Quick viewing(Text Mode)

INBO 9 22/09/00 10:26 Page 1

INBO 9 22/09/00 10:26 Page 1

INBO 9 22/09/00 10:26 Page 1

Special Issue

INBO General Assembly

Zakopane - Poland - 30 Sept. 2000

RESEAU INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL NETWORK RED INTERNACIONAL DES ORGANISMES DE BASSIN OF BASIN ORGANIZATIONS DE ORGANISMOS DE CUENCA

3rd QUARTER OF 2000 N° 9 THE INBO/GWP ASSOCIATED PROGRAM: Developing and strengthening Basin Organizations over the World

exchange of information and ex- ● to run a small secretariat to periences. This is what they have coordinate the program, been doing for the last years. ● to finance the proposed activi- INBO is a worldwide network, ties. but some of its members may wish to cooperate on a more regional ba- The AP’s activities fall into sis. The Latin-American members four different categories: ntegrated Water Resources of INBO for example decided in Management (IWRM) is a glo- ❶ Twinning for direct coope- 1998 to create also their own net- ration between existing, fu- I bal concept which purpose is to work, LANBO, but they still belong help in preparing and implemen- ture pilot basin organiza- to INBO. This type of approach has tions. ting economic and social develop- been found interesting both by ment policies compatible with the Asian and East European coun- ❷ Professional Assistance from water resources of the country tries. existing organizations to help and, at the same time, preparing with the setting-up, develop- and implementing water policies The cooperation takes place ment and progress of other compatible with the global objec- of course on a voluntary basis. existing or new organiza- tives of the given country. In the last years, and in rela- tions. Among the tools available for tion to the activities of GWP, ❸ Synthesis of available this purpose, river basin organiza- members of INBO and persona- knowledge and know-how. tions, when well conceived and ma- lities active in the water field in This activity would provide naged, are one of the most efficient. many countries, found that the a good input to the toolbox amount of experience and ex- and shall be conducted in River Basin Organizations pertise assembled between IN- (RBOs) were created a long time close relationship with the BO members could be used FFA Toolbox team. ago in different parts of the world more proactively to help pro- with different goals and struc- gress between members but al- ❹ Networking of documenta- tures: navigation, flood protection, so to help other countries wi- tion systems. This again is electricity production. Only fairly den the scope of existing insti- very close to the Toolbox recently, some of them have been tutions or create new ones, to initiative, and is implemen- created with IWRM in mind and manage, in an integrated way, ted in close cooperation some of the old ones have seen , lakes or aquifers. and without overlapping. their goals expanded to face the new challenges. This Associated Program was The new INBO/GWP prepared by INBO in close coope- A lot has still to be done to im- Associated Program ration with GWP, following the im- prove the efficiency of the existing pulse given by INBO Liaison RBOs and create new ones when The gist of this Associated Program is precisely to help on Bureau during its meeting in needed. They all will have to evol- Madrid (Spain) in April 1999. ve with time. a broad basis the improvement and development of RBOs It was approved by GWP au- The International Network oriented truly to the implemen- thorities during Stockholm of Basin Organizations (INBO), tation of IWRM policies. Assembly in August 2000 and will as a network of many existing be presented to the next INBO RBOs, has been precisely set up As the financial status of the General Assembly in Zakopane to encourage cooperation bet- RBOs seldom allow them to (Poland) in October 2000. ween these organizations and spend money on outside coope- help them progress through ration activities, there is a need for donor money: The network newsletter INBO 9 21/09/00 16:21 Page 2

INBO AT THE WORLD WATER FORUM IN THE HAGUE

he par- tion, while meeting the re- tici- quirements of various uses T pants and more generally, pre- in the Work- serving the biodiversity of shop, organi- the aquatic environment. zed by the In- ternational All these issues can no Network of Basin Organiza- longer be approached by tions during the day devoted to sector or localization, nor “Water in Rivers” in the approached separately. Loo- WORLD WATER FORUM, on king for solutions the objec- 20 March 2000 in THE tive of which is sustainable HAGUE, formulated the follo- water use must associate wing recommendations: the national and local autho- rities together with the users A sound management of in integrated water re- water resources is a prerequisi- sources management which te to ensure quality of life on respects the natural environ- our planet and sustainable so- ment, and is organized on cioeconomic development. the scale of river basins. lakes and seas, especially wi- ☛ to design information and The issues raised are com- INBO recommends thin specific international com- training programs for local plex and the solutions must at that: missions. elected officials, the repre- the same time allow for: ❶ Integrated water re- sentatives of users and the Integrated water resources different stakeholders invol- ■ the contending with natural sources and environmen- management implies that com- disasters and risks of ero- tal management be orga- ved in water management prehensive and permanent in- as well as for the executives sion, floods or drought, ta- nized on the scale of large formation systems are develo- king into account land and river basins in order to and staff of the member ba- ped at all relevant levels, espe- sin organizations, water management, meet rightful needs in the cially for each national or sha- best way possible, ■ the reliable meeting of ur- red river basin, to acquire bet- ☛ to encourage education of ban and rural populations’ ❷ Local Authorities, all the ter knowledge of the status of the population, the young in requirements in terms of various categories of water resources and ecosys- particular, good quality drinking water, users and the civil society tems, in terms of quality and ☛ quantity, of their uses and of to evaluate ongoing actions in order to improve hygiene participate in the formula- and disseminate their re- and health and to prevent tion of water policy within the point and non-point pollu- tion discharged. sults by developing, in parti- important outbreaks of di- river basin committees in cular, a global integrated sease, particular, Information and training ca- system for the exchange of ■ the reclamation of farm- ❸ Basin Master Plans be pacities should be developed documentation among the lands and the development formulated with medium for the representatives of local basin organizations. authorities and users to enable of appropriate irrigation sys- and long term objectives INBO draws the attention of tems to reach food self-suf- and implemented within them to fully assume the res- ponsibilities and missions assi- governments and bi and multi- ficiency, Five-Year Priority Action lateral cooperation agencies on Programs, gned to them within the frame- ■ harmoniously developing work of the basin policy. the prime importance of using industry, energy production, ❹ Specific financing sys- the above principles and recreational activities and, tems, based on the The International Network means in their programs to en- in some areas, tourism and “users-polluters-pay” of Basin Organizations ap- sure sound water management waterways navigation, principle, be developed in proved the draft Associated at river basin level which is a order that “water pays for Program prepared to fit in prerequisite to the future sus- ■ preventing and controlling water” with a basin com- with the “Global Water Part- tainable development of man- pollution of all kinds and ori- mon cause concept. nership”. kind. gins, in order to preserve aquatic ecosystems and Cooperation agreements Its objectives are: more especially, to protect should be signed and formali- ☛ to develop permanent rela- fauna and optimize fish far- zed between riparian countries tions with the organizations ming for human consump- regarding large shared rivers, interested in integrated wa- ter resources management at the level of large river ba- sins in order to facilitate ex- changes of experience and expertise among them, ☛ to facilitate the develop- ment of tools for institutional and financial management, programming, the organiza- tion of databases, models adapted to the needs,

2 The Network Newsletter - N° 9 - 3rd Quarter of 2000 INBO 9 21/09/00 16:21 Page 3

INTERNATIONAL WORLD WATER VISION CONCLUSIONS OF THE 2ND WORLD WATER FORUM IN THE HAGUE,THE NETHERLANDS he World Water Council ● to increase the aware- All outputs of the Vision initiated the World Water ness of populations and process were presented and T Vision in accordance decision-makers about wa- discussed during the second with the conclusions of the first ter issues to obtain political World Water Forum, held from GLOBWINET World Water Forum organized commitments in order to 17 to 22 March 2000 in The www.globwinet.org in Marrakech, Morocco in 1997. solve these problems in a Hague, the Netherlands. They the Global Water Information The aim of the World Water serious and systematic were also integrated into fra- Network - is one of the Asso- Vision project was to develop a manner; meworks for action at the natio- ciated Programs of the Glo- vision widely shared about ac- ● to provide the World Water nal or regional level with the bal Water Partnership tions needed to achieve a set of Council with data for the pre- participation of the Global (GWP). It is funded by the Ger- common objectives. The World paration, in collaboration with Water Partnership. man Federal Ministry for Eco- Water Council objectives were: the Global Water Partner- A Ministerial Conference, nomic Cooperation and Deve- lopment (BMZ) and implemen- ● to develop knowledge of ship, of the Framework for gathering more than 140 coun- Action, defining the steps tries, including 118 ministers, ted by the German Agency for what is happening in the Technical Cooperation (GTZ). water world at regional and needed to go forward from vi- was organized at the same ti- global levels and of the sion to action and use this me. This meeting allowed the The Mission of GLOBWI- trends and developments knowledge and Forum out- adoption of a ministerial decla- NET is to promote the Rio/Du- outside the water sector puts to influence the in- ration and the increase of com- blin principles on Integrated that might have an impact vestment priorities of coun- mitments from countries and Water Resources Manage- on the future use of water; tries and donor agencies. donors. ment (IWRM). ● using this knowledge, to Supported by all United Na- Bozana Blix The four principles are: World Water Vision develop a vision on water tions agencies which work in ❶ management in 2025 this area - UNESCO, UNEP, Fax : 1 917 441 4036 Freshwater is a finite and which would be shared by UNIFEM, FAO, UNICEF, [email protected] vulnerable resource, es- specialists of the water sec- WMO, UNU - and by the World http://www.watervision.org sential to sustain life, deve- tor, international, national Bank, the World Water Vision lopment and the environ- and regional decision-ma- project allowed collaboration ment. kers in governments, the and gathered the papers of ❷ Water development and private sector and the civil more than 15,000 people for management should be ba- society; whom water is a challenge. sed on a participatory ap- proach, involving users, planners and policy makers at all levels. ❸ Women play a central role WATER WARS in the provision, manage- ment and safeguarding of IN THE FUTURE? water. ❹ Water has an economic va- he term hydro-conflict is 1) Water and ■ Argument of shared inter- lue in all its competing uses fashionable. It originated est. There is a real shared and should be recognized T various significant initia- international interest for the different uses as an economic good. tives. A document was presen- conflicts of a river, even a transnatio- GLOBWINET provides in- ted recently, during the nal one. From a practical formation on: conference on transbounda- The study of different data- point of view, the users are ry management of water re- bases on international conflicts usually better off with ➥ transboundary river basin sources, held in June 2000 in throughout the world and in all concerted management ra- organizations, Washington. This document eras revealed only seven cases ther than with a conflict one. ➥ when armies were mobilized water law and legislation, written by Mr. T Wolf, Ph.D., ■ Argument of institutional from the Geo-sciences Depart- and attacks launched across ➥ national water administra- borders because of water. stability. It has been pro- tion and the water re- ment of the University of ven that once cooperation Oregon, is interesting as it of- Nevertheless, these disputes sources situation within a never ended in a war. starts on the management country. fers a vision flowing against the of transboundary water- . 2) Possibilities courses it usually lasts. So far two regional net- The water issue and inter- works have been developed of water wars To conclude, this vision under the roof of GLOBWINET: national conflicts appeared af- leads to promote water mana- ter the publishing of an article in in the future gement as a factor for stabili- ● the Southern African Water the New York Times on 10 Mr. Wolf’s analysis reveals ty and local and regional Information Network - SA- August 1995 by Mr. Serageldin, at least three basic reasons for development. This view illus- WINET (www.sawinet.org) then Vice-President of the water not being the cause of in- trates the significant role of the ● World Bank, namely “Wars in the German Water Informa- ternational conflicts no more International Network of Basin tion Network - GEWINET. next century will be caused by than in the past. Organizations (INBO) to deve- water”. Following this publi- lop integrated water re- Dr. Brigitta Meier ■ Strategic argument. It is GTZ shing, many specialists empha- sources management. sized that water had originated difficult to imagine, within Water Division many international conflicts the current context of inter- Philippe Chappe Fax: +49 6196 797194 and that tensions caused by its national relations, starting a General Directorate [email protected] ever-increasing scarcity will wi- war for a resource which for International Cooperation http://www.globwinet.org 3 and Development den its role as cause for war. costs US$ 1/m when French Ministry for Foreign Mr. Wolf carried out an in-depth extracted from sea water. Affairs analysis of these two points. Fax: 33 1 53 69 33 35 philippe-chappé@diplomatie.fr The Network Newsletter - N° 9 - 3rd Quarter of 2000 3 INBO 9 21/09/00 16:21 Page 4

GLOBAL UNITED NATIONS WATER ENVIRONMENT PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM VISION TO ACTION: MOVING FORWARD THE GLOBAL THE UNEP/GPA FROM THE WATER FORUM PROGRAM COORDINATION OF ACTION OFFICE How have you The Global Program of UNEP was designated by Action for the Protection of Governments as secretariat of been facilitating the Marine Environment from the GPA and, to this end, esta- this process? Land-Based Activities (GPA) blished a Coordination Office in provides a major tool for effec- The Hague, Netherlands, After the Forum we asked tive action against degradation Specific mandated tasks for the representatives from the of rivers and coastal zones. 2000-2001 period include: groups involved in the prepara- s a follow up to the docu- tion of the Vision to Action pro- In this regard, the United ● implementation of the ment, “Towards Water cess for their contributions, and Nations Environment Program GPA at the national and ASecurity : A Framework to suggest proposals that (UNEP), as GPA secretariat regional level. The GPA for Action”, participants at the would help transform the and the International Network clearing house, launched in Second World Water Forum in “Framework” into concrete of Basin Organizations (INBO), September 1999, serves as The Hague in March 2000 re- actions. and their constituencies have the primary vehicle to pro- quested the Global Water Part- major scope for cooperation. mote the exchange of infor- nership (GWP) to develop a Who did you contact? mation and expertise bet- Post-Hague Report that cap- LAND-BASED ween countries and re- tures the commitments made We contacted the regional DEGRADATION gions. at the Forum, responds to the groups, both those associated ● with GWP’s Regional TACs OF THE MARINE mobilizing action at the concerns expressed there, and global level. presents a participatory pro- and others involved in develo- ENVIRONMENT cess for taking the momentum ping the Vision. We also generated in the Forum for- contacted sectoral groups, that Activities ruining coastal RIVER BASIN ward. I asked Alan Hall, coordi- is, those involved in water for areas and affecting habitats, ORGANIZATIONS nator of GWP’s Framework for food and rural development, result from a host of poorly planned and regulated activi- UNEP and INBO agreed to Action Unit, how this is being water and nature, water for share information through lin- achieved. people, and water in rivers. ties, include explosive growth of coastal population, increa- kages of their respective web- What is GWP’s role? Can you tell us sed tourism, industrialization, sites, they also agreed to iden- expansion of fish farming, de- tify possible joint pilot projects It is important to stress that what the next steps velopment of ports and mea- to address land-based activi- GWP prepared the global sures to control flooding. ties. The river basin organi- Framework for Action at the re- will be? zations in INBO are among the quest of the World Water The consultations in POLICY major stakeholders at the local Commission. This document Stockholm enabled us to and sub-regional level, in GPA brings together the work of consolidate the various opi- OBJECTIVES implementation. The protection thousands involved in the nions in the report. We are now The GPA was adopted by of the marine environment from Vision exercise and provides preparing this final draft for cir- 108 Governments during an land-based activities lies at the options and priority strategies culation and comment before Intergovernmental Conference heart of their aims and work- for action as a basis for discus- we go to press at the end of in 1995. Its goal is to prevent plans. Therefore, UNEP re- sion. It represents the starting November. the degradation of the marine gards it of critical importance to point for formulating the long- provide the channels for these James Lenahan, environment from land-based term program of actions requi- activities and thus facilitates GPA organizations to voice GWP Communications their experiences. red to better manage water in Fax: +46 8 6985627 the realization of the duty of the future. The actual role that [email protected] Governments to preserve and Dr. Veerle Vandeweerd, GWP plays in the follow-up protect the marine environ- UNEP/GPA Coordination Office process is a facilitating one as ment. The GPA is designed to [email protected] clearly, the implementation of be a source of conceptual and http://www. gpa.unep.org the Framework for Action is a practical guidance for local, na- job for many other people. tional and regional authorities and other stakeholders when devising and implementing sustained action to prevent, re- www.iowater.org/inbo duce, control and/or eliminate All information related marine degradation from land- based activities. to INBO is available

on the WEB www.iowater.org/inbo 4 The Network Newsletter - N° 9 - 3rd Quarter of 2000 INBO 9 21/09/00 16:22 Page 5

AFRICA WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANIZATION - WMO THE WHYCOS PROGRAM IN WESTERN AND CENTRAL AFRICA: PARTICIPATION PROSPECTS FOR BASIN ORGANIZATIONS

