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Key messages
1. Getting Started
Environmental flows generate benefits for people
and nature
An environmental flow is the water regime provided within a river, wetland
or coastal zone to maintain ecosystems and their benefits where there
are competing water uses and where flows are regulated. Environmental
flows provide critical contributions to river health, economic development
and poverty alleviation. They ensure the continued availability of the
many benefits that healthy river and groundwater systems bring to society.
The price of not providing environmental flows should
not be underestimated
It is increasingly clear that, in the mid and long term, failure to meet
environmental flow requirements has disastrous consequences for many river
users. Addressing the water needs of aquatic ecosystems will often mean
reducing the water use of one or more sectors. These are tough choices,
but they have to be made to ensure the long-term health of the basin and
the activities it encompasses.
The river and drainage system should be considered
in its context
To start with environmental flows, one needs to consider all aspects of
the river and drainage system in their context. This means looking at
the basin from its headwaters to the estuarine and coastal environments
and including its wetlands, floodplains and associated groundwater systems.
It also means considering environmental, economic, social and cultural
values in relation to the entire system. A wide range of outcomes, from
environmental protection to serving the needs of industries and people,
are to be considered for the setting of an environmental flow.
Clear objectives and abstraction scenarios need to
be defined
To set an environmental flow, one needs to identify clear objectives as
well as water abstraction and use scenarios. Objectives should have measurable
indicators that can form the basis for water allocations. Objectives and
scenarios can best be defined with multi-discipline expert
teams and stakeholder representatives.
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2. Defining Water Requirements
Make an informed societal choice on water allocations
There is no simple figure that can be given for the environmental flow
requirements of rivers, wetlands and coastal areas. Much depends on stakeholders'
decisions about the future character and health status of these ecosystems.
Scientists and experts can help inform such decisions by providing information
and knowledge on how a river, wetland or coastal ecosystem will evolve
under various flow conditions.
Carry out environmental flow assessments as part
of river basin planning
Environmental flow setting can best be done within the context of wider
assessment frameworks that contribute to river basin planning. These frameworks
are part of Integrated Water Resources Management and assess both the
wider situation and river health objectives. They build on stakeholder
participation to solve existing problems and include scenario-based evaluations
of alternative flow regimes.
There is no single best method, approach or framework
to determine the environmental flow
There are a number of existing methods for determining an environmental
flow. Look-up tables and desk-top analysis for environmental flow assessment
are used in scoping studies, national
audits or river basin planning. Functional analysis and habitat modelling
are the most widely applied approaches in impact assessment or restoration
planning for single or multiple stretches of a river. These assessment
methodologies can contribute to setting management rules and monitoring
their impact on river health.
Implementing environmental flows through active or
restrictive flow management
Implementing environmental flows requires either an active management
of infrastructure such as dams, or a restrictive management, for example
through reducing the abstractions for irrigation. When active flow management
is applied, an entire flow regime can be generated, including low flows
and floods. Restrictive flow management involves allocation policies that
ensure that enough water is left in the river, particularly during dry
periods, by controlling abstractions and diversions. Both types of interventions
depend on people changing their behaviour, and should be based on an informed
decision that has broad societal support.
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3. Modifying Water Infrastructure
Environmental flows can be realised with new and
existing infrastructure
Dams are often the most significant and direct modifiers of natural river
flows. They are therefore an important starting point to implement environmental
flows. Downstream releases from dams are determined by the design to pass
water through, over or around the dam. The operating policies and rules
determine the amount and timing of releases for environmental flows. The
design and operations of other infrastructure such as distribution canals
and weirs, can also
contribute to establishing environmental flows.
New dams provide opportunities to implement environmental
flows
During the planning phase it is important to ensure that dam and reservoir
operating strategies conform to environmental flow requirements. Building-in
flexibility to not only meet current standards but also to accommodate
future changes in regulation, use and climate is crucial. During the years
of construction and reservoir filling, adequate provisions for environmental
flows need to be made. Trial releases during the first years of operation
will be required to test flow regimes and reduce the inherent uncertainties
in predicting river response to environmental flows.
Adjusting existing infrastructure can have immediate
positive effects
Many countries have a large stock of dams. The options for modifying releases
from these dams depends on the type of dam, the provisions for releasing
water and the state of the key water control outlets and structures. The
periodic re-licensing of existing dams provides an opportunity to establish
environmental flows or update existing regimes. The greater focus on modernization
and performance will help optimise the management of existing dams and
implement environmental flows.
Decommissioning can be an option to restore environmental
flows
The renewal or removal of physical infrastructure that has outlived its
economic usefulness is a normal consideration and dams are no exception.
Decommissioning a dam to restore environmental flows can involve permanently
opening its gates, or even its partial or full removal.
However, while these options are preferable in some cases, it is clear
that it is not appropriate for all dams, and should not be undertaken
without a full Environmental Impact Assessment.
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4. Covering the Costs
Assessing financing and other resource needs
An analysis of the cost and benefits - including who gains and who loses
- is an important prerequisite for any decision on an environmental flow.
It helps to identify the relevant stakeholders and leads to an understanding
of the incentives for parties to participate, as well as defining how
the poor can benefit from change. It also serves to establish the required
money transfers, the potential sources of funding and the required financial
mechanisms.
