Water Resources Management

[1]
Introduction

Mohammad N. Almasri

1 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

General Introduction

ƒ Water resources are finite

ƒ There are limits to the amounts of water that can be

utilized

ƒ There are also limits to the amounts of potential

pollutants that can be discharged into the water
resources

ƒ These facts should be reflected in the way that we

utilize these resources

2 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

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 Management interests
ƒ Stakeholders
involved in
planning and
management,
each having
different goals
and information
needs

ƒ They have
different opinions
about how their
water resources
can be managed
3 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

Management Questions

For instance, how can the renewable, yet finite

water resources best be used and/or protected?
4 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

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 Management Questions

What would be the maximum total pumping

volumes that can be pumped out from an
aquifer without exceeding a certain drawdown?
5 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

Management Questions

How to maximize
pumping rate from
a coastal aquifer
without causing
the occurrence of
salt-water
intrusion?

6 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

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 Management Questions

Where to construct a dumpsite such that the risk of

contaminating a near-by pumping well is minimized?

7 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

Management Questions

What is the maximum fertilizer application rate

such that nitrate concentration in groundwater
does not exceed the maximum contaminant level?
8 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

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 Management Questions

ƒ How can we provide a good-quality water for

irrigation in a specific area?

ƒ How can we use the water resources when the

supplies and demands are uncertain

9 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

Purpose of Water Resources Management

ƒ The central purpose of water resources planning

and management, in part, is to address, and if
possible to answer, the previous questions

ƒ This course is about how quantitative analysis

and in particular computer models and
optimization can support and improve water
resources planning and management

10 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

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Spatial Scale of Water Resources Management
Layout preparor: Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD
Water and Environmental Studies Institute
An-Najah National University
ƒ Apparently, the river flow at
a certain point is a complex
output from the different
activities that are taking
place in the upstream
watersheds contributing to
the river

ƒ The same applies for water

quality
Surface water
Dead Sea
Lake Tiberias
Palestine

ƒ You cannot manage without

Watersheds of Jordan River
Faria
Hasbani

considering the entire

Lake Tiberias
N/A
N North Rift Side Wadis
South Rift Side Wadis
7 0 7 Kilometers

system
W E
Upper Jordan
Yarmouk
S Zarqa

11 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

Spatial Scale of Water Resources Management

ƒ Watersheds or aquifer
systems are usually
Layout preparer: Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD

considered logical regions

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Faria spring group %

ƒ For example, the discharge Miska spring group

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of pollutants in the upstream

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portion of the watershed Surface water

Faria watershed outline
2 0 2 Kilometers

may degrade the quality of

the flows downstream
12 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

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 Definitions

Management. Act of managing by direction,

regulation, or administration

Integrated Management. Unified, combined and

coordinated management of problems which
correlates (links) relevant organizations, groups,
individuals and disciplines by bringing the parts
together for a complete approach

13 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

Definitions

Water Resources Management. Measures and

activities concerning the supply of water, the
improvement of efficiency in its use, the
reduction of losses and waste, water-saving
practices to reduce costs and to slow the
depletion of the water supply to ensure future
water availability, and protection of the quality
of water resources

14 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

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 Why Planning and Managing the Water
Resources?
ƒ Water resources planning and management
activities are usually motivated by the realization
that there are problems related to water sector.
These problems must be resolved

ƒ Reducing the severity of the adverse consequences

of droughts, floods and excessive pollution

ƒ Identification and evaluation of alternative measures

that may increase the available water supplies and
enhance water quality

15 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

Elements of Water Resources

Inputs to Water Resources Systems

Water sources
ƒ Surface sources: for example, surface water flow

ƒ Underground sources

ƒ Imported sources

ƒ Reuse: for example, treated wastewater from

treatment plants

16 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

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 Elements of Water Resources
Output of Water Resources Systems

A. Water allocation to user sectors

ƒ Municipal
ƒ Agriculture
ƒ Industry
ƒ Hydroelectric power
ƒ Flood control
ƒ Navigation
ƒ Recreation
ƒ Fish and wildlife habitats

B. Quantity and quality of the water resource system

ƒ Flow of water in a river
ƒ Quality of water in a river

17 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

Elements of Water Resources

Decision Variables

A. Management and planning

ƒ Operating strategies
ƒ Land use zoning
ƒ Regional coordination and allocation policy
ƒ Number and location of treatment plants
ƒ Sequence of treatments and treatment level
achieved

B. Investment policy
ƒ Budget allocation to various subsystems
ƒ Taxing and subsidy strategies
18 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

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 Elements of Water Resources
Constraints on System Performance

ƒ Economic constraints: for example, budget, B/C ratio

ƒ Political constraints: for example, tradeoff between

regions

ƒ Law: for example, water rights

ƒ Physical and technology constraints: for example,

probability of water availability

ƒ Standards: system output may have to meet certain

standards: for example, effluent standards from
wastewater treatment plants
19 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

Elements of Water Resources

Physical and Engineering Components
A. System components
ƒ Dam and control structures
ƒ Distribution or collection systems comprised of (a)
canals, (b) pipes, and (c) pumping stations
ƒ Treatment plants

B. Features of system components

ƒ Physical properties of stream: for example, roughness,
slope
ƒ Biochemical properties of stream: for example, rate of
degradation
ƒ Chemical properties of stream: for example, hardness,
pH
20 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

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 Temporal Scale of Water Resources Management

ƒ Water resources planning is for the future

ƒ Decisions recommended for the immediate future

should be based on their future impacts. These
impacts may also depend on economic,
demographic, and physical conditions now and on
into some distant future

