This document discusses water resources management challenges posed by population growth, urbanization, land use changes, environmental degradation, and climate change. It emphasizes an integrated approach to water resources management (IWRM) involving all stakeholders. IWRM follows the river basin concept and promotes multi-stakeholder participation and cooperation between government agencies, civil society, and the private sector to balance competing water demands. The document outlines frameworks and principles for adaptive water resources planning and management in the face of these drivers of change.
1. Benguet Laguna Bontoc
Data, Models,
Designs and Decisions:
Meeting the Challenges of Water Resources Management
LEONARDO Q. LIONGSON
Institute of Civil Engineering
and National Hydraulic Research Center
College of Engineering, University of the Philippines
Diliman, Quezon City 1101, Philippines
29th Annual PAASE Meeting and Symposium
(29APAMS)
13-15 July 2009
Ateneo de Manila University 2010
Loyola Heights, Quezon City UPCOE@100
2. OUTLINE
• Water resources management = (natural+engineering+social) sciences
water for life, food, economy and the environment (a Water Mondrian), MDG (2000-2015)
• Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) – multi-stakeholder,
participatory; River Basin Management (RBM), River Basin Organization (RBO)
• Drivers to change and their challenges (water sector)
drivers & challenges - population growth, urbanization, land-use changes,
environmental degradation (disasters, pollution, over-exploitation), climate change .…
framework – e.g., energy-climate change-water-IWRM-MDG
• Data needs for modeling of hydrological processes subject to change.
types - meteorological, geographical, hydrological/hydraulic, hydrogeological, environmental.
methods – surveys & mapping, sampling & analysis, field measurements & telemetry,
remote sensing/image processing/interpretation/GIS, pilot & operational tests.
• Models – physically-based models, statistical/stochastic models.
purpose – prediction of hydrological processes under scenarios of change
an example – high slope, short run-length , soil properties: semi-pervious to
impervious, increase in rainfall intensity, hazards: flash flood, debris flow
• Designs – structural (hard), non-structural (soft) measures; adaptation strategies
• Decisions –investment in scientific data, application of models (as a scienctific culture),
public consultation (awareness, consensus, advocacy), capacity building/education,
advice to society, political will, legislation, funding, implementation, professionalism.
4. Water Resources Management = (natural + engineering + social) sciences
• Water for Life
(domestic water supply & sanitation)
* Highest priority under the
Water Code of the Philippines
• Water for Food
(irrigation, fisheries &
aquaculture)
• Water for the Economy
(industrial & commercial water
supply, hydropower, navigation,
tourism, recreation, etc.)
• Water for the Environment
(upland catchment, floodplain,
& coastal management; and
wastewater management for
sustainability, biodiversity, and
preservation of scenic, cultural
and historical places. Competition and conflict among & between:
* Legal minimum is 10% of the
Consumptive and non-consumptive users;
80% dependable flow at
a river diversion site. In-stream and onsite users.
5. DENR Water Quality Criteria / Water Usage & Classification for Fresh Water
Class A - Public water supply II (require complete treatment to meet national standards for
drinking water)
Class B - Recreational water class I (for contact recreation as bathing and swimming)
Class C - Fishery water for the propagation and growth of fish (also non-contact recreation &
industrial use class I)
Class D - For agriculture, irrigation, livestock watering and industrial water supply class II
6. Left: Angat Reservoir monthly inflows,
releases for irrigation and water supply, and
water surface elevation, relative to the lower
rule curve; right: policy summary for the
WATER SUPPLY versus IRRIGATION: years 1997-2003: in scatter plots and
1997-1998 El Niño period (NWRB data). regression curves [Liongson (2003)].
7. http://llda.gov.ph/SD_Mondriaan/WM_Main.htm
The Water Mondriaan is a schematic map of the Laguna de Bay water system,
showing the monitoring results in the lake and its tributaries compared with the DENR
water quality criteria / water usage & classification for freshwater systems or when
absent the LLDA expert opinion. The parameters included, focus on factors of
significant ecological, human health and resource use importance or on the processes
that are crucial to them: oxygen and oxygen demand (%DO, BOD5 and COD),
bacterial pollution (Total Coliforms, Fecal Coliforms, eutrophic level (phosphate,
dissolved nitrogen, chlorophyll-a and phytoplankton abundance), and hazardous
substances (oil & grease and on a quarterly basis lead, hexavalent chromium &
8. Impact of El Niño on
aquaculture and fisheries
Small fisherman engaged
in open lake fishing.
