WP7 - Analysis / Evaluation and Sustainable Management Strategies
Workpackage-leader: ICIMOD
Objectives
The WP 7 objective is to apply ECODAT and analyse the results to develop sustainable management strategies for authorities and policy makers. As the target region encompasses five neighbouring countries, a transnational approach will be taken to improve the sustainable management of renewable natural resources independent of national boundaries. This Workpackage is split into two main parts:
- Application of ECODAT and quantitative analysis of the results.
- Sustainable Management Strategies - a qualitative interpretation based on the analysis.
The analysis begins with the generation of the mathematical and graphical results with the ECODAT. To validate ECODAT, five water quality maps of river sections representative for the HKH region will be generated within the scope of the ASSESS-HKH research work. The water quality maps can lead to the identification of environmental "hot spots" that require immediate action or sites not yet impaired, but at high risk. A report will be written with recommendations for technical mitigation measures to alleviate or reduce pressures and risks.
Sustainable Management Strategies will be delivered in the form of a policy recommendation for establishing an HKH transnational river and stream monitoring programme as a basis for sustainable water management with sub-sections such as:
- Increasing use efficiency (including recycling and re-use)
- Control of sediment load
- Pollution and water logging
- Analysis of socio-economic benefits relating to ASSESS-HKH
Evaluation of the use of the river quality assessment as a planning and monitoring tool in the context of the existing legal framework. The ASSESS-HKH research activity is a first step in establishing an effective river quality monitoring programme in the HKH region which is a prerequisite to evaluate the effectiveness of sustainable management strategies and to enforce their implementation. Moreover, the monitoring scheme could be used to alleviate pressures on certain river sections in the context of other water uses such as hydroelectric power generation (dam construction, micro-hydropower plants) and irrigation.
Description of work
Task 7.1 Generate reports (tables, charts) with the Eco-data Management Tool (ECODAT) and analyse the results: ECODAT will allow the classification of the investigated rivers and streams on a scale of 1 (high) to 5 (poor) as well as supporting the analysis of ecological stressors such as type of pollution, population density, water use etc. This will be performed in close connection with the Task 6.4 (Software Validation) whereby the users must work with the developers in designing useful standard reports that can be easily created and some possibilities for report customisation and storage.
Task 7.2 Create water quality maps for five representative river sections: Water quality maps serve as an easy readable tool to identify hot spots and to show where immediate action is required. It is not intended to construct a water quality map of the whole HKH region, rather for selected representative regions. This will be done together with the HKH scientists as an example. The maps can serve as a valuable visual aid in dissemination activities and form a basis to develop water quality maps for other regions after completion of ASSESS-HKH.
Task 7.3 Analyse water quality maps to define mitigation strategies as basis for policy recommendations on sustainable water management. The earlier review (WP 3) of existing policies and instruments (legal and regulatory framework) that effect river quality, its availability and sustainable use (differentiation between rural, industrial and urban sector) will now be compared with the ASSESS-HKH findings. This will lead to identification of policy options for implementation of sustainable use of water and integrated water management, including evaluation of incentives that achieve water conservation and better allocation of water resources (market based management approaches, nonmarket institutional structures, positive and negative externalities, upstream, downstream user conflict). This will be used as a basis for dissemination in WP 8.