Integrated Water Resources Management: A Reassessment

TLDR

Integrated water resources management (IWRM) has been discussed for six decades, yet its vague definition and implementation challenges—especially at meso‑ to macro‑scale—have limited its practical application. The authors analyze why IWRM remains popular and argue that translating the concept into operational practice is exceedingly difficult. Their analysis concludes that IWRM is unlikely to be operationally feasible in real‑world settings. Keywords: integrated water resources management, IWRM, water resources paradigm, efficient water management.

Abstract

Abstract Abstract The concept of integrated water resources management (IWRM) has been around for some 60 years. It was rediscovered by some in the 1990s. While at a first glance, the concept of IWRM looks attractive, a deeper analysis brings out many problems, both in concept and implementation, especially for meso- to macro-scale projects. The definition of IWRM continues to be amorphous, and there is no agreement on fundamental issues like what aspects should be integrated, how, by whom, or even if such integration in a wider sense is possible. The reasons for the current popularity of the concept are analyzed, and it is argued that in the real world, the concept will be exceedingly difficult to be made operational. Keywords: integrated water resources managementIWRMwater resources paradigmefficient water management