An operational model for support of integrated water resources management

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The stresses faced by most watersheds include population growth, changes in land use and the impacts of climatic change. All of these stresses mean that the ready access to good quality water for water supply that we currently enjoy may not be available in the future. The proposed research will address the stresses that watersheds are exposed to by developing an approach for more effictive water resources management. The research builds on the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) paradigm that recognizes the need for coordination in the development and management of water, land and related resources, to maximize economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising ecosystem sustainability. A central activity within the proposed research will be the development of a generalized system model for the impementation of IWRM principles in water resources management practice. The guiding principles of the IWRM process are systems view, integration, partnerships, participation, uncertainty, adaptation and reliance on strong science and reliable data. The proposed research adopts the system dynamics simulation approach to represent the interconnectedness and the important feedbacks inherent in a watershed. The methodology to be developed in this research will provide the support for IWRM through system dynamics simulation. The emphasis is placed on explicit modeling and simulation of key characteristics of complex water resources systems including: feedback based system structure; integral representation of physical and socio-economic processes (and their linkages); proper consideration of complex spatial and temporal scales; and provision of support for multiple stakeholder participation and involvement. The adoption of this approach should result in the efficient and effective management of water resources systems both now and in the future. The proposed approach will be implemented to three water resources management problems in different development conditions (developed conditions - Canadian case study; rapidly developing conditions - Brazilian case study; and developing conditions - African case study.