Financing environmental flows hinges on the acceptance
of changes in the status quo
Investments in environmental flows will need to be justified by improvements
in environmental,social or economic conditions within the wider society,
rather than on the basis of the impacts felt by specific actors. Without
societal benefits there will be little financial and economic rationale
for undertaking and financing the required changes. High priority should
be given to those situations where the direct benefits are clear, in particular
for the poor, and where the applied methods are cost-effective and well-known.
A modification of existing incentives will be needed
to motivate actors to change
Many existing incentives favour economic activities and thereby largely
determine a system of water allocation. Understanding these is a critical
step to establishing environmental flows. Slowly influencing the economic
framework and creating the necessary social acceptance of
environmental flows could be preferable to immediately changing the existing
set-up for water allocations.
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5. Creating a Policy and Legal Framework
Domestic legislation and administration is critical
Only a limited number of countries have recognised the non-consumptive
use of water and developed special domestic legislation to provide for
it. A clear legal and administrative pathway to protect river flow is
necessary before stakeholders will be willing to commit and agencies will
be prepared to fund environmental flow projects. A serious attempt to
manage for environmental flows will not occur unless clear policy decisions
are taken at the appropriate level of government.
International agreements form a basis for national
laws and policies
Environmental flows form part of an ecosystem approach to integrated water
resources management. Relevant international instruments include those
directly dealing with water resources and those focused on the protection
of nature and the environment. International agreements
and obligations form an important basis from which national policies and
laws on environmental flows can be developed.
There is no 'quick-fix': domestic legislation needs
to be tailored to realities
Key principles or guidelines can assist the development of required policies
and institutional and legal frameworks. However, engaging local communities
and making use of the knowledge and experience of locally-elected officials
is critical in tailoring laws and institutional arrangements to realities
on the ground. Wherever possible, the best approach is to address environmental
flows before water resources are over-allocated.
Establish a clear and robust system to facilitate
effective implementation, compliance and enforcement
To develop domestic legislation it is important to determine the scale
at which environmental flows are to be established. Dealing with issues
at the lowest appropriate levels will be necessary to implement a successful
regime. Rights over access to and use of water will need to be accommodated
or adjusted. This is likely to involve the inevitable questions of whether,
how and by whom compensation might be payable when water rights are varied,
and will require decisions on who might 'hold' the environmental water
'in trust'. An adaptive style of management is needed and liability issues
should be addressed beforehand.
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6. Generating Political Momentum
It is inevitable and necessary to involve a range
of actors
Gaining the necessary momentum for establishing a regime for environmental
flows will involve many different actors, from the highest levels of government
right through to local communities and businesses. Under these conditions
a successful strategy will involve working with as many actors and interest
groups as possible and adapting tactics along the way.
No 'simple and single' approach will work for every
actor or interest group
Different approaches will be required when engaging the various actors
involved. Parliamentarians, civil servants in relevant ministries and
policy advisors are likely to be interested in different arguments than
farmers, environmentalists and tour-operators. Those ministries that are
not directly responsible for the environment portfolio but are responsible
for economic development and social agendas need to be involved. Understanding
which interest groups have influence with the various government and private
actors involved is critical.
Communications and the media are vital elements for
making progress
Good communications starts with knowing what the issue is all about and
understanding the background, interests and concerns of key constituencies.
It is also essential to have a clear idea of what is asked for at different
levels from different actors and to understand who gains and who loses.
Articulating the right message will be critical, as there might be only
a single opportunity to deliver it to a given constituency. However, it
will take some time for actors to understand that an environmental flow
is as much for people as for nature.
A coalition for environmental flows for co-operation
and balancing interests
Fostering co-operation and balancing a range of competing interest is
critical. It poses a major challenge and will require a good process for
bringing people together in one or more coalitions. Securing support from
local actors is vital. This could be based on the idea that well-established
regimes for environmental flows will help long-term resource security
for all water consumers. The best way to convince stakeholders of this
idea is to keep the process relevant and to ensure that the implementation
is optimal and realistic.
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7. Building Capacity for Design and
Implementation
Awareness is the first step towards increased capacities
Environmental flows is a relatively new issue for the water sector. Generally,
there is a lack of awareness throughout the sector and the general public
of the concept and its application. Success in applying environmental
flows depends greatly on the initial determination to 'get
started'. In this regard, raising awareness about the river conditions
and the best interests of the community is critical.
Gaps in capacities need to be identified and addressed
early on
Capacities need to be built amongst various actors to design and implement
environmental flows. The training of lawyers, technical staff, NGO members
and policy makers may therefore be necessary. It is also important to
empower and educate politicians to better understand the
societal costs of not establishing environmental flows. A failure to invest
in capacity building will imply the continued mismanagement of water resources.
Capacity building strategies are required to catalyse
actions
An effective capacity building strategy will incorporate several elements,
including training courses, an assessment framework, the trial application
of methods, visits to case study sites, and technical workshops. Once
a minimal level of awareness and knowledge is established, further support
will be needed in the form of technical back-stopping, research, a national
database, networking and communications.
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