WHYCOS : why? The pilot Stakeholders in the water phase of this sector must access to precise AOC-HYCOS and recent information on the project was status and evolution of fresh- launched in water resources (rainfall, river January flows, groundwater levels, wa- 2000, thanks ter quality).Unfortunately and to a grant paradoxically, in many parts of from France. the world, especially those af- It is limited to fected by water scarcity, the 2 years and systems for collecting and ma- involves a naging water-resources rela- small number ted information are inadequa- of countries te, and often are deteriorating. that had ex- pressed their For all these reasons, the interest in this World HYdrological Cycle - project. The serving System (WHYCOS) objective of was launched by the World this pilot pha- Meteorological Organization se is the (WMO) with the following ob- transfer of the jectives: system for ■ to establish a global net- collecting and work of hydrological infor- disseminating mation systems which pro- information developed and ope- A group gathering the Niger of a first component, namely vide data of a consistent rated by the French Institute of Basin Authority (NBA) and the “AOC-HYCOS /NIGER”, will be quality, transmitted in real Research for Development “CILSS” Regional Center undertaken and submitted to time or near-real time to na- (IRD, formerly ORSTOM) since AGRHYMET have joint respon- the European Commission in tional and regional data- 1997 which offers the daily mo- sibility for the coordination of the coming months. bases; nitoring of most large water- the pilot phase of “AOC-HY- Dr. Jean-Marie Fritsch courses of the region on an In- COS” and for the operation of ■ to strengthen the technical World Meteorological ternet server, namely the Regio- the regional database and as- Organization and institutional capacities nal Hydrological Observing Sys- sociated Internet server. Fax: 41 22 730 80 43 of the National Hydrological [email protected] tem for Western and Central According to the interest Services (NHSs) to carry Africa (“OHRAOC”). out their tasks under the expressed by the Niger Basin best conditions possible; Authority, the feasibility study ■ to promote and facilitate the exchange, dissemina- tion and use of water-rela- ted information, using mo- dern information technolo- NILE BASIN: gies, especially those of the Internet. WHYCOS has been gra- MINISTERS’ MEETING dually implemented with regio- nal projects: the MED-HYCOS The Eighth annual meeting The Council of Ministers is management, and promoting project which is financed by the of the Council of Ministers for the highest decision-making or- power trade in the region. World Bank, concerns the Medi- Water Affairs of the Nile Basin gan of the NBI, an arrangement Others include efficient water terranean riparian countries, States (Nile-COM) took place that brings together all the Nile use for agriculture, and socioe- and the SADC-HYCOS project, in Khartoum on 4 and 5 August basin countries with the aim of conomic development and be- supported by the European 2000 with the endorsement of a achieving sustainable develop- nefit sharing. Commission, involves number of joint priority projects ment and management of the 11 countries of Southern Africa. The Council endorsed the that are under preparation. Nile waters. proposed projects and instruc- The “AOC-HYCOS” The meeting was attended The Council is supported by ted the Technical Advisory by ministers from Egypt, Ethio- a technical organ - the Techni- Committee to complete the pro- project pia, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania cal Advisory Committee (Nile- ject preparation and submit the The feasibility study of a and Uganda. Representatives TAC) - made up of senior offi- project documents by early De- project involving 23 Western from Burundi, the Democratic cials from the various countries cember 2000. The proposed and Central African (“AOC”) Republic of Congo and Kenya of the Nile basin. To coordinate projects will be presented at a countries was undertaken by also attended. Eritrea, which its activities, the NBI has got a donor forum - the International WMO in 1997 on France initia- has not yet formally joined the Secretariat (the Nile Secreta- Consortium for Cooperation on tive. The project includes the Nile Basin Initiative (NBI), at- riat) located in Entebbe, Ugan- the Nile (ICCON) - for possible setting up of 150 hydrometric tended for the first time as an da. funding. The first ICCON is stations with transmission of observer. The meeting, there- Under the NBI, a series of scheduled to take place in Ge- data via satellite to which will fore, became the first one whe- joint priority projects for the Nile neva, Switzerland, in February be added the data collected re all the Nile Basin riparian basin countries are being pre- 2001. from the hydrological stations countries were present. pared. The projects include sta- Executive Director without telemeasurement keholder involvement, training, Nile Secretariat equipment. environmental analysis and [email protected] The Network Newsletter - N° 9 - 3rd Quarter of 2000 5 INBO 9 21/09/00 16:22 Page 6

KENYA INTEGRATED WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR EWASO NGIRO NORTH RIVER BASIN

The Ewaso Ngiro North Ri- nishing of dry weather flows in This study is being financed ning the use of water, soil ver Basin offers a good the rivers of this basin to the ex- by a grant from the African De- and vegetation resources in example of the dynamics of tent that some perennial rivers velopment Fund and it will put the Basin. lowland - highland interactions have turned ephemeral. This is a lot of emphasis on the deve- The output of this study will in a basin. The Ewaso Ngiro threatening the survival of the lopment of water resources for be specific actions that the Go- North River originates from the pastoralists together with their social and economic develop- vernment of Kenya will under- central highlands of Kenya, livestock, who predominantly ment and in particular it will take to conserve the Ewaso which are generally high poten- occupy the lower parts of the look at: Ngiro North River catchment tial areas, and flows through basin. ● the geographical features of and have proper water re- the marginal lands in the low- Therefore, the Ewaso Ngi- the basin; sources management for the lands of Northern Kenya before ro North Development Autho- ● the state of the economy in- entire basin. draining into Lorian swamps. Ir- rity conceived the idea of car- rigated agriculture is the single cluding the agriculture sec- A. A. Ali rying out an Ewaso Ngiro North tor; Managing Director most important water use in the River Catchment Conservation upper reaches and currently Ewaso Ngiro North and Water Resource Manage- ● overall government policies Development Authority there are insufficient provisions ment Study to come-up with an on agriculture, water and [email protected] to compensate the abstracted Integrated Water Resources environment and; flow for this purpose which has Development Plan for the basin. occasioned the continuos dimi- ● the current situation concer- - PACIFIC ICWC:WARMIS AND WARMAP The Water Resources Ma- are represented. The Intersta- ➥ a database management sion-making support, nagement Information Sys- te Commission on Water Co- system (DBMS), contai- containing several mathe- tem (WARMIS) is an Informa- ordination (ICWC) is the plat- ning tabular data; matical models: tion System for water and land form where the 5 CA Republics ➥ a geographic information ● an economic optimiza- resources management in the and the two BVOs (water ma- system, containing spatial tion model to identify Aral Sea basin. It is designed nagement organizations in data and spatial analysis measures for improving for the collection, storage, pro- charge of the 2 main rivers: Syr tools; the use of land and wa- cessing and analysis of various Darya and Amu Darya) make ➥ a user interface for data in- ter resources and deve- data about the historical and agreements on water distribu- put and output; loping agricultural pro- actual situation of land and wa- tion within the region. The ➥ a toolbox; comprising duction, ter resources and their use. Scientific Information Center of components for system ● a model to simulate ICWC is the main local counter- maintenance, data verifica- multi-year water availa- WARMIS is a component of part of the WARMAP project for the Water Resources Mana- tion, data exchange and se- bility in terms of quantity the development and imple- curity, user authorization, and quality. gement and Agricultural Pro- mentation of WARMIS. duction (WARMAP) project, etc.; Mr. Vadim I. Sokolov sponsored by the European The Water Resources Ma- ➥ three modules for strate- SIC-ICWC nagement Information System Fax: +998-71-169-14-95 Union’s Tacis program. The gic analysis and deci- [email protected] first WARMAP project started has the following components: in 1995 and ended in 1997. In

Lac 1998, a second phase (WAR- Zaïssan Oulan-Bator

MAP-2) started under leader- Kéroulen MONGOLIE ship of DHV Consultants which Lac Mer Syr-Daria Balkach Mer is continuing the development d'Aral Almaty

of WARMIS. Other compo- OUZBEKISTAN Lac Bichkek Köl Boston Hu nents of the WARMAP and Caspienne KIRGHIZISTAN COREE AZERBAIDJAN Lob uv Ja Koura TURKMENISTAN im le e une DU NORD WARMAP-2 projects are: sup- Tachkent ar Nor F Bakou T Pékin ZER. Pyongyang port to legal agreements on the TADJIKISTAN Golfe du Po-Hai Achkabad Douchanbé Qinghai Séoul Hu e management of water use and n u Ja e v u COREE le water quality, development of a Téhéran F DU SUD Indus database on Water Use and Kaboul CHINE Mer AFGHANISTAN Islamabad Farm Management (WUF- gdad Jaune sé-Ki T ang IRAN g- n MAS) and Project Manage- a Y Lac Lac Poyang KOWEÏT Koweït Dongting Mer de ment Support for GEF project G G Indus New-Dehli a NEPAL n Chine o g Katmandou lf e BHOUTAN Mékong (Water and Environmental Ma- e seOrientale Manama P o e Thimphou outre TE r s OMAN h ap rm iq u e Bra m o nagement in the Aral Sea Ba- BAHREIN Doha F I e Taïpei Abou Dhabi d yad QATAR N t Golfe BANGLADESH i Hong ro TAIWAN sin) sponsored by the World EMIRATS ARABES d'Oman D ét UNIS Dacca D Mascate Narmada Bank. Hanoi E Salouen Mer d'Oman LAOS MYANMAR Golfe The organization respon- Vientiane du Hainan P OMAN Bassin Arabique Golfe du Tonkin h sible for the development and Bengale Rangoon M i é k l Kr o i n sh n a i implementation of WARMIS is g Manille YEMEN Goa THAÏLANDE VIETNAM p aa the Executive Committee of Bangkok Mer de p i Îles CAMBODGE Chine PHILIPPINES n the Interstate Fund for the Andaman Bassin Golfe d'Aden Socotra Inde Méridionale e Yemen des uti Phnom Penh s Aral Sea (EC-IFAS). In the R Andaman i d e Îles Mer de board of IFAS all 5 Central d Nicobar Sulu e Inde D SRI LANKA é E C Colombo tr Asian Republics (Kazakhstan, a oit d r L A e A I BRUNEI l s M M S SOMALIE b a I Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, MALDIVES la Mer de e c Kuala Lumpur E r ca Célèbes Mogadiscio g Turkmenistan and ) INDONESIE Singapour 6 The Network Newsletter - N° 9 - 3rd Quarter of 2000 INBO 9 21/09/00 16:22 Page 7

KAZAKHSTAN NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ASSOCIATION This Association, gathering water use and environmen- tive, providing practical aid ■ Assistance in improving high qualified specialists in wa- tal protection; to the Water Users Associa- skills of specialists in the ter industry and environmental ■ Assistance in obtaining fi- tion and farmers for econo- water sector; protection, was created in 2000 nancial and technical aid for mic use of irrigation water ■ Development of internatio- for non-commercial purposes. modernizing potable water and environmental protec- nal collaboration Its objectives are the follo- supply systems in rural and tion; T. Sarsembekov - President wing: urban areas, improving the ■ Promoting applied scientific Kazakhstan National Water operation of urban water research, related to water Resources and Environmental ■ Participation in the selec- supply and sewerage sys- resources and their quality; Protection Association tion of priorities for national tems, developing low cost Fax: +7 3272 623983 and regional policies on wa- technologies; [email protected] ter resources management; ■ Making water use in irriga- ■ Preparation of legislative ted agriculture more effec- acts and norms for stable INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT OF THE : SIGNING IN PARIS OF A PROTOCOL BETWEEN FRANCE, AND KAZAKHSTAN At the invitation of the The outputs of the work car- About institutional Groundwater French Ministry of Regional ried out in this Irtysh project Planning and the Environment, should be usefully reused in aspects quality Mr. Mikheiev, Prime Vice Minis- many rivers, transboundary An analysis of the law on and security ter of Natural Resources of the between Russia and Kazakhs- environmental protection and Russian Federation and Mr. tan (, , ), and water code of the Republic of of drinking water Murat Musataev, Prime Vice between Russia and Kazakhstan, of the existing ins- supply Minister of Natural Resources (). titutions and financial resources The main sources of pollu- and Environmental Protection This project is in line with was carried out. As a priority, of the Republic of Kazakhstan tion were identified in the 3 the ongoing “Study Program for the need for a Framework Law towns of Ust-Kamenogorsk, signed an agreement protocol the improvement of water quali- taking up clear principles of wa- on the transboundary manage- Semipalatinsk and , ty in the Irtysh river basin in Ka- ter resources management per thanks to a campaign of addi- ment of the Irtysh river basin in zakhstan”. This program which unit was emphasized. Propo- Paris on 10 May 2000. tional measurements. Ground- started in Spring 1999 is also sals for such a law will thus be water quality assessment in the The IOWater, in partnership financed by the French Ministry discussed with the Kazak part- 3 towns will be presented in the with the consulting firms SAFE- of Economy and Finance (FA- ners. The existing Funds final report. A hydrodynamic GE and ANTEA, will provide SEP). should also be a basis for the model is under way for Ust-Ka- technical assistance with the development of more incentive menogorsk. It will allow the The first conclusions are as tools for environmental protec- implementation of this project, follows: checking of the options for the financed by the French Fund tion. treatment of the main pollution for the World Environment sources. (FFEM). About the Irtysh Basin monitoring A preliminary phase, carried quality system Sanitation out in 1999, defined the objective It especially dealt with the The rehabilitation of the in towns hierarchization of the impact of of this project which is perfectly existing monitoring network is In these three towns, it was in line with the Helsinki Conven- different pollution sources on necessary. Several proposals the basin. Industrial pollution, proven that the pollution load tion on the Protection and Use of were detailed to improve infor- received by each wastewater Transboundary Watercourses mining in particular, is the most mation and enhance data wi- significant. On the contrary, ur- treatment plant remains relati- and International Lakes (articles thin an integrated river basin in- vely small, due to leaks in the 9, bilateral and multilateral coo- ban pollution has only a small formation system at the Kazak impact. Additional impact as- sewerage system and the low peration, 11, Joint monitoring level which could be integrated connection percentage for was- and evaluation and 13, Exchan- sessments will be carried out in into the transboundary system. a second phase, in Ust-Kame- tewaters. Each plant was also ge of information between ripa- They will be revised with the evaluated in the first phase. rian countries). nogorsk in particular, regarding Kazak partners and the World industrial discharges and the The final report will present the Owing to the special French Bank as concerns the invest- improvement work to be carried impact of flow reduction in the ments needed. expertise in this sector, the pro- Black Irtysh. out for each of these 3 plants, ject group will assist both together with a cost estimate. A States with the design and im- more complete assessment of plementation of instruments for the sewerage systems must be the basin water resources ma- undertaken. nagement. Technical assistan- Murat Musataev ce will prioritize the orientation Vice Minister (Kazakhstan) and coordination of the national Ministry of Natural Resources experts’ work, gathered in the and Environmental Protection Irtysh River Basin Sub-Com- Fax: 31 622 506 20 mission, which will be supervi- sed by the Russian and Kazak Nicolay Mikheiev Commission on the joint use Prime Vice Minister (Russia) Ministry of Natural Resources and conservation of shared wa- Fax: 7 095 975 16 13 ters. An International Basin In- formation System will be set up and supplemented by the deve- lopment of a hydrological mo- del in particular. It will allow the definition and implementation of joint policy and programs for water resources management in the basin. Signing of the protocol

The Network Newsletter - N° 9 - 3rd Quarter of 2000 7 INBO 9 21/09/00 16:22 Page 8

