of articulating and quantifying the requirements of wetland ecosystems in metrics
and parameters used by water managers. Further, they also need to know the
mechanism of working with water managers to be able to define operating rules and
flow regimes that represent the optimal allocation of water between multiple uses,
including ecosystem maintenance. Similarly, water managers require a quantitative
understanding of the hydrological services of wetlands and the water regime
required to maintain these services. The training systems and institutions for water
and wetlands hardly overlap, and thereby, siloed thinking on water and ecosystems
prevails and is frequently contested upon in policy and programming decisions.
With climate change as a pervasive issue across several sectors, conventional
training may be insufficient. For wetlands managers, water allocation decisions for
restoration determined using historical hydrological regimes may be rendered
unfeasible objectives under climate change, and the emphasis on species-focused
water allocation may need to include ecosystem functions and services (Capon et al.
2018).
6.6 From Balancing Water Uses Across Sectors
to Addressing Water Risks
While the practice guidelines within wetlands are built around the assumption that
integrated water resources management provides the necessary policy and programming platform, its realization in India has been contested given the wholesale
reforms needed, especially demand management in informal arrangements (Shah
and Koppen 2006). While the emphasis on integrated water resources management
has been continued in water sector policies and programmes, full-scale realization
may be distant, also given the complexities induced by climate change (Moomaw
et al. 2018). Increasing variability in water availability and extreme events may
need focusing on water risks and water system resilience building, rather than
focusing on water allocation challenges.
7 In Conclusion
India’s quest for sustainable development is closely hinged on achieving water
system resilience. The historical divide between water and wetland sectors, if it has
to be paraphrased, is one of viewing water more narrowly from where it can be
used, against a fuller understanding on how water moves in a landscape and performs various developmental and ecological functions shaping resilience. Water
resource challenges that India presently faces are not limited just to water allocation
for various uses but are also about balancing water for food, development, nature
and society. The current paradigms of managing water from where it is sourced
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R. Kumar et al.
and parameters used by water managers. Further, they also need to know the
mechanism of working with water managers to be able to define operating rules and
flow regimes that represent the optimal allocation of water between multiple uses,
including ecosystem maintenance. Similarly, water managers require a quantitative
understanding of the hydrological services of wetlands and the water regime
required to maintain these services. The training systems and institutions for water
and wetlands hardly overlap, and thereby, siloed thinking on water and ecosystems
prevails and is frequently contested upon in policy and programming decisions.
With climate change as a pervasive issue across several sectors, conventional
training may be insufficient. For wetlands managers, water allocation decisions for
restoration determined using historical hydrological regimes may be rendered
unfeasible objectives under climate change, and the emphasis on species-focused
water allocation may need to include ecosystem functions and services (Capon et al.
2018).
6.6 From Balancing Water Uses Across Sectors
to Addressing Water Risks
While the practice guidelines within wetlands are built around the assumption that
integrated water resources management provides the necessary policy and programming platform, its realization in India has been contested given the wholesale
reforms needed, especially demand management in informal arrangements (Shah
and Koppen 2006). While the emphasis on integrated water resources management
has been continued in water sector policies and programmes, full-scale realization
may be distant, also given the complexities induced by climate change (Moomaw
et al. 2018). Increasing variability in water availability and extreme events may
need focusing on water risks and water system resilience building, rather than
focusing on water allocation challenges.
7 In Conclusion
India’s quest for sustainable development is closely hinged on achieving water
system resilience. The historical divide between water and wetland sectors, if it has
to be paraphrased, is one of viewing water more narrowly from where it can be
used, against a fuller understanding on how water moves in a landscape and performs various developmental and ecological functions shaping resilience. Water
resource challenges that India presently faces are not limited just to water allocation
for various uses but are also about balancing water for food, development, nature
and society. The current paradigms of managing water from where it is sourced
122
R. Kumar et al.