Environmentally-sound water management

While the concept of sustainability, or environmentally sound water management, is a goal for water resources development, the translation of the concept to practice often proves to be quite problematic, even with the information available today. This book presents the principles of environmentally sound water management, together with several case studies; particularly the environmental impacts of the High Aswan Dam in Egypt, and the resulting coastal erosion, increase in schistosomiasis, reduction in fertility of the Nile Valley, and loss of the Mediterranean fishery. The balance of short-term versus long-term effects is stressed. Areas of primary and secondary impacts are inventoried. The institutional, legal and financial framework, from village level to international, is discussed. Irrigation projects, watershed management, water quality management and water projects management are all included in separate chapters. The planning and decision-making framework should be cross-sectoral, and include risk analyses and environmental impact studies.