MEKONG RIVER CHINA PRINCIPLES AND MEANS COMMISSION FOR PARTICIPATORY MANAGEMENT TOWARDS THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT THE LEVEL OF RIVER BASINS OF THE RIVER BASIN According to data from the towns are subjected to this kind The Mekong is the world’s support the MRC in developing Department of Soil and Water of management. th 12 longest river, which is rela- an integrated and comprehen- Conservation of the Chinese In China, participatory ma- tively less exploited. The river sive basin hydrological mode- Ministry of Water Resources, nagement at the level of a river system represents the region’s ling package, as well as an in- China has been implementing basin is a governmental, regio- largest potential water re- tegrated knowledge base on a participatory management at nal and individual participation sources. The Mekong River water and related resources to the level of river basins since based on household shares Basin contains a globally signi- establish a series of “rules” re- 1980 and, up to now, more and State support. ficant biodiversity, wetlands garding joint water utilization than 1000 watercourses in and flooded forests. Approxi- and management. about thirty provinces and mately 65 million people are li- The WUP Project time fra- ving in the entire Basin, increa- me is 6 years with a total bud- A NEW WATER MANAGEMENT sing at an annual rate of about get of US$ 16.3 million, funded 2%, and depend to a great ex- by the Global Environment Fa- SYSTEM IN CHINA: tent on the natural resources of cility (GEF) with the World THE WATER UTILITIES the Basin for their livelihood. Bank as an Executing Agency. Achieving sustainable de- Joern Kristensen China is implementing a since 1998 and about 54 dis- velopment of the Mekong River Chief Executive Officer new water management sys- tricts or towns have decided to Basin in an ecological way and Mekong River Commission tem: the water utility. This sys- create one. Since 1 November preventing water use conflicts Fax: 855 23 720 972 tem will combine water mana- 1999, about 13 districts or in the basin are therefore cen- [email protected] gement in quality and quantity towns have declared their tral to the mandate of the Me- terms, in space and time, with willingness to set up such utili- kong River Commission (MRC) development, economy and ties. and the MRC Water Utilization protection. Program (WUP) in particular. About 80 districts or towns The WUP is conceived as a have created their water utility long-term program aiming to WATER PRICE INCREASE IN SHANGHAI Tax on wastewater increa- ronmental and water resources PHILIPPINES sed in August 2000 in Shan- protection, Shanghai is gra- SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ghai, from 0.45 yuan/m3 to 0.70 dually implementing projects yuan/m3. This tax is calculated for wastewater treatment and OF THE LAGUNA DE BAY on 90% of the water volume cleaning of the Su Zhou river. really consumed by house- As these projects require large The Laguna de Bay, the lar- building and decision support holds and is levied with the wa- investments, the Government gest lake in the Philippines and tool development, while the se- ter charge on water intended support is no longer sufficient the second largest in Sou- cond year will focus on techni- for human consumption. and the inhabitants will have to theast Asia has a surface area cal studies related to dredging, contribute. of about 900 sq. km. There are drinking water supply and infra- The cost price of wastewa- more than 21 sub-basins that structure works. ter treatment in Shanghai is about 0.60 yuan/m3, that of the drain into the lake out of six dif- The project objectives or ferent provinces and a total of outskirts is about 1.00 yuan/m3. expected outputs are as fol- In order to achieve better envi- 60 municipalities. Its outlet is lows: the Napindan Channel which at its confluence with the Marikina ● Establishment of an Inte- River, forms the Pasig River. grated Water Management APPLICATION OF WATER The total catchment area is Group for transfer of know- CHARGES ON WATER around 3,820 sq. km and has ledge and capacity building; CONSUMPTION been significantly modified by ● Establishment of an appro- land-use change. priate GIS /database and In order to incite water sa- ving 1 m3 of water for human In Laguna de Bay, water state-of-the-art set of mo- ving and strengthen the aware- consumption, wastewater is de- use and allocation conflicts and deling tools to support deci- ness raising of populations on creasing of about 0.6-0.7 m3). sion-making; competition and resolving them water resources being a pre- Dang Weihong, in a rational and systematic ● Assessment and recom- cious asset, China is gradually Research and Information manner have become an im- mendations for technically applying a water charge on wa- Institute portant task in ensuring the and economically feasible ter consumption in towns, es- Ministry of Water Resources long-term sustainable use of solutions to water quality pecially those where water is Fax: 00 86 10 82071270 the water resource. In conside- related problems; and scarce, the towns of Tian Jin, Ji [email protected] ring the competing and conflic- Nan, Chang Chun and Shen ting uses including the quantity ● Recommendations and Yang for instance. and quality aspects, the LLDA procedures for removing is now more than ever faced contaminated sediments. This charge will also reduce with the need for comprehensi- pollution, as, according to statis- Alicia E. Bongco tics, when less water is used, ve water management and de- Laguna Lake Development velopment plan for Laguna de Authority (LLDA) pollution is reduced (while sa- Bay. Fax: (0632) 637 9747 [email protected] In view of this, a project “Sustainable Development of the Laguna de Bay Envi- ronment” was funded by the Netherlands. The project will end in March 2001. The first year is dedicated to capacity

8 The Network Newsletter - N° 9 - 3rd Quarter of 2000 INBO 9 21/09/00 16:22 Page 9

INDONESIA STRATEGIC ROLE OF A WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT INSTITUTION

To gain beneficiaries’ sup- plan suited to the stakehol- year work program and of Provincial Irrigation, Agricultu- port in order to manage and de- ders’ interest and used for the yearly work program. ral and Planning services, Pro- velop water resources, it is ne- basic management of the ri- ❹ Action: making recommen- vincial Environmental Impact cessary to establish a water re- ver basin. It would include a dations on related institu- Management Agency, Meteo- sources management institu- master plan (guidelines to tions in order that the target rological Agency, Fishery Ser- tion which would be respon- determine necessary ac- of the master plan and 5 vices, Surabaya Water Supply sible for fulfilling the demands tions to reach agreed objec- year plan could be achieved Enterprise, State Electric Po- of its stakeholders and based tives), and a medium term properly. wer Company, Jasa Tirta I Pu- on public participation. plan (5 years). A Basin Water Resources blic Corporation, and experts ❷ It would cover information Implementation: preparing Committee has been establi- from the University, etc. In the and public education on the and implementing a yearly shed in the Brantas river basin future, this Committee will whole management cycle that integrated work program (Jasa Tirta I Public Corporation cover all stakeholders. includes the following basic based on the master plan. working area). It is supervised Ir Trie M. Sunaryo steps: ❸ Follow-up: monitoring and by the Vice Governor of East Jasa Tirta I Fax: 021 5737 118 ❶ evaluating the implementa- Java and consists of various Planning: preparing a com- tion of the master plan; 5 provincial services, such as [email protected] prehensive and acceptable

BRANTAS RIVER WATER QUALITY AND POLLUTION MANAGEMENT PROJECT

The Brantas River is the lar- larly water pollution from in- plants will be designed and Project implementation will gest river system in East Java. dustries, households and constructed on a pilot scale to give priority to technology Five multipurpose hydropower agriculture. serve as research and develop- transfer and training of local reservoirs and several other The Government of Indo- ment facilities, to enable trai- personnel at all levels. water resources infrastructures nesia with assistance from ning of staff, to raise public Trie M. Sunaryo (, levees, irrigation canals Austria intends to improve awareness and to strengthen Director for Technical Affairs etc) have been built during the Brantas River water quality by the authorities in tariff and was- Jasa Tirta last decades in this catchment. installing on line water quality tewater discharge permit and [email protected] In the Brantas River basin the monitoring stations and exten- authorization processes. One reservoirs are potential supple- ding the existing flood forecas- of the major objective of the mentary supply of irrigation as ting and warning system. program is to build capacity to well as industrial and domestic enhance monitoring programs water for a rapidly growing po- To control river pollution by increasing data reliability, pulation. At the moment, the caused by the discharge of do- appropriateness for regulation government is facing envi- mestic and industrial wastewa- and law enforcement. ronmental problems, particu- ter, different types of treatment

The Network Newsletter - N° 9 - 3rd Quarter of 2000 9 INBO 9 21/09/00 16:22 Page 10

INDIA GANGA, BRAHMAPUTRA AND BARRAK BASINS Floods are recurrent natural ward. Paradoxically, this region have been undertaken. These Various measures were ta- hazards in the eastern and happens to be richly endowed measures, however, have pro- ken and a strategy formulated north-eastern region of . with natural resources with al- vided a reasonable degree of to lessen the adverse impact of The mighty rivers Ganga, Brah- most 40% of nation mineral re- protection to 71% of the flood flood on socioeconomic condi- maputra and Barrak flow in this sources, 60% of power potential. prone area. tions of the people. Attempt has region resulting in extensive da- To mitigate flood losses in A judicious mix of structural also been made to harness the mage to life and property of the this region containing 50% of and non-structural measures energy of flood waters and order of about 85% of the annual the geographical area, 42% of with an integrated catchment reduce its damaging impact. flood damage of India. The eas- the population, 61% of the flood area treatment program is es- M.U.Ghani tern region of India comprising prone area and 85% of the sentially required to make the Director the Bihar, West Bengal, Assam flood losses of the country, structural measures more ef- Ganga Flood Control and other north-eastern states is Commission mostly embankments, drainage fective. [email protected] economically the most back- channels and protection works INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT OF THE SABARMATI RIVER BASIN Institutional and financial re- ban and industrial areas, which administrative and socioeco- These different outcomes forms clearly seem to be the key will host a large part of the rural nomic data, etc. shall be validated by a “Sabar- challenges for the development population. This obviously implies a clo- mati River Basin Committee”, of the water sector in India. On the other hand, water se collaboration between gathering the various adminis- After the organization of a demand for agriculture is still the different existing pro- trations involved in water ma- seminar on Integrated Water growing and highly dominant jects such as the Hydrology nagement, and in so far as pos- Resources Management in (about 90% of water consump- Project/ HIS, Remote sen- sible, representatives from the New Delhi in 1994, it was deci- tion). It increases the very high sing center and GIS, … users within the framework of a ded that a pilot river basin pressures on resource quanti- ❷ better participatory approach. Preparation of a long- The action program will also would be selected to start the ty. As in many other semi-arid term development sche- experimentation of a new ap- regions of this State, located in define the possible institutional me for the Sabarmati river and financial reforms which will proach within the framework of the western part of India, basin including an assess- a cooperation between France drought is seriously affecting also be discussed and valida- ment of the situation and ted by this Committee. and the Indian Union. this basin in 2000 and the drin- problems and the definition The Indian Authorities have king water supply to many vil- of regional objectives taking The International Office for chosen the SABARMATI river lages is no more secure. into account the plan for the Water is managing the French basin in the State of , a The pilot French-Indian co- socioeconomic develop- technical assistance, within a dynamic State where economic operation project: “Integrated ment of the State. This group of French consulting firms, and industrial development, ini- Management of the Sabarmati scheme is based on the In- BRLi, SEURECA and BCEOM, tially based on textile and now River Basin” started at the end tegrated Sabarmati River gathering the various technical diversified in chemistry, agro- of 1999 and will be implemen- Basin Plan (interim version, and institutional competences food processing, etc. is very ted in two years. 1996, Group for Water Re- needed. This technical assistan- high. Ahmedabad, the main city sources Planning, Gujarat ce is financed by a grant from Its main objectives are the the French Ministry of Economy of the State, and several me- following: State, NWR&WSD). dium-sized towns including ❸ and Finance (FASEP). ❶ Organization of an integra- Definition of a priority ac- Gandhinagar, the administrati- tion program, based on the B. M. Rao ve capital, are located in this ted information system for Government of Gujarat the Sabarmati river basin, choices of the new “Sabar- Narmada Water Resources and basin. The securing of drinking mati River Basin Commit- water supply and pollution based on existing databases Water Supply Department and gathering all water data tee”. Owing to water scarcity, Fax: 91 027 12 20 406 control are the key factors for measures ought to be taken the development of these ur- in a consistent manner: data on resources and uses, to manage water demand. PAKISTAN THE SYSTEM Pakistan is one of the largest Indus Plains of the and and the Water Apportionment The Water nations of the world that de- Provinces. Accord (1991) between the pends on a single river system. The Indus and its four provinces of Pakistan. Apportionment The water from the Indus River provide nearly 60% of the water According to the Indus Wa- Accord and its tributaries supports the utilized for irrigation. The re- ters Treaty, the flows of the four In 1991, an agreement to bulk of the agricultural water mainder is groundwater, which main rivers are available to Pa- supply for its 130 million people. share the waters of the Indus Ri- is recharged by various basin kistan - the Indus, Kabul, Jhe- ver was reached between the Dams on the main stem of the . The Indus River is al- lum, and Chenab Rivers (called Indus River and its tributaries four provinces in the form of the so the main source of domestic the Western Rivers), while In- Water Apportionment Accord. produce most of the electrical and industrial water. dia has exclusive rights to wa- energy for Pakistan (45%). This accord is based on the water The Indus River waters are ters of the rivers Ravi, Beas supply and the existent and future The Indus and its tributaries also used for hydroelectric po- and Sutlej (called the Eastern needs of the four provinces. It has originate in the Karakoram, wer generation. However, by Rivers). As a result of this trea- two important features: Hindukush, and the Himalayan ty, reservoirs and a network of law, water supply for irrigation ● It protects the existing uses regions along the north and is the first priority. inter-river link canals were north eastern borders of Pakis- constructed in the Indus Basin of water in each province. tan. The rivers have a combi- The Indus Waters under the Indus Basin Settle- ● It apportions the balance of ned annual average volume of ment Plan. Thus, the river wa- river supplies, including flood 178 bcm3 discharged into the Treaty ter diversions for irrigation were surpluses and future sto- Indus Plains. The Indus Sys- A number of agreements for increased. The cultivable area rages among the provinces. tem forms a link between two sharing the river water took pla- was increased by 15-20% and Asim R. , M. Kaleem Ullah, great natural reservoirs, the ce in the Indus Basin. The most the cropping intensities almost Saim Muhammad snow and glaciers in the moun- significant of these have been doubled. IMWI-PAK tains and the groundwater the Indus Basin Treaty (1960) Fax: +92 42 5410054 contained by the alluvium in the between India and Pakistan A. [email protected] 10 The Network Newsletter - N° 9 - 3rd Quarter of 2000 INBO 9 21/09/00 16:22 Page 11

AUSTRALIA THE MURRAY-DARLING BASIN INITIATIVE A large proportion of Aus- development and our options year, approximately 95 per cent put into policy development. tralia is desert or agriculturally for the future. of all water diverted off-stream There is also regular communi- marginal land. However there Over the last decade, go- in the region. Domestic consu- ty participation through the are well developed agricultural vernments and the various mers, industry and stock use Community Advisory Council. regions around the rim and in communities in the Murray- the remaining 5 per cent. Ho- This overall structure the south east and south west. Darling Basin have developed wever although the non-irriga- -which has been operating for One of the most productive of an unusual but very effective tion group of stakeholders - over 10 years- is now an effec- these regions is the Murray- partnership known as the Mur- which includes more than three tive part of the Australian politi- Darling river system in the ray-Darling Basin Initiative million people in and outside cal system. Its operation has south-east of Australia. It is which is designed to promote a the Basin and major industry been a major factor in transfor- Australia’s largest river basin, comprehensive approach to and tourism sectors - use only ming water and natural re- extending over more than one a small proportion of the water 2 the management of the natural sources management in the million km . resources of the region, with diverted in the Basin, the value Murray-Darling Basin. of the interests they represent For Australia, water is a cru- particular attention to water. Daniel Connell cial resource. As the driest in- is very high in economic and The range of stakeholders political terms. Murray-Darling Basin Initiative habited continent in the world, that have to be considered is [email protected] the shortage of water has al- very diverse. Irrigation in the A Ministerial Council is ser- ways been a determining in- Basin uses more than 10 mil- viced by a Commission of se- fluence shaping the pattern of lion megalitres of water per nior government officials which human settlement, economic has the capacity to make an in- NORTH AMERICA USA - PENNSYLVANIA QUEBEC The Central Pennsylvania, The Board will be doing a Walter A. Lyon NEW WATER Capital Region Water Board comprehensive water manage- Capital Regional Water Board MANAGEMENT has expanded its activities to ment study of the Lower Sus- [email protected] POLICY the 8 Counties of Central Penn- quehanna Basin and a special sylvania covering a population study to address a water IN QUEBEC of approximately 1.6 million controversy in the Swatara On 19 June 2000, the Mi- people. Creek Watershed. nister for the Environment in Quebec presented an orienta- tion Framework to the popula- tion. It included the stakes, ob- jectives and principles which ISW will be the basis for a first water management policy in Quebec. “SOCIAL PRIVATIZATION” One of the objectives of “OF DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION the future policy will be to The notion of “social privati- nability of the solutions imple- ◆ Access to a variety of viable implement integrated water zation” is a solution to the issue mented. While profitability re- professional “intermedia- management at the level of of access to drinking water and mains an essential objective, ries” with different forms river basins in Quebec. It will sanitation in disadvantaged the word “social” also unders- and statutes, who must in- obviously involve citizens and areas. cores the goal of reducing in- clude a strong local repre- all stakeholders participating in water management. Tools will “Privatization” means that equalities. In other words, wa- sentation when they benefit ter is not just a vital commodity from international aid; be developed to promote dia- the State should contract out logue and the solution of the implementation of services but also a heavily symbolic re- ◆ An action plan directed at source. It is a political issue. conflicts on use, especially re- to non-government bodies who achieving financial autono- garding groundwater. The can combine technical efficien- An evolutive and modular my and based on a service user-pays and polluter-pays cy with management expertise. definition of “social privatiza- fee related to the means of principles will be examined and This contractual arrangement tion” includes: the population, public fun- gradually introduced. does not mean that the State ding and access to credit ◆ User ownership of the ser- The other objectives of this rescinds its responsibilities. It vices; and international re- must continue to play its role in sources; policy will be to confirm that ◆ water is a common heritage of the redistribution of wealth and A user body, joining the ◆ “collaborative” and the “en- A strategy of proximity, be- the Quebec society, to guaran- remain the upholder of the pu- nefiting accordingly from blic interest. trepreneurial” aspects wi- tee public health and to preser- thin a legal framework, in decentralization; ve, protect and rehabilitate The use of the word “so- order to ensure the sustai- ◆ An interest in taking on ecosystems. cial” implies that while civil so- nability of the service; other services (of general Jean Maurice Latulippe ciety belongs in the private sec- Ministry of the Environment ◆ A contract-based collabora- purport) which could benefit tor, we must recognize the ca- from the same approach. of Quebec pacity of the grassroot move- tion with the public sector Fax: (1-418) 644-2003 ments to organize themselves authorities (or the private Raymond Jost, Robert Volders jean-maurice.latulippe in order to participate in the ma- sector when privatized), es- International Secretariat @menv.gouv.qc.ca nagement of water and sanita- tablishing the roles and res- for Water Fax: 1 514 849 2822 http://www.menv.gouv.qc.ca tion. We must realize that the ponsibilities of each party; [email protected] involvement of the populations ◆ A public-private-community http://www.i-s-w.org in these contractual arrange- approach; ments can be a further guaran- tee of the efficiency and sustai- The Network Newsletter - N° 9 - 3rd Quarter of 2000 11 INBO 9 21/09/00 16:22 Page 12

LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN CEPAL MANAGEMENT OF BASINS LINKED GOOD NEWS TO URBAN SETTLEMENTS This document analyses quences and controlling pollu- ● Signing of the statutes conflict situations that arise tion. from the use of water and ba- before a notary This document includes re- sins supplying populations and ferences on river basin mana- from the changes brought into ● Programs with other organizations gement in Latin American watercourses by man activities. countries and the United ● The financial framework which It presents an analysis of the States. Appendices provide different methods used for river elements for decision-making will govern LANBO basin management and pays regarding the rational supply of particular attention to the ope- ● New members water to towns and techniques rational aspects of river basin for assisting decision-making management, emphasizing the LANBO is now a real legal entity, registered at a notary of- on the multipurpose use of wa- importance of involving local ter at the level of river basins. fice under Mexican law, according to the statutes and regula- authorities in these processes. tions approved during the LANBO Ordinary Assembly held in It also provides rules for the Mendoza, Argentina, in August 1999. setting-up of basin organiza- This legal entity is sufficient to manage national and inter- tions and proposes options for national programs and financial resources. International insti- financing these authorities and tutions such as the World Bank, the Inter-American Develop- orientations for improving envi- ment Bank and the Global Water Partnership are interested in ronmental services provided by working with the regional network, especially to define the river basins to urban areas. Ri- bases of an Associated Program with the GWP’s SAMTAC ver basin management tech- (South America Technical Advisory Committee) and CATAC niques are analyzed by underli- (Central America Technical Advisory Committee). ning alternatives in the mana- gement of river basins which In addition, the setting-up of a LANBO Foundation, a unit supply water to populations Axel Dourojeanni to check the management of LANBO assets and resources, is Andrei S. Jouravlev and of watercourses crossing Economic Commission for Latin under way. urban settlements. The need to America and the Caribbean rehabilitate watercourses is al- [email protected] so brought out owing to their si- gnificance in preserving biodi- http://www.eclac.org/ LANBO CENTER FOR DOCUMENTATION versity and leisure for popula- AND LOGISTICS tions, in mitigating flood conse-

The Latin American Net- During its first Ordinary As- work of Basin Organizations, sembly, held in Bogota in 1998, aware of the structural weak- LANBO entrusted the design, nesses of the water sector in organization and setting-up of the Latin American region, this center to the Regional Au- RIO DE LA PLATA mainly caused by lack of infor- tonomous Corporation of Cun- mation, of access to new tech- dinamarca, CAR, in Bogota, Representatives from thirty te organizations of the Rio de la nologies and institution isola- Colombia. organizations of Argentina, Plata basin. Its objectives are tion, decided to set up a Docu- Brazil and Uruguay met in Bue- monitoring, planning, evalua- mentation and Logistics Center nos Aires, from 4 to 6 Novem- tion, research, technological for the Network. ber 1999; to define the objec- development, administration, tives, organization, action pro- legal aspects, water supply and gram and discuss the financial management to improve the LATIN AMERICAN BASIN FRIENDS aspects of the Network of En- use and sustainable develop- CLUB vironmental Research and ment of water resources and Management for the Rio de la integrated management of the Plata Basin - “Red de Investi- environment in the basin. For In August of 1998, the envi- coexistence, considering the gación y Gestión Ambiental de this purpose, “RIGA” is promo- ronmental authority of Cundi- hydrographic basin as a basic, la Cuenca del Plata (RIGA)”. ting a communication, informa- namarca in Colombia, the Re- operative and functional unit. tion and cooperation system gional Autonomous Corpora- During this working mee- ting, the participants also deci- among the member organiza- tion of Cundinamarca (CAR) tions. which is attached to LANBO, ded to make effective the “RI- held, in Santa Fe de Bogotá, GA” creation in November Alberto T. Calcagno the Latin American Network of 2000 during the 3rd Internatio- Coordinator Basin Organizations (LANBO) nal Workshop on Regional Ap- Technical Transition Committee first Ordinary Assembly. proaches for the Management and Development of Reser- This was the perfect occa- voirs, whose organization is sion to introduce the program part of the approved action pro- called “Latin American Basin gram which also includes the Friends Club” oriented to deve- publishing of the first issue of lop educative and formative LANBO Secretariat the “RIGA” technical and scien- processes for urban and rural Eduardo Mestre tific periodical. Latin American children and [email protected] teenagers, from 5 to 18 years Valerie jordan - CAR “RIGA” is a non-govern- old, in some aspects related [email protected] mental organization, whose with environment and social members are public and priva- 12 The Network Newsletter - N° 9 - 3rd Quarter of 2000 INBO 9 21/09/00 16:22 Page 13

ARGENTINA MENDOZA:THE GENERAL DIRECTORATE FOR IRRIGATION CONSIDERS WATER MANAGEMENT AS AN IMPORTANT TOOL FOR THE NEW CENTURY Mendoza covers a total sur- demands of the water sector. Water resources ried out in different places in face area of 150,839 km2, 5,4% However, demand increase fo- the province and showed that of the Argentinean territory. recasts are the first analysis protection many aquifers had water of ve- The General Directorate for Irri- elements to be taken into ac- Protecting water resources ry good quality. It is planned to gation is responsible for mana- count together with the impro- quality is the basis of all mo- create protected areas where ging water in the basins of the vement of its flexibility to adapt dern water management. The- any activity that can affect aqui- province, a task fulfilled since to future changes and externa- refore, the GDI has established fer quality will be forbidden and 1884 as stipulated in the Water lization. Generally speaking, regulations such as the Water where authorized activities will Law. In 1999, this organization the plan will be based on some Impact Assessment and the be controlled as well as the presented the PROVINCIAL basic principles enabling inte- Definition of Hydro-ecological sound use of flora and fauna. HYDROLOGICAL PLAN, an grated, effective, sustainable Protection Areas. The first one Dr. Carlos Enrique Abihaggle essential tool for enabling coor- and equitable water manage- aims at foreseeing and control- Superintendent, General dinated and sustained action in ment at the level of river basins. ling all possible deterioration of Directorate for Irrigation space and time. water quality and quantity cau- [email protected]. The plan will not only invol- gov.ar ve the participation of govern- sed by new agricultural, indus- Planning mental organizations but also trial, recreational and urban ac- the future of all the users. It was designed tivities which are developing in http://www.irrigacion.mendoza.gov.ar to gather all the community’s the Province. The Provincial Hydrological suggestions and respect and As regards protection Plan was designed to meet the preserve the environment. short, medium and long term areas, some studies were car-

BOLIVIA POLICIES FOR WATER RESOURCES AND RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT

Thanks to its Capacity Buil- integrated and participatory ri- ● concerted formulating of participatory river basin ma- ding project (ATR-BID 929) and ver basin management. policies, techniques and nagement at the municipal its component “policies for methods at the national, de- and intermunicipal levels; water resources and river ba- In order to achieve this and partmental and municipal sin management” the Ministry link the political and administra- levels for the use, protec- ● developing and using a me- of Sustainable Development tive framework with that of the tion and sustainable con- thod for assessing the regu- and Planning aims to get the river basin, the General Direc- servation of water resour- latory impact of the draft policies, standards, technical torate for Soils and Basins ces; Water Law; instruments needed for mana- Classification, an institution in charge of implementing this ● promoting, defining and im- ● setting up and updating of a ging the country’s water re- River Basin Information sources which would include component, has defined the fol- plementing technical assis- lowing specific objectives: tance with integrated and System, in partnership with the National Meteorological and Hydrological Depart- ment (“SENAMH”); ● designing and formulating ri- n Missou r i O i e A do hio çor a es ver basin master plans, in r a u P lo o o Rio rt G u C c g q a r

a i n i coordination with the land d ETATS-UNIS r e ee t ss e e n n en T m a use plan, with policies for fo- i Red p A l p

i

s t s -

i restry, environmental quality

s Bermudes d s A i RU r M - o Océan and biodiversity. N d R n r io i Atlantique Golfe de Californie G s o r s a n a d B N s Marco Montoya Rivera e Nord i e Fosse r Îles Bahamas de Nares a General Directorate for Soils Golfe du e n a Mexique l C and Basins Classification Océan MEXIQUE s G r a n d BAHAMAS a e e d s s Fax: 591 2 317475 Pacifique A n n t r i CUBA i l l e s s REP. o s Nord a Îles Caïmanes DOMINICAINE Porto Fosse de Porto Rico Bal RU HAÏTI B Rico US D sas ANTIGUA BELIZE JAMAÏQUE ET BARBUDA Montserrat SAINT-CHRISTOPHE RU ET NEVIS P Guadeloupe e France CAP VER GUATEMALA t i DOMINIQUE B Mer des t HONDURAS Bassin e a s Martinique France s l Vénézuélien Antilles A s

n SAINTE-LUCIE i

NICARAGUA t n i

l BARBADE a

F l

o SALVADOR Antilles e d s s SAINT-VINCENT ET LES GRENADINES s Néerlandaises t e u d GRENADE 'A Lac de Nicaragua C a n m TRINITE ET TOBAGO p - V ér B e r t

Clipperton e iq a a France u COSTA RICA VENEZUELA i s e n e s l

r C PANAMA a i d n e e n g GUYANA u t a ra q G M o O le n u é r y Meta O SURINAM a

e n aviar e Guyane a Gu i u o c Française s n

a q COLOMBIE r B i Negro Pu f tu m pur e i EQUATEUR a Ja á zon Îles Galapagos y A ma Equateur o c A mazone a s P jó u

M a g p n

a Ta i r U X a ñ c uá a r s u ó Ju u n y Pu r a BRESIL d li

s

n

i

Océan t

n

a

c

le o ia PEROU a T Pacifique u g a

r o A c sa s BOLIVIE i Sud c n a r F Lac Titicaca . or S Océan

D Atlantique Bassin Brésilien ay Sud Bassin du Pérou u Lac g

a Poopó r a P á n a r Îles Martin Vaz a CHILI P Brésil Ride du Nazca PARAGUAY

The Network Newsletter - N° 9 - 3rd Quarter of 2000 13 INBO 9 21/09/00 16:22 Page 14

BRAZIL SANTA CATARINA THE ITAJAI BASIN COMMITTEE This article introduces a re- nagement structure for the ba- team, like its executive secreta- flection on the planning and ri- sin. The “action component” riat and Management Commit- ver basin management pro- deals with all activities of the tee. cess, which is the output of four Basin Committee, either expec- The breaking down of river years of experimentation by the ted or requested by the regio- basin management tasks into a Itajai River Basin Committee, in nal community, and activities “formal component” and an “ac- Santa Catarina State. To sum- which legitimate the Committee tion component” should not last marize, this experiment shows towards the community with long. With the creation of the that the setting-up of a water which it is dialoguing. Water Agency and the effective resources management struc- These components are use of management instru- ture is a two-way path: from top educational as they explain the ments in the medium term, the to bottom planned legal mecha- actions required to those who formal component will become nisms and from bottom to top are interested in the creation of minimal while the action com- the needs of the communities a water resources manage- ponent will represent all the living in the basin. These two ment structure. They are also committee’s efforts. paths, both simultaneous and technical as they describe the complementary, are the “for- Beate Frank professional skills needed to Noemia Bohn mal component” and “action implement a project. The expe- component” respectively. University of Blumenau riment of the Itajai Committee [email protected] The “formal component” in- also shows the advantage of cludes the setting-up of a ma- having a multi-institutional MINAS GERAIS SAO PAULO THE RIO MOSQUITO BASIN COMMITTEE THE PIRACICABA-CAPIVARI CONSORTIUM Under the supervision of ❷ Diagnosis and specific The Piracicaba and Capiva- ● General plans and projects the Rio Mosquito Basin Com- treatment of sick people. ri river basins have had an in- for sewage treatment in 17 mittee, the first phase of the terconnecting regional entity municipalities. ❸ Education to health with the water-related project has star- since October 13, 1989, to deal ● General Water Abstraction ted (control and monitoring of participation of the commu- with issues related to water re- nity. and Production Plan for the the schistosoma mansoni). The sources and environmental re- Piracicaba and Capivari Ri- work is being developed by the ❹ covery in the region. The Inter- ver Basins. Biological control of water municipal Consortium of the Pi- Infectious Diseases Group of snails (the intermediate the Federal Espirito Santo Uni- racicaba and Capivari River ● Practical experience in host of schistosoma man- Basins was founded in Ameri- technology for sewage versity, under the coordination soni) in reservoirs. of Prof. Dr. Reynaldo Dietze. cana, through regional initiati- treatment in Cosmópolis This program includes: Mitsuro Katoaka ve, a private, non-profit civil as- and Rio Claro Treatment Rio Mosquito Basin Committee sociation technically and finan- Plants. ❶ An assessment of the en- [email protected] cially independent. Its purpose ● Development and execu- demic situation (coprologi- is to raise and invest resources cal data on school children tion of the Water Spring in environmental programs and Protection Project, that has from 7 to 14 years old), a activities. malacological survey, an already planted approxima- assessment of water-rela- The Consortium has four tely one million trees. ted diseases in the Basin, functional organs: ● Increase in domestic sewa- the checking of schistoso- ● The Council of Municipali- ge treatment rate, from 3% ma mansoni endemia in the ties (mayors and represen- to 12%. region. tatives of companies, mem- ● Initiation of the Solid Waste bers of the consortium). Program. ● A Fiscal Council (represen- ● Development of awareness tatives of city councils) and environmental educa- ● An Assembly of Entities (re- tion, the Water Week, invol- presentatives of civil socie- ving more than 160 thou- ty). sand students. ● An Executive Secretariat ● Project of International Co- (technical team). operation with the Seine- Normandy Water Agency, In June 1996, after changes ADEME and CUD (France) made to bylaws, new members and the Jucar Hydrographic joined the Consortium (public Confederation (Spain) and private companies). More than a non party political entity, Humberto Campos the Consortium became legally President an association of public and Francisco Lahóz General Coordinator private end users of water, that of Piracicaba-Capivari presently includes 40 munici- Consortium palities and 23 companies. [email protected] The Main Accomplishments Site : www.agua.org.br of the Piracicaba-Capivari Consortium are: ● Regional awareness of en- vironmental problems.

