Environmental flows management

Environmental flows management has become a standard tool in modern water management. It helps ensure that enough water is left in the world’s rivers and is managed to ensure downstream environmental, social and economic benefits. Many rivers and underground reserves are empty because of wasteful practices. According to the World Conservation Union (IUCN) 1.4 billion people live in river basins where water abstractions are equal or exceed the available water resources. Environmental flows management requires negotiations between stakeholders to bridge the different interests that compete for the use of water, particularly in basins where competition is already fierce. It requires integration of a range of disciplines, including engineering, law, ecology, economy, hydrology, political science, and communication. IUCN has been using this approach in ten river basins around the world to ward off social conflict and environmental degradation due to the overuse of water. The Global Environmental Facility, the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage, the International Water Management Institute, the Stockholm Environment Institute, and the United Nations Development Institute have all endorsed and begun to incorporate this approach in their work.

Case Studies

Why wetlands sustain livelihoods and the environment June 1, 2004 Wetlands are important ecosystems with several beneficial functions. They are also central to the lives of many people in the rural communities of Southern Africa. Learn more

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