the coastal ocean. The San Antonio basin is affected by urban activities including point sources, associated with the city of San Antonio, in addition to greater agricultural activities. The Guadalupe basin lacks major metropolitan areas and is dominated by rangeland, rather than fertilized agricultural fields. Both basins delivered more TN to coastal waters in 2009 than in 2008. Furthermore, TN removal in the San Antonio and Guadalupe basins is inversely related to stream orders: the higher the order the more TN delivery (or the less TN removal).     

Joint institutional arrangements for addressing transboundary water resources issues—lessons for the GEF

The lofty goals of the 1992 Earth Summit regarding sustainable development will not be achieved without major improvements in the management of transboundary water resources. This paper describes the serious nature of water-related conflicts and environmental damage associated with degradation of marine ecosystems, coastal zones, and shared surface/groundwater systems. Traditional approaches such as international conventions, watercourse agreements with basin organizations, and arbitration have generally fallen short of their objectives. This article suggests that a middle ground centered on multicountry institutional arrangements for joint fact finding, evaluation, and problem resolution may be a more productive approach over the short term to achieve sustainable development. The experience of the International Joint Commission (Canada and U.S.) is described as a way of providing a neutral ground for building trust among nations, for 'leveling the playing field' among small and large countries, and for providing mechanisms for countries to work jointly toward sustainable development of their shared resources without relinquishing their sovereignty. The Global Environment Facility (GEF) is playing a catalytic role in assisting countries to address transboundary water resources issues. The paper describes GEF's Operational Strategy and discusses the implications of joint institutional arrangements for the international waters focal area. Given that the environmental security of many nations rests on improved transboundary cooperation, the GEF provides a pragmatic opportunity for countries to cooperatively address these pressing problems.     

MUNICIPAL POINT SOURCE AND AGRICULTURAL NONPOINT SOURCE CONTRIBUTIONS TO COASTAL EUTROPHICATION1

ABSTRACT: Tidally influenced reaches of several coastal rivers in eastern North Carolina are suffering from very serious water quality problems — massive surface blooms of noxious blue-green algae, major fish kills from anoxic water, epidemics of red sore disease among fish, fresh water intrusion into estuarine waters, and declining commercial and sports fisheries. An intensive investigation of point source and nonpoint source inputs of nutrients was conducted in one of the eutrophic rivers, the Chowan River. Nonpoint source loading dominated the estimated annual flu of nutrients from the river basin. Automated water quality samplers were utilized to record nutrient levels in stormflow and baseflow from several small agricultural watershed in the basin. Levels of nitrate nitrogen and total phosphorus were from five to 40 times greater in these agricultural watersheds than levels in mostly forested watersheds. Existing water quality data in these eutrophic river basins implicate agricultural activities – particularly animal operations and cropland in watersheds with extensive drainage improvements – as the major contributing factor to the water quality problems.     

流域管理与开发利用中主要问题的博弈分析

本文从博弈论的角度,通过构造博弈模型对流域管理中诸问题进行分析,旨在完善政府及流域内各理性行为个体的策略,为提高流域水资源开发利用效率提供理论依据。     

“一带一路”倡议下跨境流域生态补偿——国际经验与中国对策

跨境流域生态补偿机制的构建,是实现"一带一路"倡议目标的重要基础,有助于化解资源冲突、协调区域发展、增进利益协同,进而增强政治互信,加快经济融合,提升文化包容,推进命运共同体构建。本文基于对西方国家跨境流域生态补偿研究与实践的梳理,总结归纳出西方跨境流域生态补偿中强调流域生态系统分析、注重不同付费原则相互配搭、重视双/多边协商、建立多层次综合管理体系等经验。在此基础上,针对现阶段中国跨境流域生态补偿所面临的挑战,提出加强跨境协商合作平台建设、重视对跨境流域生态系统研究以及构建多层次协同管理体系等应对措施。     

Integrated economic-ecological analysis and evaluation of management strategies on nutrient abatement in the Rhine basin

Management of river basins involves the making of informed choices about the desired levels of economic activities and ecosystem functioning in the catchment. Information on the economic and ecological effects of measures as well as their spatial distribution is therefore needed. This paper proposes the following instruments to support decision-making in river basins: (1) the linking of models and indicators to describe the economic and ecological effects of management actions and their spatial distribution and (2) an extended evaluation framework that aims to evaluate management actions on three objectives for sustainable river management. These are cost-effectiveness, spatial equity, and environmental quality. This paper illustrates the potential of these instruments for river basin management by a case-study on nutrient management in the Rhine basin. In this case-study four nutrient abatement strategies are formulated, based on policies of the International Commission for the Protection of the Rhine and the North Sea Commission. These strategies are analysed and evaluated on their contribution to the three management objectives. Results show that none of these strategies score highest on cost-effectiveness, spatial equity and environmental quality simultaneously. It appears that cost-effectiveness is in conflict with environmental quality, whereas spatial equity and cost-effectiveness show quite close correspondence. This means that a trade-off has to be made between costs and spatial equity on the one hand, and environmental standards on the other hand. This paper offers a framework to make these trade-offs more explicit and provides quantitative information on cause-effect relationships, economic and environmental effects and the spatial distribution of these effects for various management strategies. This information can be particularly useful in the development of compromises required to establish international agreement and co-operation.     

Procedures for ensuring community involvement in multijurisdictional river basins: a comparison of the Murray-Darling and Mekong river basins

Community involvement is fundamental to the management of multijurisdictional river basins but, in practice, is very difficult to achieve. The Murray-Darling basin, in Australia, and the Mekong River basin in Southeast Asia are both cooperatively managed multijurisdictional river basins where the management authorities have expressed an aim of community involvement. In the Murray-Darling basin vigorous efforts have promoted a culture of community consultation throughout each of the state jurisdictions involved, although true participation has not necessarily been achieved. In the Mekong basin the community is much more diverse and the successes so far have been largely at the local level, involving action in subsections of the basin. These case studies suggest that community involvement in the form of community consultation across large multijurisdictional river basins is achievable, but more comprehensive participation is not necessarily possible.