Integrated Water Resources Management

It has become widely accepted that the traditional sectoral approach to water management is too fragemented to cope with the growing demands on the water environment. Integrated water management is needed: all aspects relating to water resources must be treated in their full complexity and mutual interaction. This includes activities such as economic development, flood control, water conservation, pollution control, and conservation and restoration of ecosystems. However, it is often far harder to implement such an approach than to identify the need for it. The "Living with Water" conference was held to consider the obstacles, opportunities and implications of the integrated approach. Papers selected for these proceedings deal with river basin management case studies; large scale development projects (particularly their hydrological and ecological impacts); control of non-point pollution; restoration of lake and river ecosystems; and new tools for applying integrated management. Integrated water resources management has great consequences for water authorities, industry, agriculture, nature conservation and recreation. All those involved in these fields should find their thinking sharpened and refreshed by the ideas in this book.

Table of Contents:
Introduction - effects of area and time horizons in comprehensive and integrated water resources management, V. Yevjevich; river basin management case studies - the Fraser River Basin - towards sustainability, W.M. Pomeroy; impact of large-scale water resources development projects on hydrology and ecology - from one-sided promotion of individual interests to integrated water management in the Rhine basin, P. Huisman; pollution control with emphasis on non-point sources - the role of non-point nutrient sources in water pollution - present situation, countermeasures, outlook, W. Werner and H.-P. Wodsak, vulnerability to diffuse pollution and average nitrate contamination of European soils and groundwater, C.R. Meinardi et al; restoration of aquatic ecosystems - policies, strategies and results - retoration of our lakes and rivers with wetlands - an important application of ecological engineering, W.J. Mitsch, policy analysis as a tool of habitat restoration - a case study of a Danube river floodplain, Hungary, M. Marchland et al, nature on the move - towards large-scale water system and nature development in The Netherlands, M.C. de Vriend and C.W. Iedema; new tools in integrated water resources management - multicriteria methods in river basin planning - a case study, P. Anand Raj, an integrated water management concept to ensure a safe water supply and high drinking water quality on an ecologically sound basis, B. Heinzmann and F. Sarfert, enhancing research utilization for integrated water management, J. Wisserhof, groundwater flow systems analysis on a regional and nationwide scale in The Netherlands, the use of flow systems analysis in wetland management, F.H. Kloosterman et al; conclusions - living with water - at the crossroads - change, J. de Jong et al.