Fish pens (top) &
Fish cages (bottom)
used for aquaculture in Laguna de Bay.
[Liongson (2003)]
9. Impact of El Niño on
aquaculture and fisheries
Rainfall (in drought conditions),
lake stage (severe drawdown),
&
salinity (maximized conditions)
during the El Niño
months of 1997-1998.
This situation was most advantageous
for the brackish-water aquaculture
and fisheries, but disadvantageous
for potential water-supply and irrigation uses.
[Liongson (2003)]
10. Impact of El Niño on
aquaculture and fisheries
Monthly measurements of salinity, transparency
and turbidity at Laguna de Bay West-Bay-I
station during the years 1997-1999.
(a). Time series plots and
(b). Scatter plots and fitted regression lines
of salinity versus transparency and turbidity.
[Liongson (2003)]
11. Integrated Water Resources Management or IWRM,
having been promoted in the last twelve years (1997-2009),
is an international movement which advocates
the multi-stakeholder and participatory manner of
managing the water resources among the competing users.
The Global Water Partnership (GWP)
"was founded in 1996 by the World Bank,
the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP),
and the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA)
to foster integrated water resource management (IWRM),
and to ensure the coordinated development and
management of water, land, and related resources
by maximizing economic and social welfare
without compromising the sustainability of vital environmental systems."
(http://www.gwpforum.org).
Philippine Water Partnership (PWP) - established in 2002; the local network partner
of GWP and GWPSEA; recognized (by NEDA InfraCom) as the principal NGO
for the promotion of IWRM.
12. The River Basin Management (RBM) approach is an integral part
of IWRM, in which all stakeholders present within the river basin
boundary are ideally convened, and are empowered to participate in the
exercise of IWRM.
• consist of representatives of
• national government units: DA, DENR, DILG, DPWH, NWRB
• government corporations: LLDA, MWSS, NIA, NPC, water districts
• local government units (LGUs) including regional units: MMDA
• the civil society such as those organized as NGOs,
• the academe and research institutions, and
• the private sector (suppliers, utilities, contractors and consultants),
• should be able to participate in the
• multi-stakeholder dialogues,
• advocacy in the arena of important water issues,
• information/educational/research (IER) programs, and
• capacity-building (training) –
• both in the neutral forum such as the Philippine Water Partnership (PWP),
• or formally in River Basin Organizations (RBOs) (such as the LLDA),
politically mandated for decisions and policy making, and established by law and
regulations.
13. IWRM FOR IMPROVED GOVERNANCE
The basic problem of governance in the water resources sector
• recognized to be the major issue to be resolved by IWRM
in the Philippines as well as in other Southeast Asian countries.
• IWRM implies that constant dialogues and consultations
among the stakeholders in the water sector should be
maintained, so that feasible solutions to problems and pressing
issues may develop or evolve.
• Whereas, separate government agencies had in past decades
managed and developed water resources for
irrigation, domestic and industrial water supply,
flood control, hydropower, and other uses, often in separate
and fragmented manner,
• with minimal coordination and cooperation
at the planning and implementation stages.
14. • IWRM hinges on the river-basin concept in both planning and
implementation stages (SEATAC 2000),
• coupled with the multi-stakeholder approach through the
practice of
• regular dialogues,
• capacity-building programs,
• advocacy of certain actions,
• information exchange and research
by and among stakeholders.
Within the framework of IWRM,
• the issues on basic water policies and reforms, and
• the issues of competing water uses have begun to be dealt with
by the national and regional water resource agencies of government,
in regular consultative meetings with other stakeholders such as
• private industry,
• academe,
• local government units and
• non-government organizations (NGO).
Among the issues of concern are the competing uses and management of
water for domestic and industrial water supply, irrigation, flood control,
aquaculture/fisheries and hydropower, and the related land-use
and environmental problems.
