Institutional Capacity Building within the Water Resources Sector of Developing Countries

Abstract

Part 1 of this paper analyzes the concepts of institutional capacity building and of integrated water resources management, on the basis of recent publications. The authors, building on the work of others, combine this into a conceptual framework for institutional capacity building in the water resources sector. A matrix approach is developed that allows the analysis of project activities, projects and possibly even complete sector programs. At the same time various aspects of process orientation of projects and programs are distinguished and described. The result is a set of analysis tools specifically oriented towards the evaluation of institutional capacity building projects and programs in the water resources sector. Part 2 presents a number of case studies and shows the application of the set of analysis tools. The same set of tools can also be used for the design of such projects or programs, but this is not covered in the present papers.     

Organizational Problems of Water Distribution in Khorezm,Uzbekistan

Abstract

The paper addresses problems of water resource management on the district and provincial level in the Khorezm province, Uzbekistan. The district water organizations are responsible for equitable water distribution to the agricultural users. These organizations do not have the necessary logistical capacities to manage the water resources nor to control water utilization at the local level. Over-extraction and the lack of control are leading to common pool resource problems at the district level. Furthermore, the concept of administrational management of water resources at the district level, instead of hydrological management increases the problems of equitable water distribution on the provincial, national, and international level.     

Transforming River Basin Management in South Africa

Abstract

This paper analyzes the transformation of river basin management in South Africa by focusing on the political processes involved in the creation of new water management bodies and irrigation infrastructure in the Lower Komati sub-basin. Institutional reform is described and analyzed in terms of the collaboration theory of Gray (1985). Attention is paid to the absence of mutual collaboration in the water domain through the analysis of three phases that are characteristic of collaborative management: problem setting, direction setting, and structuring. The perceptions and strategies of stakeholders in the change process are informed by the skewed access to land and water, the protracted struggle for redress of historical inequities, the quest for autonomy in water management by commercial farmers, and large political power differentials. This has resulted in differential access to decision making and political influence and in the materialization of these skewed relations in water control technology. The reluctance of stakeholders to explicitly recognize their interdependence and the role of the state as the convener of the change process has hampered the emergence of a shared appreciation of the problems in the water domain. Despite efforts by government to move towards equitable and inclusive water management, little redress of past inequities has taken place, and the majority of small farmers are uninformed and excluded from the change process. This suggests that the proposed Catchment Management Agency will not be representative nor attain equitable water management unless a well-conceived redistribution of water entitlements and land rights is carried out as part of an encompassing program to strengthen political democracy.     

Public-Private Partnerships in the Water Sector

Abstract

Types of partnerships between public and private companies in water and sewage services are evaluated on the basis of the economic efficiency of the scheme for each partner. Modeling of public-private partnerships involves the formulation of a contract prototype, which determines the roles, functions, and responsibilities as well as the allocation of costs and revenues for each partner. Alternative water management scenarios are used to identify the investments required for meeting the projected demand for water and sewage services. Investment and operational costs as well as revenues from water and sewage services are estimated according to the allocation defined in the contract prototype. The economic efficiency of the scheme is assessed through a cost benefit analysis for each partner. The evaluation of different water management scenarios indicates that, for the Cyclades Islands, Greece, there is a substantial water market where several forms of partnerships could be attractive for both the public and the private sectors. Such partnerships include, among others, lease purchase, temporary privatization, built operate transfer (BOT), and built own operate transfer (BOOT). These forms of public-private partnerships could also be successful in similar regions where significant improvements and expansion of the infrastructure is required while access to the required funds and expertise is restricted for small public water companies.     

River basin water resources management in China: a legal and institutional assessment

China's rivers face major challenges arising from social and economic development, particularly associated with pollution and over-abstraction. Although these issues vary significantly across the country, China has adopted a national, unified approach to manage water resources in a river basin context. This paper assesses the legal and institutional arrangements for river basin management in terms of decentralization and centralization. It considers the appropriate roles for the different levels of government, including providing for participation and integration across these levels. It proposes strengthening institutional development and capacity building in the future.     

