FORMATION OF BASIN ECOLOGICAL - WATER MANAGEMENT
SYSTEMS AS THE BASIS FOR SUSTAINABLE SOCIOECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT

A.Tchernyaev, N.Prokhorova, M.Dalkov

Management Object

The most dynamic part of basin SEES is water resources. It is water that reacts at once to any changes in the system, on one hand, and, on the other hand, that is the core element of the whole system. Sustainable functioning and developing of basin SEES depends on water resources availability and stability.

Basin water management system (BWMS) is a tool of both water managing and supplying social and economic subsystems with water, BWMS being an inseparable part of SEES, and at the same time it can be handled as more or less independent technical tool of SEES water supply, therefore being a local independent object for management.

From the point of view of Russian political structure, first of all big rivers, flowing into seas (Neva, Zapadnaya Dvina, Neman, Severnaya Dvina, Pechora, Dnieper, Don, Kuban, Sulak, Samur, Terek, Ural, Volga, Yenisey, Ob, Lena, Amur), should be considered as objects of management at the federal level. Great length of rivers, flowing meridianwise, crossing some climatic zones, with various economic activities are the main factors of these rivers being complex management objects.

BWMS is a functional interconnection of natural and economic objects, interacting in the water use process. To manage BWMS means to put into practice our knowledge of this system elements interaction to provide for ecological-economic development to supply water of desired quality and quantity, while keeping social, economic and ecological spheres of life in a balanced and sustainable form.

Basin SEES sustainable development aims at continuous efficient utilization of water resources as well as at keeping water safe, having the following goals in mind:

good quality water supply;

favourable conditions for flora and self-purification of natural water;

favourable conditions for fishing and recreation;

direct or indirect water use in agriculture;

industry water supply, sea water quality.

 

 

Methodological Basis

Water management system in BWMS should be based on a principle of integrated water use, protection and reproduction. This is a natural objective and being one it should be reached in socioeconomic water use.

Management of utilization and protection at the national level is based on the basin approach together with administrative-territory one.

The gist of basin principle boils down to interaction of economic activities and integrated river basin water resources.

Ecological systematic approach in BWMS stipulates:

multipurpose evaluation of system elements impact on water resources;

interrelation of area economic interests, water users interests and the whole basin water

protection demands;

development of anthropogenic loads on a basin as well as target multipurpose step-by-step

programs to achieve goals of stable ecological basin state, coastal areas and watersheds

included;

lower risk of land use impact on water bodies at watersheds;

cooperation of all environment protection boards and monitoring to provide for biological

diversity of a basin, its potential value;

considering a human being as a core element of a basin ecosystem and taking into account

social, economic and political factors, influencing human activities in BWMS.

 

System approach is implemented by means of mathematic modelling.

The general goal of BWMS is to provide for transferring to efficient water use, achieving ecologically safe water bodies, preserving and developing healthy water ecosystem to guarantee long-life vital activities of human beings, with SEES functioning.

Water Management Policy (WMP)

There is no doubt that water management policy (WMP) must be inseparable from the State economic, social and ecological policy. Nevertheless, there is no reason to idly wait till the final formulations and decisions are adopted. The current legal and regulatory basis sufficiently provides for every opportunity in working out fundamentals of WMP (the outcome documentation signed at the Conference of the United nations Organization in Rio de Janeiro, 1992 stated the principles of sustainable development, Water code, etc.). thus, while elaborating WMP we will follow the documentation available.

The key point of sustainable development lays the basis for WMP main objective: "harmonious development of the mankind in degraded environment is impossible". The principle consequent to the above mentioned ("reasonable consumption") shall not be judged by us in its aspect. The issue of voluntary self-restricted consumption is not yet topical in Russia, as the capacity of reducing hazardous impact on the environment by way of efficient natural resources utilization (for instance: reduce non-operational water loss) and upgrading mechanisms for their protection has not been virtualized in full.

The analysis of positive international and Russian experience, and of the current situation admits

formulation of the following basis WMP principles:

basin approach;

sustainable and systematic minimization of hazardous impact on man and his environment

(introduce adequate water treatment technologies, reduce pollutants discharge, reduce per

capita water consumption, apply technologies for rational water consumption by industries,

etc.);

self-finance of the water sector (including capital costs);

step by step, systematic and well substantiated reforms;

openness and many-facet public awareness.

 

Let us further dwell upon each of the principles in a more detailed way.

Basin Approach

Each water basin is unique in its nature and presents in itself a uniform and rather aloof geo-ecosystem unit. Through the history, water basins made for social-ecology-economic systems formations, water bodies being the pillar. Condition of water bodies may be viewed as one of the most integrating factors of the whole system. Sufficient remoteness of water bodies on one hand, and deep interdependence between the elements of the basin on the other hand, bring toward the necessity to consider the river basin as a uniform object for management. All management activities are conditional upon their impact produces on the whole basin. The integrity rate of the basin at that is defined by impact degree.

