Integrated Water Resource Management: Principles and Applications
Georg Meran, Markus Siehlow, Christian von Hirschhausen
Abstract
Abstract The concept of Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) was established, back in the 1930s, to address “optimal” water management, mainly from a technical perspective, but also taking into account social goals, such as the fulfillment of basic needs and the total welfare of the population. The chapter provides a comprehensive overview of issues related to IWRM. After a discussion of the various economic dimensions of water, we establish a basic model to analyze the value of water under different social welfare objective functions, including the human right to water. The technical-economic model also addresses questions of eco-hydrology, water recycling, groundwater management, and water quality management. The chapter also addresses water allocation along rivers and water transfers between watersheds. The chapter includes exercises and suggestions for further reading.