Practising sustainable water management: Canadian and international experiences

Abstract

The practice of water management in Canada is the subject of this collection of essays. Each of the 16 chapters have been written by different authors. The incentive for the book arose from the realization of the complex interrelationships between environmental issues, water management and economic development. Experiences from a diverse range of Canadian and international case studies have been combined to provide the foundation for examining the important problems facing the water management community, including problems of sustainability. Themes, issues and initiatives in achieving sustainable development in water management examined by the various authors include: (1) development of water policies, (2) adoption of an ecosystem approach, (3) increased attention to ground water management, (4) growing use of partnerships and stakeholders, including First Nations, (5) introduction of demand management practices, and (6) attention to the issue of water export. Concerns regarding such issues as global warming, its effect on water management, the quality of drinking water and the impact that dams have on water management practices were also addressed. 350 refs., 24 tabs., 26 figs.