15. The Philippine Water Partnership (PWP 2002) defines
IWRM is an approach to land and water management
that seeks to balance human, industrial, agricultural
and environmental needs.
To do this successfully,
every one involved in water use –
government agencies,
academe,
community groups,
agricultural and business interest,
NGOs and other interest groups
– must join forces and work in partnership
to share information, understand data
and solve problems.
16. Southeast Asian Vision for Water
in the 21st Century
(2nd World Water Forum, The Hague, March 2000)
Access to safe, adequate and affordable
water supply, hygiene, and sanitation;
Provision of sufficient water that will
ensure food security for the region;
Provision of sufficient water to spur and
sustain the economies of the region;
Protection of the water environment
to preserve flow regimes, bio-diversity,
and cultural heritage as well as the
mitigation of water related hazards.
17. The Global Water Partnership (GWP)
Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) states in “IWRM - AT A GLANCE” (GWP)
Why is water resources management critical?
Population growing Economy growing
⇓ ⇓
Increasing demand for water
Growing pollution
⇓
⇓ Constant amount of water in the cycle
⇓ ⇓
Increased competition for scarce water
⇓
Need for allocation and conflict resolution
Water resources management is prevention and
resolution of conflicts.
18. The Dublin Principles show the way
Four simple, yet powerful messages were provided in 1992 in Dublin.
They were the basis for the Rio Agenda 21 and for the millennium Vision-to-Action
The four principles are:
Freshwater is a finite and vulnerable resource, essential to sustain life,
development and the environment
I.e. one resource, to be holistically managed.
Water development and management should be based on a participatory
approach, involving users, planners and policy-makers at all levels.
I.e. manage water with people - and close to people.
Women play a central role in the provision, management and safeguarding of water
I.e. involve women all the way !
Water has an economic value in all its competing uses and should be recognized
as an economic good
I.e. having ensured basic human needs, allocate water to its highest value
and move towards full cost pricing to encourage rational use
and recover costs
Poor water management hurts the poor most!
The Dublin principles aim at wise water management with
focus on poverty.
19. Towards a new paradigm
- from sub-sectoral to cross-sectoral water management
IWRM is the ‘integrating handle’ leading us from sub-sectoral to
cross-sectoral water management.
CROSS-SECTORAL DIALOGUE THROUGH IWRM
People Food Eco- Industry
system & others
IWRM
WATER USE SECTORS
IWRM is a process which promotes the coordinated development
and management of water, land and related resources in order to
maximize the resultant economic and social welfare in an
equitable manner without compromising the sustainability
of vital ecosystems (GWP/TAC).
20. How do the Dublin principles translate into action?
The ENABLING ENVIRONMENT sets the rules,
the INSTITUTIONAL ROLES and functions define the players
who make use of the MANAGEMENT INSTRUMENTS.
ECOSYSTEM SUSTAINABILITY
Enabling Environment
Policies
Legislation
Management Institutional
Instruments Roles
Assessment Central-local
Information Public-private
Allocation tools River basin
ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY SOCIAL EQUITY
All this depends on the existence of popular awareness
and political will to act!
21. Drivers to change and their challenges (water sector)
Population growth
• growth in water demand and overexploitation of water sources for domestic,
agricultural, commercial, and industrial uses.
• more competition and conflict over sources, allocation and
distribution of water among various users (across both space and time).
• more demand for land space as well as related technical and social services for
agriculture, housing, transportation, waste management, and disaster
management (land and water issues).
Urbanization and land-use changes
• higher runoff volume on catchments due to reduced interception by vegetation.
• higher runoff volume on catchments due to lower soil infliltration capacities
resulting from conversion of pervious open surfaces to impervious
pavements.
• higher runoff rate due to lower roughness on paved roads and gutters.
• slower drainage through and from lower and buried collecting water bodies
(such as culvert drains, canals and creeks) due to encroachment
(loss of flow capacities) and clogging due to solid waste dumped on the
waterways.
• loss of groundwater recharge due to poor soil infiltration and percolation to the
water table.
