Water Resources Management — Definition

Definition

Water resources management is the assessment, allocation, use and protection of connected water systems. It considers quantity, quality, location and timing together. Rivers, aquifers, reservoirs and return flows can interact, so a decision at one point can affect other users.

Management combines infrastructure with information, allocation rules and incentives. A reduction in water withdrawn is not automatically an equal reduction in water consumed, particularly where return flows remain usable downstream.

Reliable analysis therefore states the hydrological boundary and period before judging whether an intervention has saved water.