Topics

Announcements

 Editorial

The Water Strategy Man Project (Developing Strategies for Regulating and Managing Water Resources and Demand in Water Deficient Regions / WSM), is supported by the European Commission under the Fifth Framework Programme, under the Key Action "Sustainable Management and Quality of Water".

The Project was launched on January 1st 2002, and will be completed by July 2005.

In this first Issue of the Water Strategy Man Newsletter, we would like to introduce the Project, its participants, and the progress made so far, including the deliverables and project meetings of the 1st year.

In addition, the articles accompanying this issue provide:

The scope and structure of the Project,

An outline of the process of Strategy Formulation for Water

Management, followed in the WSM, and

The Structure of the Data used in the Project.

An important announcement is the commencement of Training on the DSS Tool that will begin to take place from the end of May onwards. Case Study Partners are anticipated in Athens throughout the duration of June, in order to enter the available data into the GIS database and begin training on the function and capabilities of the Tool.

 Main research goals and outcomes

The project emphasis is on Integrated Water Resources Management policies, aiming at public empowerment, envisioning of ultimate strategic goals towards water cost recovery protocols in arid and semi-arid circumstances. In this context it analyses and demarcates:

Trends and developments involving affected parties and

stakeholders

Contingency planning towards a wider menu of options, at

the same time presenting strategic and tactical joint goals and objectives

Emphasizes on adaptive planning in terms of flexible

mechanisms for changing administrative and political circumstances.

 Project Deliverables to date

Deliverable 1 : Range of existing circumstances   (PDF: 8M)

A report compiling the range of circumstances in the 6 countries participating in the case studies, as well as on the proposed water deficient regions investigated by the Case Study Partners.

Deliverable 3 : Workshop proceedings   (PDF: 12.5M)

The compiled proceedings of the Work Package 2 July Workshop in Syros.

Deliverable 4 : Systematic Typology of a Comprehensive Problematique (PDF: 5.5M)

The Deliverable 4, Development of a Systematic Typology of Comprehensive Problematique, provides a better understanding of the characteristics of the natural and man-made environment of the regions, with respect to the use and management of water resources, and forms clusters of regions sharing similar natural and anthropogenic characteristics.

Deliverable 5 : Selection of representative Paradigms   (PDF: 850k)

The Deliverable 5, Selection of Representative Paradigms, provides a better understanding of the forces that drive decision-making processes in the regions selected and the current management practices in response to water shortages, and forms clusters of regions sharing similar approaches to water management.

Deliverable 7 : Methodology Report  (PDF: 1.2M)

Report on the quantitative analysis of water systems, the estimation of economic and environmental costs and multi-criteria decision-making approaches.

Deliverable 8 : Methodology for evaluating water resources management scenarios   (PDF: 1.2M)

Deliverable 8 integrates the different methods that have been reviewed, to formulate a consistent methodology and to select those indicators and aggregation methods that are most appropriate for the Paradigms distinguished.

Deliverable 10 : Report on models, tools and DSS for water management   (PDF: 4.5M)

Deliverable 10 is a review of available Decision Support Systems and Tools that support Decision Makers to address water resources issues within a framework of analysis, planning and management integrated on multiple aspects such as environmental, socio-economic, administrative and of sustainable development.