Planning process in river basin management Manuel Menéndez Centro de Estudios Hidrográficos del CEDEX Ministry of Public Works- Ministry of Environment (Spain) The implementation of the Water Framework Directive in the European union and beyond Athens 19 June 2003

Contents Introduction: Water planning scope. From the theory to the practice. Main steps in the water planning process as it is established in the Water Framework Directive Tools for taking decisions and to facilitate the public involvement

Introduction: Water planning scope. From the theory to the practice

General scope of water planning Water planning is generally understood as the process aimed to define strategies for a sound management of water resources. Water planning is a mean and not an objective by itself. Water planning would culminate when all the relevant information has been considered and a course of action has been decided.

Planning process main output PLAN: Instrument for making decissions in order to influence the future Who should do What and When?

Water planning functions Water planning is not only a strategic approach Aditional functions: To increase transparency and legitimacy for water management To facilitate interaction and discussion for conflicts resolution To provide a framework for developing institutional arrangements and coordination with other planning schemes

Towards an Integrated river basin management Water is a very complex issue that affects many essential activities. It is necessary to propose only possible measures (considering restrictions) The search of measures with the aim of improving the water use to achieve certain goals requires the knowledge of their impacts in other spheres

From the theoretical to the operational management Potential measures Possible measures after legal and institutional restrictions Sound measures considering socio-economic and environmental implications

Main steps in the water planning process as it is established in the Water Framework Directive

Classical approach: Main steps in the cycle Problem definition Identification of the system Definition of objectives Definition of quantitative measurements and evaluation criteria Formulation of strategy Putting measures into practice Evaluation of the process

Water planning as it is understood in the WFD Problem definition Identification of the system Definition of objectives Definition of quantitative measurements and evaluation criteria Formulation of strategy Putting measures into practice Evaluation of the process Setting the scene Assessment of current status Setting up of envir. objectives Establishment of monitoring programmes and evaluation criteria Development of RBMP and PM Implementation of PM Evaluation of the process

Tools for taking decisions and to facilitate the public involvement

Core part in the decision process The decission process Problem definition Identification of the system Definition of objectives Definition of quantitative measurements and evaluation criteria Formulation of strategy Putting measures into practice Evaluation of the process Core part in the decision process

Alternatives definition (They must be possible according legal and institutional frameworks) Evaluation of alternatives Simulation methods Optimization methods Selection of the best alternative Decision approach (example: Cost and benefits analysis) Multicriteria decission analysis Or just...decision maker... (one person, one collective)

Evaluation of alternatives Simulation methods Relies on trial and error The value of each decision variable is set and the objective values are evaluated Optimisation methods Sometimes a procedure can be constructed to identify plans close to the optimum (maximum value of the objective) Lagrange multipliers Linear and dynamic programming .....

Water resources

Water demands distribution

Main Input: Water stocks in aquifers and reservoirs, flows in rivers and abstractions. Main Output: System fail probability

Multicriteria analysis: scenario-based policy planning procedure Figure from Stewart and Scott: Multicriteria decision analysis

Selection of the best alternative Hard business: Water resources planning must take into account multiple users, purposes and objectives Increased water use has produced new conflicts between stakeholders Water is not another resource...Subjectivity

Selection of the best alternative Different spheres: Technical Political ............. No single definition of public interest Objectives and priorities are changing

Selection of the best alternative It is unclear the concept of “optimal plan” The role of public participation and the need of defining sound mechanisms: Transparency: How made easily available for general understanding very complex issues? Legitimacy: Who can represent the public interest? .......