14 The Network Newsletter - N° 9 - 3rd Quarter of 2000 INBO 9 21/09/00 16:22 Page 15

BASIS FOR THE NATIONAL WATER RESOURCES POLICY IMPLEMENTATION: SUBSIDIARITY,ADMINISTRATION AND STRATEGIC PLANNING PRINCIPLES The Federal Law of 1997, in It seems that there are two tages: it reduces information The Policy implementation its first article, declares that wa- main concerns. The first one costs - the residents of a cer- is, therefore, a permanent ne- ter is a public asset, with eco- deals with reflections applied to tain jurisdiction know their gotiation and reassessment nomic value, and its manage- subsidiarity and decentraliza- concerns better - and it permits process. ment should always provide tion concepts for decision-ma- that environmental quality and Francisco José Lobato da Costa multiple use through a decen- king processes, with interfaces policy instruments vary accor- The Getulio Vargas Foundation tralized institutional model, with arising out of our federal politi- ding to the regions and the bud- [email protected] Public Power, users and com- cal-administrative organization get limit priorities. munity participation. and its overlapping, due to its The second concern has to In its third and fourth Ar- territorial division based on ri- do with the dynamic aspect of ticles, the Law gives emphasis ver basins. the National Water Resources to diversity and to inter-sectoral The subsidiarity principle, Policy implementation process, integration between the Union that determines the actions to identified as strategic planning and the States, as concerns be implemented at an adequa- tool. water management. te level, seems to be extremely An adequate answer to the- In order to implement this relevant in discussions to de- se concerns can be given Policy, it is necessary to adjust, termine power allocation to through applying the strategic on the one hand, its close each government level - fede- planning principle of the Natio- connection with local problem ral, state or municipal - in its nal Water Resources Policy, specificity, and, on the other respective administrative area. based on two dimensions: the hand, pay attention to a context Since most of the environ- temporal one, the strategic ap- in which the national experien- mental problems are local proach is characterized by ce is incipient. ones, the decentralized mana- continuity and permanence, gement has two main advan- and the geographic dimension.

BAHIA INTERMUNICIPAL CONSORTIUM OF THE RIO JIQUIRIÇA

The Rio Jiquiriça is located Steps 2nd day in Bahia State and flows out in- st Monitoring to the Atlantic Ocean. The Bra- for setting up 1 day zilian Ministry of Water Re- this Information Objectives Participatory Elaboration Assessment sources and Legal Amazonia / System (IS) Assessment Secretariat for Water Re- Validation As a prerequisite to the set- ion A Monitoring sources entrusted IOWater and lat dm ting-up of this IS, IOWater pro- u i p n Consultation o is the Intermunicipal Consortium P t Objectives posed to the CIVJ the following l r a a of the Jiquiriça Valley (CIVG) c t i methodology: definition of the o o for the implementation of inte- Capacity L Forum n information system objectives, building grated water resources mana- course of users Validation

creation of a working group U

s of objectives

gement in this river basin, for e

r which will assist the CIVJ with s rd setting up possible basin struc- this approach (its composition 3 day tures (Committee of Water may reflect the future Jiquiriça Final Séminar: Consortium Consultation Users) and their technical tools ACTION basin committee); definition of Validation Actions Actions (databases; GIS, etc.) and the system contents, definition PROGRAM planning instruments (a Water and analysis of the kind of infor- Development and Manage- mation to be collected, its avai- Monitoring ment Scheme). lability, its format, the choice of This approach allowed the the suitable and evolutive com- ◆ Definition of reference indi- of management and deve- preparation of a methodolo- puterized tool and equipment, cators to allow the follow-up lopment objectives, 5 to 6 gical guide to set up a geo- definition of the human and fi- and evaluation of the ac- maps geographically dis- graphic information system. nancial resources. tions concerned. playing the measures to be The IS should not be a car- taken and actions to be im- The Brazilian national water The CIVJ adopt a four-step plemented. law of 8 January 1997 defines approach to set the IS: tographic document only, but a this system as a “system for ga- ◆ breakdown into 3 complemen- In order to involve the Definition of the topics to be tary and indivisible documents: Jiquiriça basin’s key local stake- thering, processing, storing and dealt with by the IS, retrieving information on water ◆ A report with an analysis of holders in the preparation of the resources and on factors inter- ◆ Acquisition of information to the gathered information, information system, the CIVJ vening in their management”. establish an inventory and proposals for improving ac- has initiated a program for the Therefore the information sys- assessment of the Jiquiriça cess to information and for “society’s mobilization”. Three tem is a tool for planning and river basin, by carrying out: standardizing its format, the days of meetings, training, re- land use, a support for dia- ➨ an assessment of local elements explaining the as- flection will be organized to sha- logue, for society’s mobilization participation by mobili- sessment, the objectives re and exchange knowledge of and communication. zing the local popula- and actions needed for de- the river basin. They will be in- tion, veloping the Jiquiriça river cluded in each step of the infor- basin, mation system implementation. ➨ a bibliographical analy- sis of the existing docu- ◆ A database, with technical The beginning of the infor- ments, sheets for each analyzed mation system implementation was based on this methodolo- ➨ document and information. a survey of the key sta- It is the basis for the setting- gical guide. Led by CIVJ, it keholders, up of a geographically-refe- should be completed within six ◆ Preparation of an action renced information system, months or a year. program and management ◆ Vera Lyra A cartographic document Intermunicipal Consortium measures, starting with the with a series of 10 topical definition of management of the Jiquiriça Valley (CIVG) maps illustrating the basin [email protected] objectives assessment, 5 to 6 maps providing a geographic view The Network Newsletter - N° 9 - 3rd Quarter of 2000 15 INBO 9 21/09/00 16:22 Page 16

FAST MEXICAN PROGRESSES MEXICO IN THE WATER SECTOR In Mexico, the water sector particular, 95% of the surface LEGAL FRAMEWORK is favorably changing by relying area of the 82 irrigated lands be- FOR WATER MANAGEMENT on two essential lines of action: came under the responsibility of water management at the ri- their users. AND USE ver basin level, as the latter is As concerns consensus with the natural unit for the resource, the users, planning meetings we- The law which entered into ● Increased involvement of and a consensus with the force on 2 December 1992, users. re organized in each of the 13 hy- users regarding the actions to drological-administrative regions reaffirms the principle of water ● Establishment of a water be carried out to secure conti- use through concessions gran- of the country to define the pro- market with concession au- nuity and success in implemen- blems to be solved and find pos- ted by the federal executive bo- thorizations. ting jointly agreed programs. dy via the National Water Com- sible alternative solutions. mission. Its objectives are the The Law on National Wa- Within the decentralization The results obtained with following: ters integrates various instru- process initiated by the National this participation process are ments for adequate manage- Water Commission in order to presented to the Basin Councils ● Regulations on the use of ment of the resource. These solve hydraulic problems at lo- national waters, their sup- which are the legal entities esta- instruments are regulatory cal level, agreements were si- blished by the National Water ply and control, the preser- (users’ rights and obligations) gned between the country’s vation of their quality to Law and its implementation to economic (obligation to pay States and municipalities so that strengthen the involvement of achieve sustainable deve- water use and the services pro- they can build infrastructures lopment of the resource. users in water management and vided by the National Water and implement projects in this conservation. ● Integrated water manage- Commission and marketing of sector. As regards irrigation in ment in terms of quantity water rights) and participatory and quality. (involvement of the society). WATER RESOURCES PLANNING ● The river basin is the basic Sergio Moreno Mejía reference for any planning National Water Commission To achieve better water de- ■ Formulation of strategies for and water resources mana- [email protected] velopment and conservation in water development in each gement process. the country, the Secretariat for region. the Environment, Natural Re- ■ Drawing up of regional hy- sources and Fisheries, through draulic programs. the National Water Commission ■ Implementation of a process BETTER PREPARATION (CNA), is implementing a large for monitoring and evalua- TO FACE WATER CHALLENGES evolution process to promote ting progresses and results ST the involvement of users and of actions included in these IN THE 21 CENTURY water management at the river regional hydraulic programs. basin level, thus replacing the ■ Adequacy between the diffe- Mexico reformed its water Committees and 32 Technical traditional management by fede- rent regional hydraulic pro- sector these last years to better Committees for groundwater ral bodies, as water is naturally grams, taking account of face the water challenges that were created to improve institu- distributed in the river basin. successes and planned ob- are foreseen in the 21st century. tional organization. The steps of this planning jectives. Under the pressure of an The Basin Councils will gra- process are as follows: José Antonio Rodríguez Tirado ever-increasing demand for dually assume a more active ■ Definition of hydrological- [email protected] best quality water, the opera- and prominent role in the for- administrative regions. Eduardo A Acosta Lara tors and service providers in mulation, follow-up and evalua- ■ Carrying out of regional wa- [email protected] the water supply, sanitation tion of plans for integrated wa- ter resources assessments. Planning Department, National and wastewater treatment sec- ter management at the level of Water Commission tors, are trying to control leaks, river basins. COCEF: better manage demands, the A Citizens’ Movement for metering and billing of the real- Water was created to acquire TRANSBOUNDARY COOPERATION ly consumed waters, improve better behavior and raise the The Commission for which were on the Mexican si- operation and preventive main- awareness of citizens on water tenance, and take measures to Transboundary Ecological de and 23 on the United issues and on its strategic si- Cooperation (COCEF), a bina- States side, amounting to an increase the effectiveness of gnificance for future develop- the operation and management tional organization, was created, investment of US$ 976 million. ment. It is a self-administered through agreements comple- of services. The Mexican Trai- non governmental movement ➥ Approval of technical assis- ning Center for Water Profes- mentary to the Free Trade Trea- tance, amounting to US$ which is supported by a ty between Mexico and the Uni- sions will open soon and allow “Consultative Council” promo- 17.14 million for 122 pro- the meeting of training needs of ted States, to identify, appraise jects benefiting 95 commu- ted by the President of the Uni- and approve environmental in- thousands technicians and ted States of Mexico and made nities. workers, working in water-rela- frastructure projects. It is a com- ➥ up of important persons. munity participation process. The carrying out, in partner- ted systems. st ship with the United States The challenges of the 21 This bilateral cooperation is At the federal level, the Na- century are very high and com- Environmental Protection tional Water Commission, reco- unique worldwide as it has created Agency, the Southwest Cen- plex, as Mexico hosts a popula- an organization which can identify gnized by Mexican law as the tion of 100 million inhabitants ter for Environmental Re- authority in this sector, prioriti- the needs in a decentralized pro- search Policy and the Uni- that will grow in spite of the de- cess involving communities. zed its operational reorganiza- mographic growth rate slowing versity of Texas, of a needs tion to create 13 Regional Direc- down of these last years. This COCEF established a Tech- assessment which enabled torates to facilitate water mana- means that huge efforts will ha- nical Assistance Program to al- the identification of gaps in gement at the level of basins ve to be made in investment, locate funds, on a grant basis, to infrastructures for drinking and aquifers. The systems mo- institutions and organization for support communities of the bor- water supply, sanitation, nitoring the parameters of the more effective and modern wa- der region in planning and desi- wastewater treatment and hydrological cycle and water ter management. Mexico is gning drinking water supply sys- municipal solid wastes ma- quality are being modernized to- now prepared to successfully tems, wastewater treatment nagement, estimated at US$ gether with hydrometeorological face water challenges. plants and solid wastes mana- 3,500 million. information collection and pro- gement and other projects devo- ➥ Guillermo Guerrero Villalobos Regarding community parti- cessing systems. A Public Re- General Manager ted to the improvement of the cipation, 45 public inquiry gister of Water Rights (REP- National Water Commission environment in the region. processes took place in 42 DA) has been established. [email protected] Among the successfully communities on both sides The first step of the organi- completed activities, the follo- of the border. 45 citizens’ zation of Basin Councils and of wing should be emphasized: committees were created. their auxiliary bodies is ending ➥ Approval of 40 projects during Gonzalo Bravo this year. 25 Basin Councils, 7 23 public meetings of the Ma- Adviser, COCEF Basin Commissions, 3 Basin nagement Committee, 17 of [email protected] 16 The Network Newsletter - N° 9 - 3rd Quarter of 2000 INBO 9 21/09/00 16:22 Page 17

PANAMA PERU PROMOTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT OF GROUNDWATER EDUCATION AND MANAGEMENT RESOURCES IN THE LOWER The government of Chiriqui priate technical coordination to CHANCAY-HUARAL BASIN Province started a close coor- continuously know the status of dination with the National Au- the environment and ecology in Peruvian coastal valleys with a depth varying bet- thority for the Environment the different communities, the suffer from water shortage du- ween 2.00 m and 42.00 m. (ANAM) and the Ministry of promoting of the development ring most of the year and com- ◆ the hydraulic parameters ob- Education to promote the deve- of environmental programs: fo- plement their needs for irriga- tained indicate that the aqui- lopment of programs for envi- restry, ecological tourism, tion water with groundwater. fer has good hydraulic status ronmental management at the agro-ecology with a sustai- Faced with such a situation, the and does not suffer from any municipal level in the 13 dis- nable development purpose. General Water and Soil Direc- interference problem. tricts and 81 municipalities torate of the National Institute This Department initiated at for Natural Resources (INRE- ◆ electric conductivity varies which compose Chiquiri Pro- the same time, in coordination vince, one of the nine pro- NA) undertook an assessment between 0.30 et 1.90 mm- with the Regional Administra- of groundwater resources in hos/cm (moderate minerali- vinces of the country. This pro- tion for the Environment, the gram aims at implementing the 1996 in the various valleys. zation). Calcium bicarbona- Regional Directorate of Educa- te is the dominant chemical General Law on the Environ- tion, the Foundation for River This study aimed at deter- ment which requires the orga- compound and water is Management and the private mining groundwater availability classified as water of good nization of consultative com- sector, an information cam- by identifying its springs, defi- missions on the environment at to fair quality according to paign on the environment ad- ning the exploitable volume, the boron contents. the national, provincial and dis- dressing schools: the Club for a the aquifer geometry and beha- trict levels. New Vision of the Environment. vior, water quality and calcula- ◆ water potability is classified In order to implement envi- A new project for environmen- ting the total reserves. from good to poor. ronmental management at the tal education is the creation of The method used and the Ing. Manuel Tapia Munoz municipal level, the provincial a Higher School of Biotechno- work completed dealt with sur- Director General for Water government issued an imple- logy. and Soils face hydrology, geology, geo- INRENA mentation decree which crea- Eduardo Castro, morphology, geophysical sur- [email protected] ted an Environmental Study [email protected] vey, inventory of groundwater Department. Its objectives are springs, aquifer reserves, un- the promoting of Municipal Di- derground hydraulics, hydro- rectorates for Environmental chemistry, wells engineering Management in the various and total reserves. municipalities of the province, the establishing of an appro- Among the results obtained, it should be noted that: ◆ the area includes 6 CLIMATIC CHANGE hydrogeological AND SUSTAINABLE units, rocky out- crops, sediment de- DEVELOPMENT IN URBAN AREAS posits, sandy areas, Several programs have International cooperation recent marine de- been initiated in order to study and exchange of knowledge posits, etc. this global change: the “World have received an increased ◆ a total of 3,542 wells Climate Research Program amount of attention through va- exist, 3,133 of which (WCRP), the Global Atmos- rious organizations such as the are operating, of pheric Research Program Intergovernmental Panel on which 97% are (GARP) and the International Climate Change (IPCC) set up being used for do- Geosphere Biosphere Pro- by the World Meteorological mestic water supply. gram, a Study of Global Chan- Organization (WMO) and the ◆ the aquifer is mainly ge (IGBP). These programs United Nations Environment formed with alluvial have played a major role in the Program (UNEP). deposits. It is free attempt to unravel complex cli- At the regional level in Latin matological events such as the America, an ongoing effort is El-Niño Southern Oscillation or coordinated by CATHALAC wi- define climate’s sensitivity to thin the region of the Trade CATAMAYO-CHIRA BASIN: the increase of the concentra- Convergence Climate Complex ACTIONS FOR SHARED tion of greenhouse gases in the (TC3) to improve the knowled- atmosphere. ge of the complex mechanisms MANAGEMENT that originate and control clima- te processes in the humid In 1995, the last conflict countries, from international tropics. between Peru and Ecuador cooperation agencies and from caused the loss of many lives the Public Works Directorate of Maria Concepción Donoso and an economic disaster that the Spanish Ministry of the En- www.iowater.org/inbo Nicholas J.P.M. de Groot cannot be quantified. The si- vironment to define actions for Water Center for the Humid gning of the La Paz Agreement sustainable development of the All information related Tropics of Latin America and the Caribbean (CATHALAC) on 18 October 1998 ended half binational Catamayo-Chira ba- to INBO is available Fax: +1 305 361 4981 a century of painful disputes sin. [email protected] and paved the way to joint de- The meeting allowed the velopment. formulation of technical activi- The IRAGER of Piura ties to improve the quality of li- (Peru), initiated, on 18 and 19 fe in the basin and the creation June 1999, a first binational of a Binational Coordination technical meeting on the Cata- Body (CCB) for their implemen- mayo-Chira basin, with the tation. support of the Netherlands Ignacio Benavent - IRAGER Fund for Cooperation and De- [email protected] velopment (SNV). It gathered on the WEB many large public and private organizations, representatives www.iowater.org/inbo from 24 institutions of both The Network Newsletter - N° 9 - 3rd Quarter of 2000 17 INBO 9 22/09/00 11:09 Page 18

