Decision support for integrated river basin management—Scientific research challenges

Integrated River Basin Management(IRBM)has been a long discussed way to sustainably manage water and land resources;yet,very few examples of effective IRBM are found because there is a lack of sufficient scientific support,as well as institutional accommodation,to successfully implement it.This paper overviews the major challenges with IRBM,the promising scientific approaches for the implementation of IRBM,and the areas of needed research,with considerable issues and experiences from China.It is expected that novel research will draw together disparate disciplines into an integrated scientific framework,upon which better modeling tools,stakeholder involvement,and decision-making support can be built.Cutting-edge new technologies will bring ideas of IRBM forward to theory and finally to practice.The paper will prompt scientists to undertake research to fill in the gaps in the current IRBM knowledge base and provide practitioners guidance on how to incorporate scientifically based information within the IRBM decision process.

Integrated river basin management in rapidly urbanizing areas:a case of Shenzhen,China

The rapid urbanization of China is causing a burden on their water resources and hindering their sustainable development.This paper analyzes effective methods to integrated river basin management(IRBM)using Longgang River basin of Shenzhen as an example,which is the city with the fastest rate of urbanization in China and even the whole world.Over the past 20 years,China has undergone a population boom due to the increase of immigrant workers and rapid development of laborintensive industries,which led to the sharp increase of water consumption and sewage discharge.However,the construction of the water infrastructure is still lagging far behind the environmental and social development,with only 32.7%of sewage in the district being treated.Currently,every water quality indicator of the Longgang River basin was unable to meet the required corresponding environmental standards,which further aggravated the water shortages of the region.Thus,an analytical framework is proposed to address the IRBM of the study area.The problems with the current management system include the lack of decentralization in decision-making,lack of enforcement with redundant plans,weak management capacity,financial inadequacy,and a poor system of stakeholder participation.In light of the principles of IRBM and the situation of the region,corresponding measures are put forward,including an increase of power given to sub-district offices,fewer but more feasible plans,capacity building among stakeholders,a combination of planning and marketing for overcoming financial inadequacy,and profound reform in the public participation system.The framework and institutional suggestions could inform similar processes in other representative river basins.

A comparison of the water management systems in France and China

This paper compares legal systems for water management in France and China, with a focus on integrated water resources management and regarding in particular the formulation of policies and their implemen- tation. The research shows that China has committed itself to the efficient management of water resources through the development of various policy tools during the current period. This commitment, however, has often been interrupted and distorted by politics, resulting in the neglect of socioeconomic and environmental priorities. France has developed a legislative framework and practical instruments to apply integrated water resources manage- ment at the river basin level since the 1960s. This experience and the current implementation of the European Water Framework Directive brings elements that can contribute to Chinese society meeting its water challenges.