22. Environmental degradation
• increased vulnerability to natural water hazards (floods) due to reduced
flood-carrying capacities of encroached creeks and rivers.
• loss of natural flood storage capacities due to settlement of floodplains and
reclamation of wetlands for agriculture, commerce and industry.
• pollution of surface water bodies and groundwater aquifers by domestic,
commercial, industrial and agricultural sources.
• upland erosion and associated deposition and siltation in downstream rivers,
lakes and coastal areas due to deforestation and other upland activities.
• increased hazards of flash floods, debris flow and landslides due to poor soil
condition and vegetation cover on steep slopes during storm and tectonic
events (also leads to loss of topsoil and biodiversity, aside from loss of
human lives and property).
• overexploitation of groundwater aquifers leading to seawater intrusion as well as
land subsidence, leading to higher and wider flooding during high tides.
Climate change: for river basins - higher high flows and lower low flows!!!
?higher temperature = higher evaporation rate
?more intense cyclonic conditions – stronger winds and storm surges,
more intense rainfall, higher flood intensities and volumes
over short durations, revised design storm criteria.
?accelerated melting of glaciers and ice caps = sea level rise = extensive flooding
?relationship and correlation with ENSO (El Niño), SW and NE Monsoons, typhoons.
23. ADAPTATION STRATEGY
An important first step: the mutual awareness of these drivers and the nature of the
challenges that they pose to the water stakeholders. (one product of the IWRM exercise).
Second step: recognizing, appreciating and quantifying the relative importance and
influence of the factors and the impacts associated with them (role of data and models).
Third step: adjustment and revision of so-called water design criteria (design procedure,
formulas, parameters) and consequently, a properly adapted design product.
Fourth step: the development of an adaptation strategy (validated by data and models)
which confronts the impacts brought about by the drivers of change, such that it is:
• capable of addressing the combined/parallel/similar/common impacts of population
growth, urbanization, land-use changes, environmental degradation and climate change;
• if, for example, the adverse flooding effects of urbanization overwhelm the projected
effects of climate change in the near future, then the “good deed” of having prepared for
either one or both is already one enabling step. When the situation reverses in the long term
(climate change dominates), then the applicable experience gained and lessons learned in
dealing with urbanization have equipped the stakeholders with the capacity and confidence
to confront and adapt to the long-term impacts of climate change.
24. A D B a n d C it ie s A llia n c e (2 0 0 6 ). U r b a n iz a t io n
a n d S u s t a in a b ilit y in A s ia –
Case Studies of Good Practice. Edited by Brian Roberts and Trevor
Kanaley.
25. Millennium Development Goals
(Sept. 2000). Deadline: 2015
ADB (2008).
Key Indicators
for Asia and
the Pacific 2008.
39th Edition
WATER SUPPLY
& SANITATION
31. In conclusion…
Designs –
Structural (hard) measures – construction and hardware
diversion and storage dams, sediment retention structures (sabo dams)
river bank protection: river walls, dikes (levees), revetments
floodways, flood gates, pumping stations, viaducts
coastal protection: seawalls, breakwaters ,barrages, etc.
Non-structural (soft) measures –
land-use zoning, watershed management; soil conservation practices;
water conservation – “green” practices such as rainfall harvesting, riverbank restoration, etc.
rainfall and flood telemetry, forecasting and warning – natural disaster management
strict regulation of surface water and groundwater withdrawals; pollution control.
community-based actions/advocacy , capacity-building – in water scarcity, water disasters,
pollution control, etc.
R&D in software, instrumentation, process and equipment design in water resources technology
Adaptation Strategies – in broad terms
address simultaneously the problem of adapting to the impacts of all drivers to change:
population growth, urbanization, land-use changes, environmental degradation,
and climate change since the pay-off lies in greater awareness, more experience and lessons,
and versatility and robustness of the design capacities in the adaptation measures.
consistent and continuous policy of water conservation – “green” practices
Decisions –investment in scientific data, application of models (as a scienctific culture),
public consultation (awareness, consensus, advocacy), capacity building/education,
advice to society, political will, legislation, funding, implementation, professionalism.