Your grade in this course will be based on participation (10%) and the quality of your final group project (written = 70% and oral = 20%).
To earn full points for participation, you should miss no more than two classes during the semester and should participate regularly in classroom discussions.
Class Project Description
The main objectives of the project are to:
- Conduct an in-depth situation analysis of water resources management in a river basin of your group’s choice.
- Assess the degree to which IWRM principles are currently applied in management of water in the river basin, and describe/propose how management could be improved by incorporating more IWRM principles and tools.
Students will work in small groups (3-4), and projects will focus on individual river basins, which may be national or transnational.
The project should be based on lecture content, readings, resources gathered from primary literature (accessed through the internet or library), and information acquired through direct email (or telephone) communications with individuals working in the river basin (government, NGO, academic, citizen committees, etc.). Do not cite web sites!
The final project should be 40-50 pages in length (including graphics, but excluding references). Individual contributions should be color coded to distinguish authors. The text should be double spaced, 11-12 point font, with one-inch margins all around. Text, graphics, and tables should be integrated into a single document that will be submitted in printed and electronic form. A 20 minute PowerPoint presentation should also be prepared.
Project Content
The list below are designed to inform you about the topics to be considered in your paper. It is not a strict outline.
I. Describe the characteristics of the basin. (8-10 pgs)
- topography and climate
- ecosystems/biodiversity
- land use/land cover
- population/cities/cultures
- hydrology (river system and lakes) and water quality
- point sources of toxic releases
- physical infrastructure (roads, dams)
- etc.
II. Describe current extractive and non-extractive water use in the basin. (6-10 pgs)
- water users (agriculture, domestic, recreation, transport, energy, etc.)
- sources of water
- technologies for water abstraction (pumps, canals, manual, etc.)
- quantities of water used or needed
- handling and treatment of wastewater/sewage
III. Describe the current system of water resources management from the perspective of IWRM (highlighting where existing management conforms with or diverges from IWRM principles) (10-15 pgs)
- policy and legal framework (national, regional, local)
- institutional framework
- institutional responsibilities and capabilities
- allocation planning and management (permitting systems)
- supply and demand management
- environmental protection (env flows, water quality, etc.)
- stakeholder involvement
- monitoring and other sources of scientific guidance
- adaptability
IV. Describe water resource problems in the basin. Each problem you mention should be backed up by some reference. Be as specific and thorough as possible (e.g. high sediment loads linked to erosion from poorly managed farms, low river O 2 levels tied to domestic waste water discharges, low water levels linked to over abstraction for irrigation, poor human health linked to insufficient treatment of drinking water, etc). Consider each problem from the perspective of IWRM. Is the problem exacerbated by a lack of an integrated approach, by a lack of participation or inequities in water access, etc? (8-10 pages)
V. Suggest systematic and coordinated actions (a strategy) that would make water resources management more integrated and comprehensive in the river basin. Be very specific! (8-10 pages)
- policy/legal reform
- institutional reform
- better science (what, where, how)
- better participation
- better consideration of gender roles
- greater equity
- stronger environmental standards
- etc.
See an example of an A paper! [Download Paper]
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