ADOUR-GARONNE A PARTNERSHIP THE NEW BETWEEN EUROPEAN FRANCE ELECTRICITY FRAMEWORK OF FRANCE DIRECTIVE RHONE-MEDITERRANEAN- (“EDF”) AND RIVER BASIN AND THE WATER MANAGEMENT CORSICA AGENCY PLANS REHABILITATION OF “THE OLD EDF being willing to active- The French Water Law of 1992 RHONE OF PIERRE-BENITE” ly participate in the collective stipulates that a Master Plan for management of water re- Water Development and Mana- nership and the developers it sources in the Adour-Garonne gement (SDAGE) should be for- involved. basin, an agreement was si- mulated for each river basin. gned in 1991. It mainly The rehabilitation of the Old The Framework Directive concerns: on water policy in the Euro- Rhone of Pierre Bénite inclu- ➥ ded four kinds of project: general principles for adap- pean Union, coming into force ting the equipment and ma- in 2000, requires the adoption ➥ increase in the minimum nagement of some EDF hy- of a water management plan in flow from 10 to 100 m3/s in droelectric infrastructures; each “basin district”, even the diverted Rhone; ➥ conditions for making EDF when shared by several states. ➥ the rehabilitation of 3 technical and scientific What are the similarities “lones”; skills available; and differences between these ➥ the development of riparian ➥ creation of an EDF-Agency two kinds of schemes? spaces; Joint Technical Group They are both based on the ➥ the scientific follow-up of re- (JTG). principle that water is a com- sults and flow rate increase. The first JTG assignment mon heritage, to which inte- aimed at identifying the pos- grated management should Work is now completed, be applied, taking the river ba- flow rate in the Old Rhone in- sible contribution of EDF regar- ding water resources. sin as the implementation unit An overall creased and the scientific fol- and involving user participa- framework for low-up will continue during the Since 1996, the partnership tion. 2000-2005 period. between these two organiza- water policy tions has focused on the effec- The Framework Directive is regarding the old ... is the first step tive implementation of various mainly focusing on a qualitati- Rhone: the Rhone of a ten-year hydropower-related measures ve objective. program for the provided for in the SDAGE: The SDAGEs are assigned Action Plan... ● Migratory fish passes with an overall mission of good The “Rhone Action Plan”, rehabilitation of qualitative and quantitative approved in 1992, has been the Rhone ● Water releases from management, which integrates the key element in the formula- dams and their potential concerns about meeting needs tion of the Master Plan for Wa- impacts on water quality, for use and those for the pro- ter Development and Manage- the aquatic environment tection of the natural environ- ment for the Rhone valley. and other uses. ment and sustainable develop- ● ment. It focused on the three main rhône méditerranée corse Water resources, mana- following assignments: gement plan for low wa- The European Directive re- Jean-louis PRIME ter flows and agreement quires the adoption of a mana- ◆ recover high ecological Rhone-Mediterranean-Corsica for releasing water to gement plan in each river basin quality; Water Agency sustain them to coordinate all decisions and Fax: 33 4 72 71 26 01 ◆ prevent any risk of acciden- [email protected] ● Floating wastes treatment actions made to achieve its ob- tal pollution of the river; which should be integrated jectives. ◆ recover a lively and flowing into “Departmental Plans It should be formulated on river. SYNERGY for Wastes Removal”. the initiative of the district’s OF STAKEHOLDERS ● Limitation of effects of “relevant authority” which ... in which a re- lockage water in sensiti- will make the document avai- ve periods lable to the people” for them to markable project The project involved express remarks before deci- on an outstanding The total water charges sions are made. many partners; besi- paid by EDF every year have site was planned de seven riparian amounted to about 40 million The SDAGEs provide orientations and a frame- The building in 1960 of francs since the beginning of communities that th work for future public actions. Pierre Bénite hydroelectric in- the 7 program. frastructures downstream of mobilized, it involved They are prepared by Ba- Lyons and of one of the largest the Rhone General sin Committees and the State concentration of chemical in- Administration relying, for each dustries in France, diverted the Council, Lyons city stage, on geographical and river on about 10 km. Flow re- hall, the Rhone-Medi- topical working groups, ga- duction in the natural bed of the thering representatives from Rhone (from 1,000 to 10 m3/s) terranean-Corsica users, contracting authorities, and the sinking of the aquifer Water Agency, the local authorities and Govern- contributed to the disappearan- National Rhone mental administrations. ce of “lones” and wetlands. Company (CNR) the Alain DUCHEIN The SDAGEs are designed A thought process which M. MARTINEZ with long-term provisions and Adour-Garonne Water Agency started at the beginning of the Ministry of the Envi- Fax: 33 5 36 37 28 orientations (15-20 years) whi- 1990s on “the Old Rhone of ronment, the Rhone- [email protected] le management plans for basin Pierre Bénite” led to the imple- districts should be revised eve- mentation of a rehabilitation Alps region and asso- ry 6 years. project which is remarkable by ciations for environ- its technical and scientific qua- lity and by the outstanding part- mental protection. 18 The Network Newsletter - N° 9 - 3rd Quarter of 2000 INBO 9 22/09/00 11:09 Page 19

SEINE- NORMANDY THE SEINE, PARIS AND COMPREHENSIVE WATER MANAGEMENT Comprehensive water ma- In our modern bodies, all sta- not supervising the waterways tember 1996 after four years of nagement is an old tradition in keholders are working together. trade, thus water quality, but extended dialogue. It set out the Seine river basin. This can However, their purpose exten- joint basin bodies are dealing quality and quantity objectives to be explained by Paris belonging ded and democracy gained from with quality issues among other be complied with and the infra- to this basin. Indeed, the Seine it. To-day, a sole community is things. In accordance with the structures to be built to achieve river basin has a specificity of Water Law these objectives. In addition, the having in its middle (the same of 1992, Board of Directors of the Water distance from the river mouth the Master Agency and the Basin Commit- and spring: 350 km) a town of Plan for tee have just unanimously ap- prime importance which has had Water De- proved the main lines of the 8th considerable influence, from a velopment Action Program for the Seine- political, economic and cultural and Mana- Normandy basin. point of view, on the surrounding gement Jean-Pierre DUPORT provinces since the Roman era. (SDAGE) President of the Board The 118 members of the for the Sei- of Directors ne-Nor- Seine-Normandy Water Agency Basin Committee have repla- Fax: 33 1 44 42 60 09 ced the four aldermen and the mandy basin was jeanpierre.duport@ile-de-france. merchant Provost who regula- pref.gouv.fr ted waterways traffic. approved on 20 Sep- FRENCH POLICY FOR FLOOD PREVENTION France has been subject to be justified by the protection levied by Water Agencies on François Casal spectacular floods at all times. of existing urban settle- installations, infrastructures, Water Directorate These events seriously affec- ments. works and activities that might Ministry of Spatial Planning and ted urban areas which have un- worsen the damage caused by the Environment The second priority is the francois.casal@environne- wisely extended since the in- modernization of monitoring floods (changes in the water re- ment.gouv.fr dustrial revolution on the banks and warning systems. gime caused by dams, filling of watercourses around water- and use of flood plains, soil wa- ways-related infrastructures In order to monitor river terproofing). (ports, mills, plants). changes, each Flood Warning Department receives from Me- agence In order to stop this trend teo-France special rainfall fore- LOIRE-BRITTANY and following floods repeated de l'eau casts and from automatic tele- loire since September 1992, the go- transmitting monitoring stations WATER AGENCY vernment decided, on 24 Ja- rainfall and water level measu- bretagne nuary 1994, to strengthen pu- rements. EXAMPLE blic policy for the prevention of natural hazards, using regula- Finally, the State laun- OF THE LOIRE RIVER BASIN tory tools and financial means ched a program for the main- An effective strategy for flood pulations to be informed of (especially by implementing a tenance and rehabilitation of control should be comprehen- possible floods and their se- multi-year program for the pre- watercourses, complemen- sive and include a component rious consequences. vention of natural hazards, ted with aid for the protection focusing on forecast and pre- amounting to billions of francs). of settlements. To reduce flood hazards, a vention. lasting approach to dimini- The first priority is given The ten-year plan for the Although the water agen- shing the vulnerability of pro- to limiting the use of flood- rehabilitation and maintenance cies’ involvement in the direct perties exposed in flood-prone prone areas for vulnerable of watercourses to be imple- protection of properties and areas should be prioritized. activities and to the conser- mented should amount to 8.2 people against floods seems This abatement should rely on vation of the storage capaci- billion francs for the works fi- still to be currently ruled out, a a social and economic ap- ty of these areas: nanced by the State at an ave- new action in prevention could proach and on a harmonious ➥ rage rate of 25% for water- nevertheless be considered, regulation of the way of life in forbid new constructions in courses not belonging to the the most exposed areas especially if new taxes brought flood-prone areas. navigable waterways which are new means. ➥ preserve flood plains under the responsibility of the This policy has unquestio- ➥ public “French Waterways” Prevention includes the nably no meaning if not ac- forbid any embankment or following topics: companied by stringent mea- new filling which would not company. ◆ knowledge of hydraulic sures to control urbanization in Reflec- flood-prone areas. tions started phenomena on the possi- ◆ definition of a method for To maintain or recover bility of using developing flood-prone conditions benefiting the river an economic areas hydraulic functioning is a chal- tool to help lenge and its positive conse- implementing ◆ maintenance and rehabili- quences may be more signifi- the policy for tation of the natural func- cant than the building of pro- the prevention tioning of watercourses. tection works. of natural ha- Knowledge is obviously These proposals are cur- zards. the essential basis for any pre- rently being discussed. vention policy. The understan- Studies we- J.L. BESEME re carried out to ding of high water flows forma- tion, of their propagation and Loire-Brittany Water Agency examine the re- Fax : (33) 0 2 38 51 74 74 levancy of the overflow localization enable water charges the decision-makers and po- The Network Newsletter - N° 9 - 3rd Quarter of 2000 19 INBO 9 21/09/00 16:22 Page 20

EUROPE SPAIN JUCAR HYDROGRAPHIC CONFEDERATION PLAN FOR FLOOD CONTROL ON THE JUCAR RIVER BANKS

The specific meteorological sive approach which implies ◆ works for high water flow These proposals of the Mi- features of the Spanish Medi- that structural and non-structu- abatement, nistry of the Environment for terranean coastline lead to ex- ral measures are taken and ◆ river development, structural actions, amounting to traordinary rainfall with great that a strong coordination 22,500 million pesetas, are disproportion between usual exists between the various ad- ◆ hydrology-forestry rehabili- complemented with local ac- and unusual river flows which ministrations concerned. These tation, tions of the Generalitat Valen- causes floods to be extremely different actions, structural or ◆ improvement of road drai- ciana and urban drainage serious in the Jucar Hydrogra- not, were integrated by the Mi- nage, works, estimated at 6,000 mil- phic Confederation, especially nistry of the Environment lion pesetas. on Valencia territory. through the Jucar Hydrogra- ◆ cartography of flood ha- zards, The overall plan also in- cludes significant activities for The Jucar Basin ◆ civil protection, hydrology and forest rehabilita- ◆ regional plan- tion and the improvement of ning, road drainage which should be defined and estimated by the ◆ safety of pro- administrations concerned. perties. These actions are also Structural ac- complemented with non-struc- tions were limited tural programs, based on the to those needed to detailed mapping of flood ha- protect the territo- zards on a 1/2000 scale in the ry, taking into ac- Jucar plain. This work aims at count the unavoi- facilitating civil protection, re- dable impacts on gional planning and safety poli- the environment cy which will be carried out by and river ecosys- the relevant administrations. tems. Including in this plan the flood In particular, common maps routing reservoirs made available by the local ad- of Montesa, Mar- ministration will allow a better quesado and Sel- development of municipal ac- lent which reduce tion plans for flood control the flow of the which will be formulated in ac- Cáñoles, Magro cordance with the Special Plan and Sellent rivers, for flood control in Valencia dis- has limited the trict and the Directive for the building of works to planning of civil protection a portion of 10 km against flood hazards. long on the Jucar, Juan Manuel Aragonés Beltrán The State Administration’s located between the Car- Jucar Hydrographic investments were significant phic Confederation in the Ove- rall Plan for flood control on caixent urban area and the Confederation and, to get an order of magnitu- crossroads with the A 7 high- Fax: 34 96 393 8801 de, the Plan for the South Va- the Jucar river banks. This [email protected] plan whose formulation started way. This action was comple- lencia town can be referred to. mented downstream with the It concerns the diversion of the in 1998 is now finalized. It is characterized by the citizens’ improvement of the Jucar south Turia or of the Tous, Bellús and bank drainage. Escalona reservoirs on the Ju- participation in part- car. These proposals were pre- nership with the Upper sented after the floods of 1982 Bank and Lower Bank. Proposed Structural actions when 24,000 ha were flooded This participation with damage estimated at process allowed the 242,000 million pesetas (1998 presentation of in-dep- value). However, the problem th hydrological and hy- still remains in this area, as draulic technical stu- shown by the resolution of Va- dies, undertaken by lencia Court in 1998, reques- the Center for Hydro- ting the formulation of a Plan graphic Studies of CE- for the Jucar High Waters. DEX, a research orga- From a technical and envi- nization supervised by ronmental point of view, any the Ministry for Deve- structural action in the Jucar lopment, with a large basin is conditioned by the spe- consensus on the final cific geomorphological layout of solution proposed. rivers in the coastal plain, with This process defi- a high impact on coastal dunes ned a set of actions which has to be taken into ac- needed to achieve the count in any action on rivers as protection objectives the natural drainage system adopted in the overall sustains large wetlands. plan. These actions It is difficult to reduce flood are broken down into hazards and their associated four structural and four damage without a comprehen- non-structural pro- grams: 20 The Network Newsletter - N° 9 - 3rd Quarter of 2000 INBO 9 21/09/00 16:22 Page 21

