Physics and Chemistry of the Earth 27 (2002) 831–838
www.elsevier.com/locate/pce
A comparison between conventional and integrated water
resources planning and management
Jonathan I. Matondo *
University of Swaziland, Private Bag 4, Kwaluseni, Swaziland
Abstract
Air, land and water are the three fragile components of the Spaceship Earth. These three components are highly integrative
resources and therefore, must be properly planned and managed in order to ensure adequate public health, food supplies and
transportation. The quality of life is directly dependent on how well these resources are planned and managed for sustainable
development. The above three resources are highly integrated and thus the need for multi-purpose water resources planning and
management. Multi-purpose water resources planning and management also emerged as a result of an increase in competing and
conflicting water uses and due to rapid population growth and rising expectations of a better life.
This paper discusses the conventional and integrated water resource planning and management approaches for sustainable
development. The author agues that, both approaches if implemented very well are geared to deliver the same end results Ôsus-
tainable developmentÕ. However, the paper concludes that, both approaches have failed to deliver the end results due to a missing
link. This missing link in both approaches is the institutional framework that coordinates water resources planning and management
responsibilities and activities at all levels of government.
2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.
Keywords: Comparison; Conventional; Integrated; Water management; Institutional framework
1. Introduction due to rapid population growth and rising expectations
of a better life.
The fragile components of Spaceship Earth are The conventional water resources planning and
principally air, land and water. These three highly in- management is from Top Bottom approach coupled
teractive resources must be properly managed in order with public hearing in developed countries. While in
to ensure adequate public health, food supplies and developing countries it is the experts and the decision
transportation. The quality of human life is directly makers (usually the politicians) who have much say on
dependent on how well these resources are managed. the planning and implementation of water resources
Water is the most important catalyst for human devel- projects. The public has no much say but to accept what
opment. It is a major input in almost all sectors of the is being planned for them.
human endeavour. Ancient civilizations grew up in the Integrated water resources planning and management
river valleys of Tigris and Euphrates, the Nile, Indus, (IWRPM) is participatory, technically and scientific in-
Hwang Ho etc. where there was plenty of water. During formed and is taken at the lowest level, but within the
those days the planning and management of the water framework at the catchment, basin and aquifer level
resources were for single uses. As time passed on it was which are the natural units by which nature manages
recognized that resources were integrated and therefore, water. Stakeholder participation is the key point in
the need for longer-range planning that would include IWRPM approach. That is the empowered community
multi-purpose systems resources. Multi-purpose water has the responsibility to address local issues in a coor-
resources planning also emerged as a result of an in- dinated and integrated way.
crease in the competing and conflicting water uses and The earlier water resource project plans did not take
into consideration of the environment and thus had
negative effects to the environment. The world society
*
Tel.: +268-518-4011; fax: +268-518-5276. recently has put emphasis on the need in water resources
E-mail address: (J.I. Matondo). planning and management for consideration of the
1474-7065/02/$ - see front matter 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.
PII: S 1 4 7 4 - 7 0 6 5 ( 0 2 ) 0 0 0 7 2 - 4
, 832 J.I. Matondo / Physics and Chemistry of the Earth 27 (2002) 831–838
quality and aesthetic integrity of the environment. The National Water Committee (1966) ‘‘is the creative and
environmental impact assessment is now an integral part analytical process of (a) hypothesizing sets of possible
of a water resources plan. According to Loucks (2000), goals, (b) assembling needed information to develop
ÔSustainable water resources systems are those designed and systematically analyze alternative courses of actions
and managed to fully contribute to the objectives of for attainment of such goals, (c) displaying the infor-
society, now and in the future, while maintaining their mation and the consequences of alternative actions in
ecological, environmental and hydrological integrityÕ. an authoritative manner, (d) devising detailed proce-
It has been established by scholars that water re- dures for carrying out the actions, and (e) recommend-
sources problems are going to be more complex in the ing courses of action as an aid to the decision-makers
future world wide (Simonovic, 2000; Wurbs, 1998; Singh, in deciding what set of goals and courses of action to
1995). Population growth, climate variability, regulatory pursue’’.
requirements, project planning horizons, temporal and A goal is a desirable state of affairs where a person or
spatial scales, socio and environmental considerations, an integrated group of persons is actively striving to
and transboundary considerations all of these contribute achieve. The first step in water resources planning is that
to the complexity of water resources planning and of analyzing the possible sets of goals which the com-
management problems (see Fig. 1). Systems analysis has munity or country is striving to achieve for the benefits
been established as one of the tools for solving complex of its citizens and the environment. The general goal in
water resource problems (Dantzing, 1963; Hillier and water resources planning is the improvement of human
Lieberman, 1990; Loucks et al., 1981). According to Si- welfare. A lot of data is required in the planning of
monovic (2000), complex water resources planning water resource projects (hydrological, economic, social
problems heavily rely on systems thinking, which is de- economic, demographic, physical, meteorological, etc.).
