Sustainable Water Management
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Author(s)
Urban, Richard D.
Advisor(s)
Editor(s)
Hatcher, Kathryn J.
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Abstract
The water resources of a region are renewable,
but (mite. Thus, regional water resources are limited as to
the uses they can support. That is, with respect to these uses,
they have a "carrying capacity." If this carrying capacity is
exceeded, the system ceases to be "sustainable."
The carrying capacity for a region is dependent upon the
mix of uses that are present or that could be present. Determination
of this mix of uses for a sustainable future must
consider the interrelationships that exist between the physical,
ecological, societal, economic, and institutional sectors. This
mix also is contingent upon that vision of the future on which
the region's stakeholders can agree. So long as this future's
regional water resources demands are less than the carrying
capacity of these same resources, it is, potentially, a
sustainable future. Demands so defined, then, can be used as the basis for a
sustainable water resources management effort. This in turn
requires initiating the process of deciding what actions are
needed to assure that this mix of uses is realized and that
future generations are bequeathed a system in balance.
The success of this process is made more likely by the
implementation of a Decision Support System. This system,
which represents a long-term commitment by those who lay
claim to their share of the region's future, is useful in
tacking progress, identifying emerging issues or concerns,
providing a forum for problem solving, and continuing the
critical process of data collection.
All these actions are of great importance in developing a
sustainable water resources management plan for a region. In
the end, however, the assurance that the plan's goals and
objectives are achieved is dependent upon the critical linkage
between the plan and its implementation, a linkage that can
be forged and maintained only by determined, politically
engaged stakeholders.
Sponsor
Sponsored and Organized by: U.S. Geological Survey, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, The University of Georgia, Georgia State University, Georgia Institute of Technology
Date
1995-04
Extent
Resource Type
Text
Resource Subtype
Proceedings