Various subjects of the federation with their specific, and often contradictory interests, may be located within the same basin. The so called Basin Agreements must provide the common ground for of the federative subjects relations with respect towards water utilization and protection of common water resources. Such practice is widely spread throughout the world. Russia, too, has experienced signing such agreements. To this day, though the agreements have proved rather declarative than otherwise: no clear economic, legal and regulatory, and institutional mechanisms for their implementation; no clearly defined responsibilities of the parties. One of the significant factors is to recognize community of the principal interests (human health protection, retaking water resources capacity, etc.), and, hence, the principle of associated, or mutual effort, which consists in coordinated measures and consolidated means.

Persistent and well-planned minimization of hazardous impacts on water bodies

This most important principle of WM will be dwelled on in two directions:

1) decrease of pollutant emissions;

2) decrease of water intake from natural water sources.

 

 

Decrease of pollutant emissions

This approach consists of two main tools of its realization.

The first one is to improve regulation of natural water quality. Natural regulation should set frames. In a number of acts there should be regional and/or basin water quality norms stipulated, taking into account regional hydrochemical peculiarities, reversibility of technogenic changes, etc. Methodics to develop these norms is the subject of deep scientific research and as it seems should be the basis of documentation, determining national water quality regulation. Now "natural" background indicators can lay the foundation of regional standards.

The second one is to develop variables for water bodies state. The gist of it is like follows. After regional water quality norm for a water body (or part of it) has been identified, the state of a water body is examined in details, an inventory of point and diffuse pollution sources is developed, analyzing main industry technologies and water purification, where it is possible to do. Then the study of world production and wastewater purification technology is done as well as evaluation of the fact if it is possible to use them in the given region from technical and economic point of view. On the basis of these studies economically sound technological scheme is developed to guarantee water body indicators improvement. Time for putting this scheme into practice and quality variables objectives to be reached are calculated. These variables are to be approached by the Federation constituent as target ones for the certain period of time.

It is not MPC, but these variables, that lay the foundation of payments for wastewater discharge into water bodies.

Decrease of Water Intake from Natural Water Sources

This is another most important aspect to minimize hazardous impact on water bodies due to less water volumes, taken from water bodies to be used for various purposes, this minimization being guaranteed by means of less losses and greater efficiency in water use. As the main water users are industry and households, they should be paid attention to first of all. Saving resources has to be a regular behaviour of water users under the conditions of the simplest and safest tool, that of economic interest.

Self-Financing of the Water Sector

The principle of self-financing of the water sector permits laying the basis of its sustainable development. It is obvious, that it is the dependence of the sector on the budget, and the residual principle of its financing, that drew the water sector to such lamentable state.

Ownership for production means and the product is the key point of commodity-and-money relations. By production means we understand here: fresh water (water bodies), hydraulic facilities, water supply and waste water treatment facilities, the product being process and drinking water delivered to the consumer.

Under the Constitution and Water Code, all water bodies situated on the territory of more than one federative constituents are referred to as federal property. Thus, the principal sources of water supply of federative constituents are the property of the Federation. Nevertheless, their run-off is regulated by municipal enterprises and other agents of water management who own the hydraulic facilities. And vice versa, some of the large water bodies became ownerless until privatization, and , consequently, nobody is formally responsible for their condition.

In our opinion, it would be reasonable to delegate the ownership rights to water bodies management and their operation to the subjects of the Federation, though the authorized Federal boards shall retain their state enforcement function. In that case, authority and responsibilities of the parties must be clearly prescribed. In their turn, the subjects of the Federation are liable to delegate these rights to the corresponding municipal body, and the municipal body - to a certain water management enterprise in view of expediency. Each of the above mentioned steps is followed by a juridical faultless agreement defining the rights and responsibilities of the parties (including property rights on the products, that is water).

Measures on regulating property rights are the starting point and integral stage on the way to improve the relations within the water sector. They are of importance both in terms of juridical substantiation of water management, and comprehensive situation lay out for prospective investors. The second key stage is tariff structure to guarantee financing of WM.

Openness of the Authorities and Public Awareness

No doubt, a step by step introduction is required for all the proposed transformations considering the overall social and economic analysis which stands behind the described mechanisms. It is necessary to expediently and proficiently shape public awareness in this highly important sphere. There is no use counting on a long-term success if the efficacious part of the population does not recognize the necessity and inevitability of the transformations. The position of the authorities must be open to the utmost: full access to data on tariff calculation, expenditure structure, the results of auditing water management enterprises, etc. Authorities are supposed to frankly clarify to the public the hazards of the current situation and confirm their intention, readiness and skill to overcome the crisis in the best possible way (economically reasonable and efficient). And there is no other option to find the way out.