ƒ The question of just how far into the future one

need to look, and try to forecast, is directly
dependent on the influence that future forecast has
on the present decisions
21 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

Temporal Scale of Water Resources Management

ƒ What is most important now is what decision to

make now since this will indeed impact the decisions
to be made in the future

ƒ Planning is a continuing sequential process. Water

resources plans need to be periodically updated and
adapt to new information, new objectives, and
updated forecasts of future demands, costs, and
benefits

22 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

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 Temporal Scale of Water Resources Management

ƒ Time needed to
12.0
reduce the
nitrate
concentration
Nitrate concentration (mg/L)

11.5

below the MCL

11.0

10.5
ƒ This time
10.0
dictates the MO

ƒ Short time
9.5
1 18 35 52 69 86 103 120

Time (months)
period implies
more drastic
MO

23 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

Approaches of Management
Top-Down Approach
ƒ In the top-down approach, multi-purpose master
plans are developed

ƒ These plans typically describes all aspects of water

resources management and use

ƒ Also, alternative management options are identified

and evaluated

ƒ Based on these evaluations, the preferred plan is

presented

24 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

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 Approaches of Management
Top-Down Approach
ƒ In this approach, there is typically little if any active
participation of interested stakeholders

ƒ The approach assumes that one or more institutions

have the ability and authority to develop and
implement the plan

ƒ In today's environment where publics are calling for

less government oversight, regulation and control,
and increasing participation in planning and
management activities, the top-down approaches
are becoming less desirable or acceptable
25 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

Approaches of Management
Bottom-Up Approach
ƒ Within the past decade water resources planning
and management processes have increasingly
involved the active participation of interested
stakeholders

ƒ Stakeholders are those affected in any way by

the management of the resource of interest
ƒ In addition, stakeholders can be viewed as those
who are in a position of taking decisions

26 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

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 Approaches of Management
Bottom-Up Approach
ƒ Successful planning and management involves
motivating all potential stakeholders and sponsors to
join and participate in the water resources planning and
management process

ƒ Without significant citizen involvement, management

plans have little chance of success if they do not take
into consideration the concerns and have the support of
affected local stakeholders

ƒ To gain their support, concerned stakeholders must be

included in the decision-making process as early as
possible
27 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

Approaches of Management
Bottom-Up Approach
ƒ They must become part of the decision-making process, not
merely spectators, or even advisors to it

ƒ This will help gain their cooperation and commitment to the

plans eventually adopted

ƒ Participating stakeholders will consider the resulting plans as

their plans. They will have a sense of ownership, and as such
will strive to make them work

ƒ Such adopted plans, if they are to be successfully implemented,

must fit within existing legislative, permitting, enforcement and
monitoring programs. Stakeholder participation improves the
chance that the system being managed will be sustainable
28 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

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 Approaches of Management
Integrated Water Resources Management Approach (IWRM)

ƒ The concept of IWRM looks towards comprehensive

water policy planning which addresses the interaction
between different sub-sectors

ƒ The key aspect of IWRM is that the management and

development of the resources consider the use of the
resources in relation to the social and economic
activities and functions

ƒ Thus, the IWRM can be defined as the process which

promotes the coordinated development and
management of water, land and related resources, in
order to maximize the resultant economic and social
welfare
29 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

Typical Management Framework

INCEPTION DEVELOPMENT SELECTION ƒ The three key

PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS
Characterization of Natural Resources
MODELING
Natual Resources
PROCESSING
Strategy Design phases of that
framework
Identification of System Stresses Economic System Impact Assessment
Stakeholder Meeting social System Sensitivity Analysis
Data Collection Campaigns Code Selection Scenario Evaluation
Statistical Analysis Overall Assessment
are: inception;
CONCEPTUALIZATION
OPTIMIZATION
Decision Variables development,
and selection
Problem Statement Constraints
DECISION
Problem Questions Techniques
Presentation of Results
Objectives Code Selection
Conclusions
Spatial and Temporal Scale
Recommendations
Methodology
Itimized Workplan and Schedule

ƒ Interaction
INITIAL ANALYSIS
Measures
Criteria

with the
INCEPTION REPORT FINAL REPORT

DRAFT REPORT
decision maker
is essential
DECISION MAKERS AND STAKEHOLDER REPRESENTATIVES
throughout the
process

30 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

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 Typical Management Framework
Inception Phase
ƒ The first phase of the process is the inception phase

ƒ In the inception phase the subject of the analysis (what is

analyzed under what conditions) and the objective of the
analysis (what are the desired results of the analysis) are
specified

ƒ Based on this initial analysis, during which intensive

communication with (representatives of the) decision maker
is essential, the approach for the analysis is specified

ƒ The results of the inception phase are presented in the

inception report, which includes the work plan for the other
phases of the analysis process
31 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

Typical Management Framework

Development Phase
ƒ In the development phase, tools are developed for
analyzing and identifying possible solutions to the
problems

ƒ The main block of activities is usually related to modeling

ƒ Individual measures will be developed and screened in this

phase using selected criteria

ƒ The development phase is characterized by an increased

understanding of the functioning of the system

ƒ Interactions with decision makers are facilitated through

presentations of interim results in interim reports
32 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

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 Typical Management Framework
Selection Phase
ƒ The purpose of the selection phase is to prepare a
limited number of promising strategies based on a
detailed analysis of their effects on the evaluation
criteria, and to present them to the decision makers

ƒ Decision makers will make the final selection

ƒ Important activities in this phase are strategy design,

evaluation of strategies and presentation

ƒ The results of this phase are included in the final report

33 Fall 2007 – Water Resources Management – Mohammad N. Almasri, PhD An-Najah National University

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