Title: Conceptual Foundations For the Sustainable Water Resources Roundtable
1Conceptual Foundations For the Sustainable Water
Resources Roundtable
2Why discuss concepts?
- Deal with complexity.
- Build a shared language and common understanding.
- Structure the Roundtable process
- Promote learning needed to move toward
sustainability.
3The General Systems Perspective
Biosphere
Natural Systems
Economic System
Social System
4Fisheries Example of the Systems Perspective
Biosphere
Aquatic Ecosystem
Economic System
Social System for
Fishery Management
Economic System for Fishing
Social System
5Hydropower and Fishery Example of the Systems
Perspective
Biosphere
Hydrologic and Climatologic Systems
Economic System
Social System for Hydropower
Management
Economic System For Hydropower
Social System for Fishery
Management
Economic System For Fishing
Aquatic Ecosystem
Social System
6Community Water Supply Example of the Systems
Perspective
Biosphere
Hydrologic and Climatologic Systems
Economic System
Social Systems For Managing Water Supply
Economic Systems For Water Supply
Social System
7Information Pyramid
Fewer Pieces Of Information
Stories
Criteria
More Specific Indicators
More Pieces Of Information
Detailed Measurements
8The Meanings of Criteria
- A specific target that is accepted as a threshold
of success for an objective. - A generally desirable direction of change for a
category of phenomena. - A general category of phenomena for which we may
later specify the desirable direction of change
or a specific target.
9 A Criteria Indicators Model
Goal
Sustainability of Water Resources
Ecological System
Social System
Economic System
Criteria
System Condition or Capacity
Sub-criteria
Indicator Categories
Human Health
Water Quality
Water Hazards
Processes
Outputs
Indicators
Human Effects
Ecosystem Effects
10Draft Model Outline
- Ecological System
- Capacity to make water of appropriate quality
quantity available to support ecosystems. - b. Integrity of ecosystems.
- Social System
- Social well-being resulting from use of water
resources. - Social well-being resulting from use of
water-related ecological resources. - Social conditions that impact water resources.
- Social capacity for management of water related
land resources. - Economic System
- a. Capacity to make water of appropriate
quality quantity available for human uses. - Economic well-being resulting from use of water
affected land resources. - Capacity to achieve economic value from the use
of water related ecological resources. - Capacity to manage land use to maintain or
enhance quality or quantity of water.