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Innovative Water Management

02 Mar 12

Global Environment Facility (GEF) Investment in Local Solutions for Global Water Benefits

by the Global Environment Facility (GEF)

GEF is a largest investor in collaboration on shared surface and aquifer water systems globally with $1.1 billion in grants accompanied by $7 billion in co-financing. 149 countries have been beneficiaries. While GEF catalyzes transboundary cooperation, projects also implement water-related measures at the small national basin level for IWRM along with local demonstrations. GEF supports many types of water quality improvement measures, installation of cost-effective wetland treatment technology, institutional development for basin IWRM and aquifer management, energy-from livestock waste pollution demos, and satellite technology for reducing irrigation demand by improved water conservation. The session will include the presentation of local demonstrations piloting innovative technological and integrated management approaches in basins, aquifers, and communities that help balance competing uses of water resources, save water and energy, and sustain food production.

The focus will be on reporting results for practical application of IWRM in surface and groundwater basins. One example is the GEF/World Bank Hai Basin project in China, where satellite based technology was critical in reducing evapotranspiration from crop irrigation in 16 test counties as part of balancing surface water uses and reducing groundwater over-draft. A basin commission was operationalized and measures to improve water quality were successful. Another example involves key GEF aquifer management projects in a partnership with UNESCO. These projects balance irrigation, urban water, industrial, and environment demands in aquifers. Practical examples for the NW Sahara Aquifer System, the Iullemeden, Dinaric Karst, and Guarani aquifers systems are presented, including unique balancing of hydropower off-takes from complex areas of karst geology critical for power and water supply functions.

Alfred Duda, Senior Adviser, International Waters, Global Environment Facility (GEF) Secretariat
Alice Aureli, Chief of Section on Groundwater Systems and Senior Programme Specialist, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s International Hydrological Programme (UNESCO IHP)
Ivan Zavadsky, Senior Water Resources Managemnt Specialist, GEF Secretariat
Liping Jiang, Senior Irrigation Engineer, The World Bank

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