AN INSTITUTIONAL APPROACH TO RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT:

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AN INSTITUTIONAL APPROACH TO RIVER BASIN
MANAGEMENT CONFLICT RESOLUTION IN THE U.S. AND
SOUTH KOREA
Prepared for 2003 AWRA International Water
Congress Watershed Management for Water Supply
Systems
Young-Doo Wang, William James Smith, Jr.,
Michael Scozzafava, Sara Wozniak, Joon-Hee Lee,
Kyoo-Yong Lee, John Byrne
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Conflict is Inherent in River Basin Management

• Diverse Stakes are Held
• Multi-Purpose Resources are Shared
• Political Leaders -- Forces both within and
• beyond the Basin
• Heterogeneous Visions of the Past, Present
• and Future Collide

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Conflict Resolution is a Core Element
Institutionalized Method of Mitigating Conflicts
through Transparent, Democratic and Participatory
Social Transactions or Trade-Offs.
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Enhanced Sustainability through Conflict
Resolution
A Measure of the Potential to Enhance Current and
Future Water Quality Quantity (W) in a Given
River Basin through Balanced Consideration of
Socio-Political Equity (E), Ecological Viability
(E) and Economic Development (E), or WE3
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An Alternative Approach Harmonizing WE3
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U.S. and South Korean River Basin Conflicts

• The Delaware River Basin
• Susquehanna River Basin
• Nakdong River Basin
• Han River Basin

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The Susquehanna River Basin

• 27,410 sq. miles PA, NY,
• MD

• Susquehanna River Basin
• Compact December 1970

• Point of contention
• Baltimore withdrawals from Conowingo Pool

• 1993 City Announces
• Intentions

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Conflicts

• 1994 SRBC Notifies Baltimore

• City Cites MD Reservation In Disagreement

• April 1998 Public Hearing in York, PA

• United States District Court, MD Case 1998 -2000

• Baltimore Appeals to U.S. Court of Appeals, 4th
  Circuit

• August 9, 2001 SRBC Commissioners Approve
• Settlement Agreement

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Outcomes

• Baltimore increases withdrawals to 250mgd

• SRBC Drought Emergency Powers

• City System Water Conservation Measures

• SRBC Legally Affirms Authority

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Sustainability Implications

• Balanced Supply and Demand-Side Considerations

• Public Participation in Resolution Process

• SRBC Low-Flow Regulatory Powers

• Baltimore Enters in Agreement with Harford
  County, MD.

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The Nakdong River Basin
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The Nakdong River Basin

• Point of contention Development vs. water
  quality
• (Wichon industrial complex)

• Upstream Deregulation, construction of
  industrial
• complex

• Downstream Opposition to industrial complex,
• stricter regulation

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Conflicts

• MOE held over 100 meetings, hearings, and
  seminars

• A comprehensive plan was finalized in December
  1999

• The legalization of the plan was not easy

• The bill was passed and put in effect in January
  2002.

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Outcomes

• Total Load Management System

• Riparian buffer zones

• Water Use Charge

Sustainability Implication

• Harmonious realization of WE3 goals

• Government Efforts to reach agreement through
  continuous dialouges

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Sustainability Implication

• Harmonious realization of WE3 goals

• Government Efforts to reach agreement through
  continuous dialouges

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Comparison
The U.S.

• Regional governance backed by law and resources

• Heavy reliance on the court system

• Powerful NGOs and community groups

South Korea

• The central governments role

• Less use of the courts as a tool

• Reliance upon compensation schemes to build
  consensus

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Lessons Learned

• Community-based transactions are vital

• Conflict resolution mechanisms should be
• institutionalized in the planning stage of
  project

• The balanced consideration of both supply- and
  demand-
• side options is important

• Equity-driven programs are critical

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Conclusion

• Community-based transactions are vital

• Necessary to balance all aspects of WE3

• Through these transactions the goal of
  sustainable river basin management can be
  secured.

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