Your search found 3 records
1 Meempatta, L.; Webb, J. A.; Keogh, L. A.; Horne, A. C.; Stewardson, M. J. 2023. Exploring the role and decision-making behaviour of irrigation water supply authorities in Australia. International Journal of Water Resources Development, 39(2):314-336. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/07900627.2021.1982680]
Water supply ; Irrigation water ; Water allocation ; Decision making ; Water users ; Water resources ; Water management ; Infrastructure ; Water demand ; Models ; Case studies / Australia / Murray–Darling Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H051723)
(3.76 MB)
Water supply authorities (WSAs) can influence the behaviour of water users and are influential actors in water governance. Despite this, their decision-making processes and the details of their interactions with other water users are seldom explored empirically in water management research. We undertook an exploratory qualitative study using semi-structured interviews and purposive sampling with WSA officials across different institutions in south-eastern Australia. Thematic analysis revealed different water allocation decision-making phases and key factors influencing each phase. The findings highlight that the decisions made by WSAs are not only based on predefined rules, but are affected by many factors.
2 Arthington, A. H.; Tickner, D.; McClain, M. E.; Acreman, M. C.; Anderson, E. P.; Babu, S.; Dickens, Chris W. S.; Horne, A. C.; Kaushal, N.; Monk, W. A.; O’Brien, G. C.; Olden, J. D.; Opperman, J. J.; Owusu, Afua G.; Poff, N. L.; Richter, B. D.; Salinas-Rodríguez, S. A.; Shamboko Mbale, B.; Tharme, R. E.; Yarnell, S. M. 2023. Accelerating environmental flow implementation to bend the curve of global freshwater biodiversity loss. Environmental Reviews, 27p. (Online first) [doi: https://doi.org/10.1139/er-2022-0126]
Environmental flows ; Freshwater ; Biodiversity ; Ecosystem services ; Resilience ; Rivers ; Water availability ; Water users ; Stakeholders ; Climate change ; Constraints ; Legislation ; Regulations ; Monitoring ; Funding ; Socioeconomic aspects ; Ecological factors ; Infrastructure ; Human resources ; Capacity development ; Training ; Case studies / USA / Guatemala / Mexico / Canada / UK / South Africa / Zambia / India / China / Australia / Putah Creek Tributary / Usumacinta River / Peace-Athabasca Delta / Savannah River / Roanoke River / Great Brak River Estuary / Olifants River / Luangwa River / Nile River Basin / Ramganga River / Yangtze River / Lower Goulburn River
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H052092)
(1.91 MB) (1.91 MB)
Environmental flows (e-flows) aim to mitigate the threat of altered hydrological regimes in river systems and connected waterbodies and are an important component of integrated strategies to address multiple threats to freshwater biodiversity. Expanding and accelerating implementation of e-flows can support river conservation and help to restore the biodiversity and resilience of hydrologically altered and water-stressed rivers and connected freshwater ecosystems. While there have been significant developments in e-flow science, assessment, and societal acceptance, implementation of e-flows within water resource management has been slower than required and geographically uneven. This review explores critical factors that enable successful e-flow implementation and biodiversity outcomes in particular, drawing on 13 case studies and the literature. It presents e-flow implementation as an adaptive management cycle enabled by 10 factors: legislation and governance, financial and human resourcing, stakeholder engagement and co-production of knowledge, collaborative monitoring of ecological and social-economic outcomes, capacity training and research, exploration of trade-offs among water users, removing or retrofitting water infrastructure to facilitate e-flows and connectivity, and adaptation to climate change. Recognising that there may be barriers and limitations to the full and effective enablement of each factor, the authors have identified corresponding options and generalizable recommendations for actions to overcome prominent constraints, drawing on the case studies and wider literature. The urgency of addressing flow-related freshwater biodiversity loss demands collaborative networks to train and empower a new generation of e-flow practitioners equipped with the latest tools and insights to lead adaptive environmental water management globally. Mainstreaming e-flows within conservation planning, integrated water resource management, river restoration strategies, and adaptations to climate change is imperative. The policy drivers and associated funding commitments of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework offer crucial opportunities to achieve the human benefits contributed by e-flows as nature-based solutions, such as flood risk management, floodplain fisheries restoration, and increased river resilience to climate change.
3 Kosovac, A.; Horne, A. C.; O’Donnell, E. 2023. Community perceptions of environmental water: a review. Environmental Conservation, 50(2):73 - 82. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0376892923000036]
Communities ; Decision making ; Environmental flows ; Indigenous Peoples' knowledge ; Stakeholders ; Water policies ; Water allocation ; Water management
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H052432)
https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/6FEB798281598C1FC4DC9B8719342A8C/S0376892923000036a.pdf/community-perceptions-of-environmental-water-a-review.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H052432.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H052432.pdf
(544 KB)
Allocation of water specifically to the environment (often dubbed ‘environmental water’ or ‘environmental flows’) can be contentious within government, among irrigators and between community members. The reduction in supply of fresh water has led to questions surrounding the efficiencies and ecological value of securing these adequate flows for waterways. This literature review examines the evidence on these perceptions of environmental water allocations, focusing foremost on general public, irrigator, Indigenous and decision-maker perspectives. Existing studies are predominantly in Global North areas such as Australia, Canada and the USA. Two themes featured strongly in the papers: the importance of personal values in the acceptance of environmental water and the perception of fairness in environmental water allocation processes. Although the research area has been expanding, there is still limited representation in types of study, disciplinary backgrounds and study locations, and as such many research opportunities remain.
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