Sustainable Development and Management of Water Resources for Urban Water Supply in Hong Kong

Abstract

Hong Kong, now a Special Administrative Region of China, is a very special and unique place in the world. Although the territory is located in the humid subtropics, local water resources are very limited because of its geographical setting and physical environment. Hong Kong's urban water supply has its uniqueness and has gone through a history of developing local resources and transferring water from the East River (Dongjiang) basin in mainland China over the past half century. This paper aims to present the experience and challenges in developing water supplies and managing water resources in Hong Kong. First, the availability of local water resources is evaluated in the context of the territory's geographical setting. Second, the approaches adopted for developing urban water supply from local resources and more importantly, by making use of water imported from the Dongjiang, are presented and reviewed. Finally, a number of sustainability issues in Hong Kong's urban water supply are addressed with an emphasis on the problems and prospect of the Dongjiang water resources in the future     

Potential of Modern Data Types for Future Water Resources Management

Abstract

Presently a change of paradigm in the field of planning and operation of water management schemes can be observed. The introduction of the principle of sustainable development by the United Nations and the principle of integrated river basin management postulated by the European Union play a major role in this context. Introduction of these new principles requires development of new planning tools, which in turn require a much better data basis than available hitherto. This paper deals with new data types already partly available now, partly to be expected to be developed in the medium-range future. The present data situation is discussed, along with the obvious deficits of conventional data. New data types will not be limited to point measurements, but rather must comprise information covering large areas with a higher resolution in time and space than presently available. Remote sensing data will play a more important role in the future. Furthermore, digital maps, digital elevation models, etc. are also of growing importance and will be processed, together with remote sensing and other data, within Geographical Information Systems of future generations also exposing the potential for working with multi-temporal imagery. In the paper it is shown that in the future more accurate data will be available, not only in terms of data quality, but also resolution in time and space. It is shown how the new types of hydrometeorological data postulate new types of hydrological models. Here, distributed system models are of growing importance. Furthermore, it is shown how the combination of remote sensing with other information leads to new data types that allow integrated planning of water resources systems. The potential of real time data is highlighted, particularly in the context of real time operation of water resources systems, especially for flood control. The potential of large-scale data schemes in the context of regional and continental water management schemes is discussed. Global atmospheric models coupled to hydrological models are discussed, and their potential to consider long-distance effects of certain phenomena (e.g., El Niño) are mentioned. For sustainable development of water resources, the potential of long-term data prediction scenarios is evaluated, and an example of this principle for planning future water supply systems is presented. The paper ends with a vision of future developments in planning water management schemes on the basis of new data types     

An Historical Perspective on the Administration of Water in Brazil

Abstract

This article focuses on two instruments of water resources management—charging for water and reallocation of water use through a water market. Charging for water in nature has been practiced for centuries in some cases. On the other hand, a culture of free access to water was dominant in most countries during ancient times. An historical review of the charging of water and its administration is presented. The article covers the time of ancient Rome to the present. A current example is the model practiced in the semi-arid region of Ceará State in northeast Brazil. Regarding water use reallocation by a water market, as an alternative to improve water efficiency, the experience presented comes from the south of Ceará State one century ago. Based on past experience, the article then presents a model to implement a water market bounded in space to an irrigation district, and in time to periods of water deficit in reservoirs. Six prerequisites of market-based transfers of water are analyzed, and it is shown that in the proposed model they can be addressed.     

黄河河口演变与管理开发研究进展

基于当前黄河河口治理与管理开发进程中出现的突出问题,本文从黄河河口来水来沙条件变化、黄河河口演变特征、黄河河口整治及管理措施研究等3个方面概括总结了黄河河口在演变与管理开发方面的研究进展,并对21世纪黄河河口的研究进行了展望。     

管理型工程项目管理之路

管理型工程项目是现在施工企业普遍采用的一种施工模式,以较少的人员投入,完成较多的产值,实现较多的利润,达到增加企业积累、扩大企业发展的目的。通过采用切实可行的管理办法,在以我为主、有效驾驭的前提下,吸引、团结、聚集、利用一大批履约能力强,能够共担风险的社会资源力量,为企业走好管理型项目发展道路提供充足的资源保障。