The need for an integrated approach to ecosystem water management

Abstract:

Integrated basin, management is necessary for sustainable management of freshwater resources. Resource planning and water quality objectives should recognise the need for sustainable water resource management. Water is a renewable resource and therefore management should encourage the control of demand rather than the supply of new resources. This work analyses the water resource planning in Catalonia as well the actions taken to ensure water quality. It is shown that the present management and future planning attempts to maximise the supply of water and, as a result, the resource depletion has a severe environmental impact. An alternative management is suggested (ecosystemic strategy) which should make resource use and ecosystem conservation compatible. Biological indicators of water quality show no improvement in the past few years despite the high economic investments in sewage plants. The failing of water quality objectives is due to the lack of dilution in the Mediterranean rivers and the physicochemical processes performed in the main sewage plants. (from English summary)

Año de publicación:

1996

Keywords:

Fuente:

scopus