Water Resources Management - Practices of Irrigation and On-farm Water Management - page 178

5.4.4.2 Participation of Users and Stakeholders
Governments should ensure that stakeholders are able to participate in the allocation
and management of water resources by (a) identifying and establishing water rights
for all users, with regard to economic, environmental, social and cultural consider-
ations, (b) establishing compensation procedures, and (c) using impact assessment
to identify livelihood rights and ecological considerations.
5.4.4.3 Environmental Protection
Both to guide development and to monitor changes, catchment-wide mapping of
“hot spots” or areas of special problems or vulnerability regarding water quality
should be undertaken, and sources of major pollutants should be identified and
published. Water systems with special ecological or social significance should be
protected and preserved. Training of water professionals should explicitly include
attention to environmental dimensions and water conservation.
5.4.4.4 Research into the Impacts of Water Policy
Because the impacts of water policies and policy changes are not well understood,
structural research on impacts is needed in order to move away from reliance on
anecdotal evidence. Particular attention should be given to the equity effects of poli-
cies and actions, since they can injure individuals or groups even while providing
benefits to a wider community. Also, any externally defined system of water rights
must take into account the perceptions and customs of local users, if it is to have
legitimacy.
5.4.4.5 Capacity Building for Integrated Management
The establishment of river basin authorities will require the education and training
of people regarding coordination, planning of systems for monitoring and evalu-
ation, sensitization to new responsibilities, integrating use of land and water, use
of modelling techniques, implementation of guidelines, and procedures for stake-
holder participation. Politicians and policy makers will need to become more aware
regarding water scarcity and water needs, equity of access to water, water rights,
sustainability, service improvement, enhancing the performance of water systems
and system participation.
5.5 Conflicts in Water Resources Management
5.5.1 Meaning of Conflict
Conflict is often perceived as a process rather than an end of a disagreement or col-
lision of interests, ideas or principles. Within such a process, conflict may develop