Connections between integrated water resources management and water governance in a semiarid reservoir

Código

I-EBHE0038

Autores

Luana Alves dos Santos, Maycon Breno Macena da Silva, Márcia Maria Rios Ribeiro

Tema

WG 2.2: Participatory Water Systems

Resumo

Water resources management can be understood as part of the operationalization of water governance. Therefore, this study questioned how the degree of implementation of integrated water resources management (IWRM) in a reservoir in the Brazilian semiarid region influences the water governance of that reservoir. The chosen case study was the Epitácio Pessoa Reservoir (EPR), in the Brazilian semiarid region. The EPR is the second largest reservoir in Paraíba State. It has a history of crises and conflicts being responsible for supplying water to more than 20 municipalities. More recently, new management mechanisms are being implemented. The methodology uses the integration of two conceptual and methodological frameworks: indicators defined by the UNEP-DHI Center on Water and Environment to analyze the implementation of IWRM and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Principles on Water Governance. UNEP-DHI indicators are divided into four dimensions: enabling environment, institutions and participation, management instruments and financing. There are 12 OECD principles which are divided into three dimensions: effectiveness, efficiency and trust and commitment. UNEP-DHI indicators were linked to the OECD Principles to identify integration between management and governance. After assigning scores (0-100) to the UNEP-DHI indicators, based on a document analysis, we were able to verify the status of IWRM implementation and the impact on the EPR water governance. All UNEP-DHI indicator dimensions for analyzing the degree of IWRM implementation had similar mean scores, indicating medium-high performance. However, there are indicators with very low scores in the dimensions of institutions and participation and enabling environment. Therefore, they need greater attention for improvements. The impact of these results on water governance was analyzed based on the scores that received the OECD Principles. The effectiveness and efficiency dimensions had medium-high performance and the trust and commitment dimension achieved high performance. The lowest scores show that aspects of governance that still require improvement are associated with appropriate scales for governance and availability of data and information. The good results are associated, among other factors, with the existence of a National Water Resource Policy (PNRH) based on decentralization and participation, efforts to implement the PNRH management instruments and the new reservoir planning mechanisms (regulatory framework and negotiated water allocation). Although these planning mechanisms have some weaknesses, they have helped to maintain the notion of uninterrupted reservoir planning. As well as showing positive aspects and gaps in IWRH and water governance, the study demonstrates that it is possible to perform this type of analysis at a local level, in water systems composed of reservoirs. These reservoir-focused analyses can show flaws that broader analyses may overlook. The findings can help the National Water Resources Management System (SINGREH) to improve their work in this water system.