TAGUS HYDROGRAPHIC SOUTHERN CONFEDERATION HYDROGRAPHIC THE SPANISH HYDRAULIC CONFEDERATION ORGANIZATION: THE HYDROGRAPHIC PUBLIC COMPANIES CONFEDERATIONS FOR HYDRAULIC DEVELOPMENT The administrative structure In the future, it will be ne- This topic is fashionable Changes in the citizens’ be- of the Hydrographic Confedera- cessary to strengthen the and is being reviewed due to havior regarding water tions distinguishes administra- users’ participation to broaden the socioeconomic and envi- considered as a scarce re- tion entities (Board of Directors the democratic system, taking ronmental problems arising, re- source is one of the deter- and Presidency) from manage- account of the interests of all cognized in the Community le- mining factors to be taken ment entities, in a “participatory parties concerned, ecological gislation on sustainable deve- into account when formula- regime” for fulfilling the tasks sector inclusive. lopment of water resources ting new policies. which are entrusted to them Finally, the basin system and respect of the environ- ❹ (User Assembly, Commissions The fourth topic concerns may lead to consider water as ment. an analysis of the system for water release, Exploita- the heritage of a specific territo- tion Committees and Infrastruc- To deal with all aspects re- used for managing hydrau- ry and loss of common cause lated to this topic and all criteria lic infrastructures. Availabi- tures Committees) from a plan- may arise with the opposition to ning entity (the Basin Water of processes leading to lity of information, calcula- a water transfer not only bet- changes is necessary. tion in real time, new tech- Council). ween two different basins The Framework Directive nologies used in hydraulic During the last decades, (cases of the Tagus-Segura, systems have an impact on the Hydrographic Confedera- Ebro-Catalonia or Duero-Le- on water policy requires total recovery of water supply costs. planning, management and tions were very effective instru- vant) but also at the level of control of regulating sys- ments for the public sector in sub-basins. The Law 13/96 on fiscal, tems. planning and exploiting water administrative and social mea- José Antonio Llanos Blasco The training of technicians resources. This model is suited Tagus Hydrographic sures has planned mecha- to the geographical context of nisms for the financing and ex- to these new technologies Confederation and their use will change the country and is sufficiently Fax: 34 1 554 5502 ploitation of hydraulic infra- flexible to be adapted to sub- [email protected] structures which allow for the the management of hydrau- basins to better develop and participation of users in the fu- lic infrastructures and exploit the existing water ture development of hydraulic should be taken into ac- resources. infrastructures in Spain. count. ❺ The creation of public water Safety of hydraulic infra- companies for the Ebro (ACE- structures is the fifth topic to SA), the Southern Basin (ACU- be dealt with. The formula- GUADALQUIVIR SUR), the Jucar (AJUSA), Hi- tion of regulations regar- droguadiana, the Segura, the ding risks and management HYDROGRAPHIC Duero and Aquavir, shows the policies to guarantee safety rise of a new legal and econo- is needed. mic framework for the develop- ❻ Finally, the maintenance of CONFEDERATION ment of hydraulic works. hydraulic works should be AUTOMATED INFORMATION In such a context, this pro- dealt with by analyzing the blem should be dealt with me- advantages and disadvan- SYSTEMS FOR HYDROLOGY (SAIH) thodologically by breaking it up tages of their implementa- AND WATER QUALITY (SAICA) in six sub topics concerning the tion by public or private most relevant aspects. companies. It could be in- ➥ teresting to study the latest The territory of the Guadal- to control and optimize in ❶ Assessing the demands, in- experiences. quivir Hydrographic Confede- the short term the operation tegrating environmental 2 José Antonio Villegas Alés ration covers 63.822 Km and of dams, canals and mains and socioeconomic issues is crossed by the Guadalquivir in the basin to meet de- President should be done before buil- Southern Hydrographic (666 Km long). It hosts a popu- mands and manage floods, ding hydraulic works, by es- Confederation lation of 4.5 million inhabitants ➥ to make medium-term fore- tablishing procedures inclu- Fax: 34 952 21 8894 and includes towns such as casts on surface and ding environmental and so- [email protected] Cordoba (300,000 inhabitants) ground water resources cioeconomic issues and and Seville (800,000 inhabi- availability to optimize their economic and performance tants) among others, and an ir- sharing among the different evaluation in the decision rigated area of 550,000 ha. uses: irrigation, water sup- making process. The regulating infrastructu- ply of populations, hydropo- ❷ The processes used for re is made up of 65 dam-reser- wer generation and minimal building hydraulic infra- voirs with a total capacity of environmental require- structures should be revi- 8,500 hm3, the main one being ments. 3 sed to identify the advan- Iznajar (980 hm ) on the Genil The system comprises 142 tages and disadvantages of river, of the main river. control points. public or private or mixed www.iowater.org/inbo participation. The SAIH objectives are: The SAICA continuously All information related ➥ to automatically provide in- transmits information in real ti- ❸ Public companies, users’ formation in real time on cli- me on such parameters as pH, participation and conces- to INBO is available matic, hydrological parame- turbidity, temperature and dis- sion sub-contracting for the ters and on the status of the solved oxygen. It comprises 14 building and exploitation of hydraulic works which are control points on the main hydraulic infrastructures important to control the ba- rivers. belong to the 3rd sub-topic. It will deal with the identifi- sin hydraulics, In addition to detecting any ➥ cation of users, formulae for to make short-term fore- anomaly, the system can also the recovery of investment casts on the evolution of make samples to be analyzed costs and evolution of pu- water levels and flows and later in a laboratory. blic subsidies for these generate warnings to mini- Manuel Vizcaino Alcala works. The impact of the mize damage caused by Guadalquivir Hydrographic new terms imposed by mar- on the WEB high waters and floods, Confederation. ket liberalization and globa- [email protected] lization must be assessed. www.iowater.org/inbo The Network Newsletter - N° 9 - 3rd Quarter of 2000 21 INBO 9 21/09/00 16:22 Page 22

HUNGARY AN EXTRAORDINARY CHALLENGE FOR THE HUNGARIAN BASIN ORGANIZATIONS: THE HISTORIC FLOOD IN THE TISZA RIVER BASIN IN 2000

Since November 1998, The flood wave of 3 April, Hungary and especially the which used to occur once in Tisza River Basin have been 500 years, threatened the enti- afflicted by several disasters, re Hungarian Great Plain and caused by nature and man. overloaded all protection In 1999, an extreme protec- works. tion against excess waters was On 18 April, this was exten- running in the Great Hungarian ded to the area which spreads Plain, while at the beginning of up to the southern border of the year 2000 cyanide and the country, further to the river heavy metal pollution overbur- mouth of the Hármas-Körös, dened the State bodies and the thus the length was increased 5 river basin organizations in up to 1,614 km. However it was the Tisza valley to protect the not only the height of waters population.

WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT IN THE 21ST CENTURY International Conference in Budapest, 1-3 June 2000

All flood records were bea- which was extraordinary but its As a follow up of the II. The importance of river ten on that section of the Tisza duration too. In Szolnok floo- World Water Conference, an basin management and water which extends from Tiszabecs ding lasted 18 days. international conference was resources management was up to Mindszent, and on the to- The total cost of raising le- held in Budapest with the goal underlined by the Tunisian, tal length of the Bodrog river, vees on 310 km and other pro- of broadening knowledge and Brazilian, Norwegian, Hunga- the water levels having excee- tection works reached 13.2 bil- understanding of the existing rian, Iranian and Ukrainian ded the highest values ever lion HUF. water resources planning and lecturers. This wide spectrum measured. In Szolnok town the management practices in dif- of lecturers shows the global levels reached 1.32 m, (65 cm Dr. Miklós Varga ferent countries, the new wa- interest expressed towards in 1999 and 67 cm in 2000). National Water Authority, OVF Fax: 36-1 375-3967 ter policy and planning sys- the basin as a natural unit for This situation worsened with [email protected] tem of the European Union. planning, managing and cyanide pollution between 30 using water resources. In the January and 10 February. Since this goal is very fa- miliar to the INBO member or- lectures special regards were ganizations, maybe it will be given to the implementation useful if we try to give a short and harmonization of water report on the Budapest confe- directives expressing the im- rence which attracted an au- portance of international co- dience from 25 countries, operation in the field of water mostly from Central and Eas- management. tern Europe. The main topics The most interesting topic of the conference were as fol- was the management of ex- lows: tremes. Altogether eight lec- ● New water policies with tures dealt with the issues of special reference to Euro- floods and droughts. The ca- pe tastrophic flood in the Tisza valley, the Rumanian and ● River Basin Management Hungarian flood manage- Planning ment, the drought problems in ● Implementation and har- Tunisia, Portugal, Bulgaria monization of water direc- and Hungary were introduced tives and standards and discussed. ● Kálmán Papp International framework National Water Authority, OVF for water management Fax: 36-1 212-0775 ● Management of extremes: [email protected] Floods and droughts.

22 The Network Newsletter - N° 9 - 3rd Quarter of 2000 INBO 9 21/09/00 16:22 Page 23

CZECH REPUBLIC PROPOSED FLOOD PROTECTION MEASURES IN THE MORAVA RIVER BASIN

The Morava River is one of ● use of existing re- the largest tributaries of the Da- tention capabili- nube River. The Morava River ties (natural flood Basin (22,000 km2) covers 26 areas, man-made percent of the Czech Republic storm water re- and has a population of 2.7 mil- tention facilities); lion. The average annual rain- ● measures to ex- fall is 635 mm and the mean tend the flood annual runoff is estimated at 3 control systems 3,430 million m . already in place. The enormous flooding of The first mea- July 1997 triggered discus- sures concern new sions on the need for a flood storm water retention protection system. tanks, river bed mo- In partnership with Aquatis, difications to increa- Povodi Moravy presented its se retention capacity, “Master plan of flood preven- the building of new tion measures in the River dikes along residen- Morava drainage area” to the tial areas. The mea- Ministry of Agriculture in May sures proposed thus 1998. Experience drawn from represent a synthesis the recent flooding concluded of a number of pre- that a significant part of dama- viously prepared lo- ge was concentrated in zones cal documents and characterized by the inadequa- plans adjusted on the te capacity of infrastructures for basis of the experien- storing, diverting or conveying ce gained in the 1997 water and of the water mana- floods. The second gement system. A comparison set of measures deal of the different parts of the drai- with better land use. nage area showed the positive A flood model role of existing storage reser- was created to ob- voirs and storm water retention tain an accurate des- tanks. On the basis of this ex- cription of the 1997 perience, the master plan pro- floods and used to posed flood control measures establish different for the affected parts of the Mo- scenarios to illustra- rava drainage area: te the effect of va- ● flood control measures to riable floods. protect settled areas or Vaclav Kosacky, sites of special public inter- Antonin Tuma, est; agricultural areas will Pavel Biza not be protected; Povodi Moravy ● Fax: +420 5 41211403 measures designed for the [email protected] biggest flood observed, LATVIA IMPLEMENTATION OF INTEGRATED WATER MANAGEMENT Latvia has launched a pro- Regional Development and the cess to become a member of Swedish Environmental Pro- the European Union. The EU tection Agency. Water Directives shall be Daugava River is one of the transposed into the Latvian biggest rivers in the Baltic Sea legislation before 2002. The basin and the biggest in Latvia. Ministry of Environmental Pro- Its catchment area covers tection and Regional Develop- 87,900 km2 and is situated on ment decided to start prepara- territories of Russia, Byelorussia tory work for implementation of and Latvia. 28% of the total area the European Water Frame- are located in Latvia and cover work Directive which will meet 38% of the State’s territory. the possibilities to use a holistic integrated river basin approach The Project is primarily a in water management. training and capacity building program for the Latvian water To demonstrate the possi- administration. bilities of introducing integrated water management in Latvia, a Indrikis Barkans two-year Daugava River Ba- Project Leader sin Project started in March E-mail [email protected] 2000, based on an agreement http://www.daugava.lv between the Latvian Ministry of Environmental Protection and

The Network Newsletter - N° 9 - 3rd Quarter of 2000 23 INBO 9 21/09/00 16:22 Page 24

POLAND WATER MANAGEMENT IN POLAND FLOOD CONTROL Poland belongs to the Baltic longing to the State and the un- IN THE UPPER VISTULA BASIN Sea basin, in which flow the dertaking of hydraulic works of two main Polish rivers: the Vis- national importance, formerly The basin of the upper Vis- many infrastructures were se- tula and Odra, as well as seve- assumed by the Regional Di- tula spreads, in its main part, riously damaged or completely ral coastal rivers. rectorates for Water Manage- within the area of three big phy- destroyed. ment. sico-geographical units, i.e., On 23 December1997, the Seven regional Water the Carpathians, the Sub-Car- Boards (“RZGW”) were created In February 2000, the Mi- Republic of Poland signed a pathian Basins and the credit agreement with the in 1991, their responsibilities nister for the Environment Uplands of the Little Poland. covering seven regions: created the Water Manage- World Bank for the implemen- This basin is an area with the tation of a flood control project. ■ Gdansk - basin of the Lo- ment Board whose main task greatest abundance of water in wer Vistula and eastern is coordinating the activities Poland (24% of its resources). This project includes three of all regional Water Boards. components: coastal rivers, There are two types of ■ Warsaw - basin of the The amendment of the Wa- overbank flows in this basin: ● Urban and rural infrastruc- Middle Vistula, ter Law plans for a new reform flows caused by spring thaw tures, of the water management sys- and rainfall floods. ● ■ Cracow - basin of the Up- tem. Among other things, it will Protection against flood per Vistula, ratify the Basin Committees of Many hydrotechnical and and risk reduction (plan- the regional Water Boards. regulating structures were da- ning, monitoring, analyses ■ Szczecin - basin of the Lo- maged by the flooding which and warnings, investments wer Odra, They will be made up of repre- sentatives from the users and occurred in September 1996. and prevention program), ■ Poznan - basin of the War- local governmental administra- Not only the areas situated ● Project administration and ta, tributary of the Odra, tions. It is also planned that ba- near the watercourses but also technical assistance. constituting a particular hy- sin water exploitation becomes the areas which were affected by soil erosion caused by inten- Tomasz Walczykiewicz drographic system, part of the water management Cracow Regional Water Agency plans drawn up for hydrogra- sive runoff, were flooded and, ■ Wroclaw - basin of the in consequence, destroyed. [email protected] Middle and Upper Odra, phic basins. In order to achieve sound The extent and duration of ■ Gliwice - basins of the Up- the flood of 1997, caused by per Odra and Upper Vistula. management of water re- sources, it is planned to impro- long-lasting unfavorable wea- In April 1997, the new water ve the financial aid and control ther conditions also resulted law legally stipulated water ma- systems. The dissemination of from the technical condition of nagement at the level of river information by the regional flood control infrastructures. As basins and entrusted the water boards and the Water Manage- a consequence, hundreds kilo- boards with a legal entity and ment Board will increase. meters of embankments and increased their responsibilities. Andrzej BADOWSKI On 1 January 2000, the Mi- Deputy Manager nister for the Environment en- Water Management Board trusted the regional water Fax: 48 22 8251442 THE REGA RIVER BASIN boards with a new water mana- gement related task - the admi- MANAGEMENT nistration of watercourses be- Szczecin Regional Water The essential part of the do- Management Board is under cument is a set of limitations the obligation to formulate the and permits arising from the conditions for the use of waters assessment of water resources in the Rega river basin. This status, their use and the obligation arises from the Wa- conception of future water re- ter Law of 1997 and from the sources management. Regulation No 38 issued by the Andrzej Kreft Minister of Environmental Pro- Szczecin Regional Water tection, Natural Resources and Management Board Forestry, on 1 February 1991, [email protected] on the establishment of Regio- nal Water Management Boards. Those conditions should take into account: ◆ the basin water manage- ment balance, ◆ environmental protection requirements, ◆ land use management www.iowater.org/inbo plans, All information related ◆ approved hydrogeological documents, to INBO is available ◆ binding water permits, ◆ the basin’s physico-spatial and economic characteris- tics. The draft “Conditions” are a formal document of law. After consultations with territorial self-governmental parliaments, it is confirmed by the Ministry of Environment by means of a de- on the WEB cree. www.iowater.org/inbo 24 The Network Newsletter - N° 9 - 3rd Quarter of 2000 INBO 9 21/09/00 16:22 Page 25

ESTONIA LAKE PEIPSI AND NARVA RIVER BASIN: THE ESTONIAN-RUSSIAN JOINT TRANSBOUNDARY WATER COMMISSION Lake Peipsi is the fourth lar- the agreed monitoring pro- into four Commission working gement program that would be gest lake in Europe. Its surface gram; defines priorities and groups: a working group on wa- based on principles outlined in area is 3,550 sq. km, with an programs of scientific studies ter protection, a working group the EU Water Framework average depth of 7 meters. Of on protection and sustainable on water management, a wor- Directive. the total lake surface area, use of transboundary waters; king group on monitoring and Mr. Harry Liiv, Deputy Secretary 1,550 sq. km or 44% are loca- agrees on common quality indi- research, and a working group General, Estonian Ministry of ted on Estonian territory; the re- cators as well as methods for on cooperation with NGOs, lo- the Environment maining 56% on Russian terri- water analyses; coordinates cal authorities and international Ms. Gulnara Roll, NGO Center tory. The Narva River connects the actions of the Parties in organizations. for Transboundary Cooperation Lake Peipsi with the Gulf of Fin- cases of extraordinary situa- - CTC At its Second Meeting (24 Fax: 3727 421168 land and thus the Baltic Sea. tions; facilitates cooperation November 1999, Krivsk, Rus- Major environmental issues in between different agencies and sia), the Commission adopted the Narva River and Lake Peip- organizations working in the a decision to start preparation si basin are water eutrophica- field of sustainable develop- of a complex river basin mana- tion and management of the la- ment and protection of trans- ke’s fish resources. boundary waters; and ensures In August 1997, the Esto- publicity of discussions on is- nian Republic and the Russian sues related to the use and pro- Federation signed an intergo- tection of these transboundary vernmental Agreement on the waters. Official Representa- Protection and Sustainable tives to the Commission are: in Use of Transboundary Water Russia, Mr. Nikolai Mikheev, Bodies. This Agreement deals Deputy Minister, Russian Mi- with the transboundary waters nistry for Natural Resources, of the Narva River basin, inclu- and in Estonia, Mr. Sulev Vare, ding Lake Peipsi. The agree- Secretary General, Estonian ment established a Joint Com- Ministry of the Environment. mission on Transboundary Wa- Two Commission secreta- ters for coordination of activi- ries, representing environmen- ties on implementation of the tal authorities in Estonia and agreement. Russia, coordinate activities on The Commission organizes implementation of the trans- the exchange of data between boundary water agreement. the Parties in accordance with These activities are organized ROMANIA PROTECTION AGAINST FLOODS : LEGISLATION,ACTION PLAN The Governmental decree stakeholders involved and ha- ◆ following-up of international measures taken and imple- N° 47 / 1994, approved by the ving responsibilities in this field, agreements on protection mentation of protection Law 124 / 1995, created the executives from higher educa- against floods; measures to the Govern- Governmental Commission for tion institutes and specialists of ◆ formulating draft regula- mental Commission for the the Protection against Disas- research institutes. tions for the organization Protection against Disas- ters which organizes and leads This Commission is chaired and operation of depart- ters; the protection activities concer- by the Minister for Water, Fo- mental commissions dea- ◆ information of the public on ned with 9 central sub-commis- restry and Environmental Pro- ling with the protection the areas at risk, on the im- sions, specialized by type of di- tection. against disasters as re- minence of floods or dange- saster: prevention, protection, Its main attributions are: gards the aspects of the rous meteorological pheno- action measures -in the short, protection against floods, mena and on the measures medium and long terms- nee- ◆ the formulating of a national taken. ded for limiting the harmful ef- ◆ approving departmental strategy for the protection Ligia Tinca fects of disasters. against floods and partici- plans for the protection against floods and plans for “Ialomitza - Buzau” The Central Commission pation in the formulation of “Apele Romane” a national strategy for the protection against floods at for the Protection against the river basin level, National Company Floods is made up of represen- protection against disas- comercial-daibuzau@ tatives from the central admi- ters; ◆ submitting, once a year or bz.soffnet.ro nistration, self-governing state at various intervals, sum- companies and other economic mary reports on floods, BASIN COMMITTEES IN ROMANIA Article 47 of the Water Law, pany benefited from the assis- ● need to set up Basin Com- ● increase of the Basin Com- number 107/1996, requires the tance and the logistics support mittees in all large river ba- mittee’s role to solve some setting-up of a Basin Commit- of French specialists. sins, taking account of the water management issues, tee for each river basin within A National Workshop on experience gained by the either general or transboun- the National “Apele Romane” “Basin Committees in Roma- Siret and Crisuri Pilot Basin dary. Company. nia” took place in Bucharest in Committees; Prof. Gheorghe Bãran Pilot Basin Committees we- June 2000 to extend this expe- ● improvement of economic Aurora Vasiu re created for the Siret and Cri- riment at the national level. The mechanisms in the water “Apele Romane” suri rivers to extend this experi- National Company main conclusions were the fol- resources sector to secure [email protected] ment later on to other Basin lowing: the total/partial financing Committees in Romania. The needed for some water ma- National “Apele Romane” Com- nagement infrastructures;