fined as the ability to generate understanding through All the above information is required for the analysis of
engaging in the mental model-based processes of con- alternative plans. The major objectives in water re-
struction, comparison and resolution through the use of sources planning are: national economic development,
computer software tools such as STELLA, DYNAMO, regional development, environmental quality and social
VENSIM, POWERSIM (High Performance Systems, well being. Therefore, each alternative plan should dis-
1992; Lyneis et al., 1994; Ventura Systems, 1995; Pow- play the beneficial and adverse effects on all the four
ersim Corporation, 1996). major objectives. The definition also emphasizes that
This paper presents a discussion on the Conventional each alternative plan should have detailed procedures
and IWRPM approaches. The application of systems for carrying out the actions. A plan should also have the
analysis in water resources planning and management is recommendations on the possible courses of actions to
also presented. The missing link in both approaches for pursue. This is intended to help the decision markers to
water resources planning and management will is dis- make the right decision. We should also bare in mind
cussed. that engineers, water resource planners etc are not the
decision makers. This responsibility rests in the hands of
decision makers who are the politicians. Therefore, the
2. Conventional water resources planning and management
politicians must be fed with the right information.
The total planning process involves goals, objectives,
Planning is involved in virtually all human endeav-
activities, and resources of all kinds that can seldom be
ours. Water resources planning as defined by the USA
considered independently. Meeting the needs of the
people requires consideration of land use, water, hous-
ing, transportation, education, and many other sectors
of human endeavours. The general interrelated hierar-
chies in the planning process can be described by the
following classifications of planning activities as illus-
trated in Table 1.
2.1. Planning jurisdictions
The planning, development and management of
water resources can be carried out at international level.
This is especially the case when a water course crosses
several national boundaries, such as the Zambezi river,
Nile river etc. Planning for water resources can also be
Fig. 1. Complex interactions and feedbacks between the natural and carried out at national, regional, District and at village
human systems. (Falkenmark, 1986). level.
www.elsevier.com/locate/pce
A comparison between conventional and integrated water
resources planning and management
Jonathan I. Matondo *
University of Swaziland, Private Bag 4, Kwaluseni, Swaziland
Abstract
Air, land and water are the three fragile components of the Spaceship Earth. These three components are highly integrative
resources and therefore, must be properly planned and managed in order to ensure adequate public health, food supplies and
transportation. The quality of life is directly dependent on how well these resources are planned and managed for sustainable
development. The above three resources are highly integrated and thus the need for multi-purpose water resources planning and
management. Multi-purpose water resources planning and management also emerged as a result of an increase in competing and
conflicting water uses and due to rapid population growth and rising expectations of a better life.
This paper discusses the conventional and integrated water resource planning and management approaches for sustainable
development. The author agues that, both approaches if implemented very well are geared to deliver the same end results Ôsus-
tainable developmentÕ. However, the paper concludes that, both approaches have failed to deliver the end results due to a missing
link. This missing link in both approaches is the institutional framework that coordinates water resources planning and management
responsibilities and activities at all levels of government.
2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.
Keywords: Comparison; Conventional; Integrated; Water management; Institutional framework
1. Introduction due to rapid population growth and rising expectations
of a better life.
The fragile components of Spaceship Earth are The conventional water resources planning and
principally air, land and water. These three highly in- management is from Top Bottom approach coupled
teractive resources must be properly managed in order with public hearing in developed countries. While in
to ensure adequate public health, food supplies and developing countries it is the experts and the decision
transportation. The quality of human life is directly makers (usually the politicians) who have much say on
dependent on how well these resources are managed. the planning and implementation of water resources
Water is the most important catalyst for human devel- projects. The public has no much say but to accept what
opment. It is a major input in almost all sectors of the is being planned for them.
human endeavour. Ancient civilizations grew up in the Integrated water resources planning and management
river valleys of Tigris and Euphrates, the Nile, Indus, (IWRPM) is participatory, technically and scientific in-
Hwang Ho etc. where there was plenty of water. During formed and is taken at the lowest level, but within the
those days the planning and management of the water framework at the catchment, basin and aquifer level
resources were for single uses. As time passed on it was which are the natural units by which nature manages
recognized that resources were integrated and therefore, water. Stakeholder participation is the key point in
the need for longer-range planning that would include IWRPM approach. That is the empowered community
multi-purpose systems resources. Multi-purpose water has the responsibility to address local issues in a coor-
resources planning also emerged as a result of an in- dinated and integrated way.
crease in the competing and conflicting water uses and The earlier water resource project plans did not take
into consideration of the environment and thus had
negative effects to the environment. The world society
*
Tel.: +268-518-4011; fax: +268-518-5276. recently has put emphasis on the need in water resources
E-mail address: (J.I. Matondo). planning and management for consideration of the
1474-7065/02/$ - see front matter 2002 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.
