Environmental Flows – a key to informed decision making
Many factors, such as water quality, sediments, food-supply and biotic interactions, are important determinants of aquatic ecosystems.
However, an overarching master variable is the river’s flow regime (Poff et al., 1997, Bunn & Arthington, 2002). The Natural Flow Paradigm (Poff et al., 1997), where the natural flow regime of a river is recognised as vital to sustaining ecosystems, has now been widely accepted (Poff et al., 2003; Postel & Richter, 2003; Tharme 2003). This recognition of flow as a key driver of aquatic ecosystems has let to the development of the environmental flows concept (Dyson et al., 2003). The Environmental Flows concept now serves to enhance informed, equitable and sustainable decision making in water management
The increasing frequency of droughts and floods, coupled with the high demand for water, is having immense impacts on nature and people around the world. Activities to respond to this problem are mostly uncoordinated and dispersed, despite the knowledge and expertise being available.
To coordinate action for living rivers, a growing worldwide partnership consisting of the World Conservation Union (IUCN), Delft Hydraulics, DHI Water and Environment, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH), the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), Swedish Water House, and the Global Water for Sustainability Program (GLOWS) have created The Global Environmental Flows Network.
Its new website (www.eflownet.org) was officially launched during the 10th International Riversymposium and E Flows Conference. The aim of this meeting is to explore environmental flows from a science, policy, management and community perspective.
Participants at the conference had the opportunity to try out the new Network website at the IUCN/eFlowNet booth. An interactive session, chaired by Ger Bergkamp, Head of the IUCN Global Water Programme, also gave people an opportunity to share their visions and ideas of the future of the network and how they would be able to contribute. “In order for the Network to be useful and meaningful, it is up to the members to take an active part in contributing their evolving knowledge and experiences” said Dr. Bergkamp.
The Network allows people to access and share the latest information from basic explanatory to detailed scientific knowledge on methods, case studies, links, contacts and literature on environmental flows. It connects water managers, NGOs, local communities, scientists and researchers, as well as governmental and intergovernmental agencies that are interested in sharing knowledge or experiences on environmental flows.
The newly created Network website will help open knowledge of environmental flows to new audiences by offering readily-available access to current practices and methodologies. Furthermore, the website acts as an information portal to gather and disseminate information and experiences on environmental flows, such as case studies, tools, methods for assessment and implementation, and an expert database.
For more information:
Riversymposium and Environmental Flows Conference website:
www.riversymposium.com
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