The Network Newsletter - N° 9 - 3rd Quarter of 2000 25 INBO 9 21/09/00 16:22 Page 26

RUSSIA THE : PILOT BASIN FOR TRAINING AND INSTITUTIONAL REFORMS

In Russia, two projects are ● Improvement in water re- financed by the European sources management in Commission’s TACIS program: the Russian Federation. ● Strengthening of training This project, started in Fe- capacities in the environ- bruary 2000, should provi- ment sector in the Volga de the basis for the institu- river basin. European con- tional reforms necessary for sortium enabled Russian implementing water re- trainers to learn about the sources management di- management of water re- rectly inspired from the Eu- sources and water supply ropean models. utilities during a study tour Gathered in a consortium, in France in December BCEOM, project leader, VER- 1999. They met people Seau and IOWater have a two- from Water Agencies, de- year deadline to complete this velopment companies, pri- project which will also take the vate water suppliers, etc. Volga and more particularly its These first Russian trainers tributary, the Oka, as a testing Seminar for a presentation of the TACIS-Russian project, will then be in charge of trai- zone for pilot implementation. namely “Water Management in Russia” ning other instructors so that they can teach techni- cians and specialists in the Volga river basin to meet their training needs.

UKRAINE

THE YOUJNY BUG INTERNATIONAL BASIN BASIN COMMITTEE OF THE BUG, LATORICA AND UZH RIVERS: By alternating between trai- Following this training pha- ning and assessment missions se, legal advisers of the Minis- MONITORING WATER QUALITY in the Ukraine and a seminar in try of the Environment together This project, financed by The main objectives were: France held with the support of with representatives from the the European Union’s TACIS ➥ to develop and make an in- the Rhone-Mediterranean-Cor- Ministers’ Cabinet and National program and amounting to 2 sica Water Agency, this pro- Assembly, drew up the draft formation system operatio- million Euros, started in Janua- nal in the pilot basins to al- gram, after a first phase aiming regulatory texts needed for the ry 1999. to raise awareness among the setting-up of the Youjny Bug low water-related data col- executives of the Ministry for basin committee. This text was The objective of the Minis- lection and processing; Environmental Protection and submitted to the Ministers’ Ca- try of Ecology and Natural Re- ➥ to contribute to the develop- Nuclear Safety as well as local binet at the beginning of year sources is to implement the ment of a national informa- representatives from communi- 2000. European Directives relative tion system in the Ukraine to the management of trans- ties and industry, consists of a The project duration, limited and the establishment of pilot project for integrated boundary rivers and espe- procedures for the interna- to 1 year, did not allow for esta- cially water quality monito- water resources manage- blishing the means needed by tional exchange of data. ment in the Youjny Bug Ba- ring in the Western Bug, Uzh the Basin Committee to opera- and Latorica basins in order An Access/MapInfo appli- sin (Southern Bug). This pro- te. ject is funded by the European to supply, in the long-term, the cation is now installed in three Commission’s TACIS program The Ministry for Environ- border region with good quality regional directorates of the and the French Ministry for Fo- mental Protection and Nuclear water compatible with downs- Ukrainian Ministry of Ecology. reign Affairs. Safety is studying the possibili- tream uses and needs. This multilingual application (English and Ukrainian) allows ty of an additional component Many experts’ missions Three seminars were held to the project. queries and the updating of the in the basin’s main towns: took place to assess the exis- collected data relative to: Khmelnitsky, Vinnitza, Niko- ting situation and propose insti- laïev. They gathered the stake- tutional changes. ■ the administrative frame- work, holders of future water mana- The “data management” gement: Vodokanals, Industria- component is one of the main ■ the bodies of water, lists, Representatives from Lo- actions. Several experts’ mis- ■ the monitoring stations, cal and National Assemblies sions were carried out, and a and specialists from the local computer scientist from IOWa- ■ water quantity (water le- and national administrations of ter was seconded in Kiev for a vels, flow) and quality. the Ministry of the Environ- 13-month duration. Alexander Mazurkevich ment. These meetings which Ministry for Environmental gathered more than 150 Protection and Nuclear Safety people, allowed the operational [email protected] use of the large principles which govern modern river ba- sin management. 26 The Network Newsletter - N° 9 - 3rd Quarter of 2000 INBO 9 21/09/00 17:14 Page 27

MANAGEMENT OF EUROPEAN SHARED RIVERS FRENCH IRMA A CONFERENCE WATER A TRANSNATIONAL APPROACH ON MAJOR TO FLOOD PREVENTION EUROPEAN ACADEMY IN WESTERN EUROPE RIVERS The Rhone-Mediterra- RIVER BASIN The IRMA program (Inter- the member states involved. The nean-Corsica Water Agency MANAGEMENT: reg Rhine Meuse Activities) total sum in EU funding available decided to organize an inter- was established after the severe for these projects is 141 million national conference entitled: THE CASE flooding of the rivers Rhine and euros, to be disbursed before the “Scientists and decision OF SHARED Meuse in 1993 and 1995. In or- end of 2001. The IRMA program makers: acting together for WATERS der to increase safety and public covers a total eligible investment sustainable management awareness along the rivers Rhi- of approximately 420 million eu- of our river systems” - 6, 7 The Water Aca- ne and Meuse and their major ros (EU funding plus national co- and 8 June 2001 in Lyons demy had alrea- tributaries, and to reduce the financing) in flood prevention (France). dy studied the chance of flooding and the cor- and spatial planning within the management of responding damage and loss in period 1997 - 2001. Large European rivers, among which is the Rhone, will shared waters the future, the countries in the The indi- which poses real catchment serve as examples for this vidual pro- conference which will be ba- problems nowadays. A study area of the jects were carried out on this topic exami- two rivers - sed on a limited number of evaluated on common topics forming the ned five transboundary river ba- Belgium, their transna- sins: the Rhine, Leman Lake, France, Ger- subject of specific workshops tionality, devoted to: the Iberian rivers, the Oder many, Lux- their integra- and Senegal, as well as existing embourg and ● floods and use of the allu- ted and in- vial areas, international treaties and con- the Nether- novative ventions which govern shared lands - sub- character, ● qualitative management waters. Its objective was to provi- mitted a joint and their abili- of water resources and de references to the countries flood control ty to fit wi- use, program to which wish to start negotiations thin the ini- ● use of the rivers and phy- on the sharing of waters by set- the European tial IRMA ob- Commission sical rehabilitation of the ting-up an “International Basin jectives. environment, Commission”. within the fra- mework of the The prin- ● activities in the catchment The proposals which resul- INTERREG- ciples of the area and water quality. ted from this preliminary study IIC initiative. IRMA pro- and which form an “Advisory The various papers, dis- Switzerland gram can be cussions and exchanges will Charter” to be used by interna- also partici- summarized tional basin commissions, were deal with the necessity and pates in the as the interac- the means of integrating already presented to the Gene- program. tion between ral Assembly of the International science’s contribution to the spatial plan- creation of a sustainable form Network of Basin Organizations The IRMA ning and flood prevention wi- (INBO) held in December 1998 program provides EU financing of management of the major thin a transnational river basin river systems, and will at- in Bahia. INBO had then envisa- for flood control projects that sa- approach. ged to promote the creation of tisfy the initial program objectives tempt to provide some an “Association of International and are being carried out within Ir. S.J. Visser - Ir. M. Kok concrete proposals. Basin Commissions”. the catchment areas of the rivers Drs. G.J. Laman Rhone-Mediterranean-Corsica Rhine and Meuse. At the end of IRMA Program. Ministry Water Agency The Academy took up this of Spatial Planning, Housing External Relations Department 1999, a total of 153 projects had and Environment (VROM) in The study as planned to widen its been approved by the IRMA Fax: 33 4 72 71 26 01 bases. It was encouraged in Hague, the Netherlands contact.lyon-fleuves- Steering Committee, which is [email protected]. [email protected] doing this by the warm welco- made up of representatives of all minvrom.nl me received by its study from INBO, then in March 2000 from The Hague Forum. The present study will be RELATIONS BETWEEN EQUITABLE PARTICIPATION broken down in two docu- AND INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT OF INTERNATIONAL ments: WATERCOURSES ● An analysis of 11new trans- boundary basins: the Da- Sound management of in- tion and equitable and rational International cooperation in nube, Nile, SADC, Para- ternational watercourses is one use of their water. this area should be increased, na, Rio Grande, Great of the most complex and wor- The economic and social re- using mixed river commissions Lakes and the Saint Lau- rying issues, as water is vital to quirements of States are criteria and international forums. The- rent, the Euphrates and sustain life, economic develop- without any defined limits as tho- se entities aim at managing, Tigris, the Aral Sea, the ment and the conservation of se requirements are unlimited, studying and analyzing projects Mekong, Ganga and ecosystems. In addition, the especially regarding the popula- and programs which reveal the Brahmaputra. existence of water is related to tion expectations which are in- willingness of the parties the existence of living beings creasing instead of decreasing. concerned to regulate, protect ● The second will present and any threat to watercourses and develop international wa- proposals for effective ma- threatens us. The doctrine has confirmed tercourses, using technical nagement of transbounda- the principles of common cau- This management should means in the best integrated ry waters. se, equitable participation and manner. be comprehensive, taking ac- optimal use. The work underta- Francois Valiron count of all technical, econo- D. Ghassan Abbas Water Academy ken by international organiza- University Complutense Fax: 33 1 41 20 16 09 mic, legal and social aspects tions such as UNO, mainly related to the environment. of Madrid FAO, and non-governmental [email protected] This integrated management of organizations, which apply the international watercourses ap- integrated management prin- plies the principle of participa- ciple, also confirm them. The Network Newsletter - N° 9 - 3rd Quarter of 2000 27 INBO 9 22/09/00 10:20 Page 28

Special Issue THE MEDITERRANEAN INBO General Assembly ALGERIA THE WATER AGENCIES ADVANCE SLOWLY ....BUT SURELY Zakopane - Poland - 30 Sept. 2000 During the last six months, Within such a context, tion control, will also be gram, mainly focusing on the the organization of the water which is a real structural chan- reinforced (implementation agencies’ action strategy and sector was deeply changed: ge, how are the five Basin of the Water Code). water databases. Twenty engi- ● Water resources manage- Agencies, created in 1996, The five basin agencies are neers benefited from this trai- ment (production, use, ex- going to evolve and position currently making efforts on: ning program. ploitation) was entrusted to themselves? ❶ Water data collection and As regards the 2000-2002 a sole department at minis- Without anticipating on the classification. period, a short training program terial level, the Ministry of results of the reflection work ❷ The permanent aware- and courses were defined with Water Resources; under way and on the deci- ness raising of water sta- a total immersion in the French ● Four national water au- sions which will be made by the keholders to obtain their Water Agencies. thorities were set up (drin- higher authorities in the Minis- gradual and convinced ap- This program is executed king water supply, dams, ir- try of Water Resources, it may proval of this new entity. within the framework of Alge- rigation and sanitation). be possible to affirm that: ❸ rian-French cooperation. ● Training: as integrated ma- The organization of the the water agencies’ databa- nagement is new in Algeria, Mekki ABROUK technical departments of the se is going to be strengthe- the training of engineers is Algiers-Hodna-Soumann central administration of the ned; prioritized in the new water Water Agency new ministry is inspired, for ● the agencies’ financial se- policy. Fax: 213 2 68 75 17 / 28 71 26 [email protected] consistency purpose, from the curity for its public service In 1999, the agencies bene- four technical structures of na- will be better ensured; fited from a short training pro- tional authorities (mobilization, ● its task of controlling the im- drinking water supply, sanita- plementation of regulations, tion, irrigation). especially regarding pollu- JORDAN MOROCCO A WATER MANAGEMENT INFORMATION THE SETTING-UP OF BASIN AGENCIES SYSTEM IN THE JORDAN VALLEY The economic and social planning, mobilization, water development plans, implemen- management and usual main- The Water Management WMIS Application ted in Morocco, give first priori- tenance of hydraulic works. Information System (WMIS) ty to the water sector, thus allo- The water agencies there- is designed to optimize water Modules wing all urban areas access to management in the Jordan Val- fore are the adequate frame- Three modules cover the drinking water, the irrigation of work for the users to gradually ley, by providing all involved wi- activities of water management a million hectares by end of th the relevant information and bear the water cost, involving strategy: monthly forecasts of 1997 and hydropower genera- the administration, local commu- decision support tools. The flow rates in rivers and wadis, tion of more than 2000 GWH/ system consists of a dynamic nities and the water users them- balance of water resources year on the average. selves, with a view to achieve a database, where all relevant in- with water demand for the co- formation related to water ma- The extent of investment in common cause and participato- ming months, performances of the hydraulic sector is such that ry management of water at the nagement is gathered, and ap- water management. plication modules, which pro- it exceeds the State budget ca- level of a river basin. cess the information and provi- Two application modules pabilities. It emphasizes the After the effective setting- de decision support. cover drinking water supply. problem of recovering the up of the Oum Er Bia Basin raw water cost, the pricing of Agency in July 1999, the follo- WMIS Database Six application modules co- water services (drinking wa- wing timetable is proposed for ver water distribution: irriga- ter supply, irrigation, energy) It is made up of: the other agencies: Agencies tion scheduling program, billing and the respective contribu- of Sebou, Tensift, Bouregred ● A Static Database with da- and accounting program, sta- tion of the State and users. and Moulouya (2000), Northern ta related to hydraulic infra- tistics of water consumption for The Law 10-95 on water Agency (2001), Souss Massa structures and general wa- irrigation... has already partly integrated Agency (2002) and the South- ter management policy. Youssef Hassan these concerns and introduced Atlas Agency (2003). ● The Historical Database Jordan Valley Authority water charges, based on the El Abed Loubna contains field measure- Fax: 962 568 99 16 “user-pays” and “polluter-pays” [email protected] State Secretariat in charge of ments. principles. These charges will the Environment ● A Water Management Da- be used to finance actions such Fax: 212 7 77 27 56 tabase. as inventory, assessment, [email protected]

IONAL N Publishing Director AT ET The network newsletter N W J.F. DONZIER R E O Secretariat: T R Editor N K I International Office A. BERNARD for Water Editorial Assistant O 21, rue de Madrid The “Network Newsletter S G. SINE F 75008 PARIS - FRANCE is published with the support B N A O of the French Water Agencies Production S I Tel.: +33 1 44 90 88 60 IN AT Eau & Développement international ORGANIZ Fax: +33 1 40 08 01 45 E Mail: [email protected] ESTER - BP 6916 87069 LIMOGES Cedex - FRANCE On the Web: Printing http://www.iowater.org/inbo/ N° ISSN: 1265-4027 Chastanet Imprimeur - LIMOGES