PII: S 1 4 7 4 - 7 0 6 5 ( 0 2 ) 0 0 0 7 2 - 4
, 832 J.I. Matondo / Physics and Chemistry of the Earth 27 (2002) 831–838
quality and aesthetic integrity of the environment. The National Water Committee (1966) ‘‘is the creative and
environmental impact assessment is now an integral part analytical process of (a) hypothesizing sets of possible
of a water resources plan. According to Loucks (2000), goals, (b) assembling needed information to develop
ÔSustainable water resources systems are those designed and systematically analyze alternative courses of actions
and managed to fully contribute to the objectives of for attainment of such goals, (c) displaying the infor-
society, now and in the future, while maintaining their mation and the consequences of alternative actions in
ecological, environmental and hydrological integrityÕ. an authoritative manner, (d) devising detailed proce-
It has been established by scholars that water re- dures for carrying out the actions, and (e) recommend-
sources problems are going to be more complex in the ing courses of action as an aid to the decision-makers
future world wide (Simonovic, 2000; Wurbs, 1998; Singh, in deciding what set of goals and courses of action to
1995). Population growth, climate variability, regulatory pursue’’.
requirements, project planning horizons, temporal and A goal is a desirable state of affairs where a person or
spatial scales, socio and environmental considerations, an integrated group of persons is actively striving to
and transboundary considerations all of these contribute achieve. The first step in water resources planning is that
to the complexity of water resources planning and of analyzing the possible sets of goals which the com-
management problems (see Fig. 1). Systems analysis has munity or country is striving to achieve for the benefits
been established as one of the tools for solving complex of its citizens and the environment. The general goal in
water resource problems (Dantzing, 1963; Hillier and water resources planning is the improvement of human
Lieberman, 1990; Loucks et al., 1981). According to Si- welfare. A lot of data is required in the planning of
monovic (2000), complex water resources planning water resource projects (hydrological, economic, social
problems heavily rely on systems thinking, which is de- economic, demographic, physical, meteorological, etc.).
fined as the ability to generate understanding through All the above information is required for the analysis of
engaging in the mental model-based processes of con- alternative plans. The major objectives in water re-
struction, comparison and resolution through the use of sources planning are: national economic development,
computer software tools such as STELLA, DYNAMO, regional development, environmental quality and social
VENSIM, POWERSIM (High Performance Systems, well being. Therefore, each alternative plan should dis-
1992; Lyneis et al., 1994; Ventura Systems, 1995; Pow- play the beneficial and adverse effects on all the four
ersim Corporation, 1996). major objectives. The definition also emphasizes that
This paper presents a discussion on the Conventional each alternative plan should have detailed procedures
and IWRPM approaches. The application of systems for carrying out the actions. A plan should also have the
analysis in water resources planning and management is recommendations on the possible courses of actions to
also presented. The missing link in both approaches for pursue. This is intended to help the decision markers to
water resources planning and management will is dis- make the right decision. We should also bare in mind
cussed. that engineers, water resource planners etc are not the
decision makers. This responsibility rests in the hands of
decision makers who are the politicians. Therefore, the
2. Conventional water resources planning and management
politicians must be fed with the right information.
The total planning process involves goals, objectives,
Planning is involved in virtually all human endeav-
activities, and resources of all kinds that can seldom be
ours. Water resources planning as defined by the USA
considered independently. Meeting the needs of the
people requires consideration of land use, water, hous-
ing, transportation, education, and many other sectors
of human endeavours. The general interrelated hierar-
chies in the planning process can be described by the
following classifications of planning activities as illus-
trated in Table 1.
2.1. Planning jurisdictions
The planning, development and management of
water resources can be carried out at international level.
This is especially the case when a water course crosses
several national boundaries, such as the Zambezi river,
Nile river etc. Planning for water resources can also be
Fig. 1. Complex interactions and feedbacks between the natural and carried out at national, regional, District and at village
human systems. (Falkenmark, 1986). level.
