Water Resources Management Research Paper

Assignment 1

Water resources management

Submitted by: Faisal Ashraf (2417934)

Water resource management and environmental engineering research group,

University of Oulu.

Why planning and managing the water resources?

Water resource planning and management is important for several reasons that include development of water bodies for future use, pollution control and prevention and solving disputes among countries that arise because of shared water resources. The step that precedes water resource planning and management is achieving a consensus that consolidates the fact that ‘there are problems to solve and possibilities to harness water resources’. Formulation of a management plan for water resources that will guarantee zero

The common chief aims of many management and planning undertakings are to reduce the occurrence of extreme events like drought and floods and managing water supply for domestic and industrial use (including hydropower generation). In the wake of modern developments and the goal of sustainability becoming more important, the management policy for water resources now can include environmental and ecosystem restoration and protecting appealing and entertaining water resources related practices.

Managing the functionality of a water regulating structure can provide a simple example that can help to understand the whole issue of planning. A reservoir meant for flood control can be used to regulate water for hydropower dams, but should it be used for water regulation purposes? If yes how much water should be regulated? These are some of the problems that can arise while dealing with water resource management. Managing if not resolving is what panning can do.

What is interactive

Second planning approach is bottom up approach sometimes also called as grass root approach. In top down planning approach there is little to no participation of stakeholders. This planning approach assumes that few (or even only one) authorities or institutions can develop and implement the plan. They are the only party that will supervise the management efforts which will affect surface and ground water of a basin. In today’s world where transparency amongst any major institution that deals with a public resource is of paramount importance, this approach is not very popular. In the present age people are asking for more invlolment in decision making and planning, hence top down approaches are becoming less