Water

Water Financing Program 2006-2010
Helping to Introduce IWRM in 25 River Basins
in the Asia-Pacific Region

ADB has so far identified 20 river basins where it can help to introduce integrated river basin management (IWRM). ADB's Water Financing Program 2006-2010 targets the introduction of IWRM in 25 basins and consultations are ongoing for selecting the remaining five basins. ADB has also developed a list of IWRM elements and a generic roadmap to help practitioners introduce IWRM into these river basins.

CONTENTS Background Targeting 25 River Basins Helping to Introduce IWRM in River Basins Enabling Environment IWRM Elements Roadmap for Introducing IWRM in River Basins Related Links Contacts

In March 2006, ADB announced that it will make water a core investment area in its operations. It will do this through the Water Financing Program(WFP), which will ensure the delivery of substantial investment, reform, and capacity development programs in three key areas: rural water, urban water and basin water.

Interventions for basin water include promoting integrated water resources management (IWRM), healthy rivers, investments in infrastructure and management of multifunctional water regulation and hydropower facilities, flood management, watershed and wetlands conservation, and more.

One of WFP’s targets is the introduction of IWRM in 25 river basins in the Asia-Pacific region.

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The table below shows 24 firm candidate basins, with 1 more basin still to be determined after further consultation with clients and partners.

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Integrated water resources management (IWRM) is now recognized across the world as the process to promote coordinated development and management of water, land and related resources in river basins, to maximize the economic benefits and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems.

A river basin’s specific conditions and requirements shape the application of IWRM. But in all cases, IWRM focuses on delivering a triple bottom line of economic, social, and environmental benefits that result from an integrated approach.

In the natural system, IWRM focuses on integrating management of upstream and downstream interests, water quantity and quality, surface and groundwater, and land and water resources.

However, the water crisis in countries across the region is largely a challenge of improving water governance, and IWRM focuses equally on improving the human system.

The human system deals with how people and their institutions work together, make the right decisions, and implement them effectively. Stakeholder participation, local actions and ownership are necessary building blocks for achieving IWRM in the river basin. The active and informed participation of river basin stakeholders in planning and decision-making, including in water resources allocation, conflict resolution, and trade-off choices, is central to the success of IWRM.

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IWRM is a long-term process that needs sustained commitment by all stakeholders in the river basin. Its implementation will take decades of incremental improvements to achieve full results.

Introducing IWRM in a river basin needs a positive enabling environment, clear institutional roles, and practical management instruments. The process can be anchored, and its achievements monitored, through a capable river basin organization

• institutionalized stakeholder participation
• comprehensive river basin planning and monitoring

At the national level, the enabling environment includes an effective water policy, updated legislation, and conducive financing and incentive structures.

Among the issues to be addressed through the enabling environment are the following:

• cost sharing and recovery
• water use rights
• responsibilities of national water apex body, river basin organizations, local governments, service providers and water user organizations, and the private sector

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• Helping to Introduce IWRM in 25 River Basins in the Asia-Pacific Region [PDF]
• Important Elements for Introducing IWRM in River Basins
• Roadmap for Introducing IWRM in River Basins

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Wouter Lincklaen Arriens
Lead Water Resources Specialist, ADB
E-Mail: water@adb.org

Dennis von Custodio
Basin Water Coordinator
E-mail: dvcustodio@adb.org