Conference - Integrated Water Resources Management: The Emperor’s New Clothes or Indispensable Process?

 

Note added on 15 January 2011: The conference dates and venue have been changed: 27-29 June in Snowbird, UT. More later.

So what's the deal with the conference title? Did I get up on the wrong side of the bed or something?

No, I didn't. But given the promotion of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) around the world it's time to assess just what it really is and how well it works in practice.

Here is what I wrote in a newsletter:

What exactly is IWRM? According to the Global Water Partnership (GWP), 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.” Sounds good, right? But how well does it work in practice? That’s what the conference will be examining, from both US and international perspectives. Case histories and ‘lessons learned’ are especially desired. I’m personally anxious to see case studies involving groundwater systems.

As the conference title implies, some people think IWRM is the neatest thing since sliced bread, while for others, it conjures images of the Emperor's new clothes. 

So, to understand more about IWRM, we are holding a conference 20-22 June 2011 at the Keystone Resort in Colorado. ICIWaRM is also involved.

We want to hear from you.

Have some good case histories? Have some not-so-good case histories illustrating what went wrong and lesssons learned?

Do you have some applications of IWRM to groundwater systems? Then I want to hear from you.

We want you to propose a panel or submit an abstract. Or just show up. 

What are some of the critisims of IWRM?

its focus on process with lack of measurement criteria for outcomes or indicators of success;

little guidance for improving efficiency;

 vague concept with few success stories; and 

its applicability to groundwater, especially aquifer systems that transcend watershed boundaries.

Some of the questions we are posing and seek to address:

• How does IWRM work in practice?
• Are there successful case histories, including application to groundwater-dominated systems?
• What can we learn from IWRM failures?
• Can IWRM be applied to the development of nonrenewable water resources?
• How can IWRM best be implemented?
• How can outcomes be assessed and what indicators for success can be used?
• Are there differences in IWRM implementation and success in developing vs. developed countries?
• How does IWRM relate to governance?
• Can IWRM be applied to transnational surface water and groundwater basins?
• What are the socioeconomic and cultural barriers to IWRM’s implementation?
• Can the USA implement IWRM?
• What is the relationship between technology and IWRM implementation?
• Can IWRM mitigate conflict and promote cooperation?
• Have countries developed IWRM strategies and how are they working?
• Has IWRM evolved and is there something better?
• How are IWRM and adaptive management related?
• Does IWRM relate well to WaSH (water, sanitation and hygiene)?
• How do we train the next generation of water professionals to apply IWRM?
• Can water be managed sustainably and cost effectively without an integrated approach?
• Are peak water and IWRM related?
• Can IWRM be implemented successfully without a river basin or watershed organization?
• What roles can stakeholder and community organizations play?
• Are there misconceptions of IWRM?
• How does IWRM taught at academic institutions differ from IWRM in practice?
• Is the spatial scale important, i.e., are there certain thresholds above or below which IWRM is impractical?
• Do scientific and technological gaps exist that hinder IWRM?

Questions? Contact me.

See you in Keystone this June!

“IWRM is easy to talk about but hard to implement.” – a practitioner