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ater

ooperation

, S

ustainability

and

overty

radication

ing to the governance and sustainable management of groundwater

is largely inadequate. In addition, a key challenge for integrated

groundwater planning is sectoral division, with the traditionally

vertical, compartmentalized structures of government tending to

limit information flows among agencies, thereby impeding coor-

dinated action. Integrated water resource management (IWRM)

also needs to be conducted at a range of spatial scales. Without

coordination and collaboration, there is a real danger of losing

effectiveness and efficiency.

Blueprint for sustainable groundwater management

The proposed blueprint for groundwater management is based on

five fundamental elements:

• improved governance and effectiveness of institutions

• demand-side groundwater management

• supply-side groundwater management options

• social adoption by the community

• effective coordination and cooperation.

Improved governance and effectiveness of institutions includes

increased focus on strengthening and enforcing groundwater laws,

including establishing clear and tradable property rights for water;

better quantification of groundwater yield followed by appropriate

groundwater licensing and enforcement to prevent over-extraction of

groundwater; establishing appropriate systems for resource monitoring

on a regular basis at the basin and sub-basin levels; and rigorous collabo-

ration between various departments (such as the Irrigation Department,

the Agricultural Department, the Balochistan Development Authority,

the Public Health Engineering Department and the Water and Power

Development Authority) to improve decision-making.

Demand-side groundwater management should include a rational

pricing system for efficient water use; replacement of water demand-

ing crops with water-use efficient crops; and the adoption of modern

water-saving irrigation technologies and practice.

Supply-side groundwater management options should include

rainwater harvesting and surface-water use for increasing ground-

water recharge; promoting conjunctive water use where

possible; and groundwater markets with suitable insti-

tutional mechanisms to augment water supply.

Social adoption by the community includes provid-

ing a sense of ownership of the regional groundwater

resources and developing basin-wide groundwater users’

associations with responsibilities to conserve, protect,

develop and manage groundwater resources to increase

community welfare. It entails the strengthening of

coordination among various stakeholders (including

government departments), developing a community

vision of groundwater management through better

information, knowledge-sharing and communications

for social adoption and efficient water use. Social norms

and rules must be developed (some already exist) to

prevent any illegal water extraction for agriculture and

other purposes.

Development of sustainable groundwater plans will

require the cooperation and coordination of a number

of government agencies and key stakeholder groups.

The blueprint for sustainable groundwater management

would require the community to provide significant

input into the management planning process, particu-

larly advising on appropriate uses and values of the local

groundwater systems. In order to enhance coopera-

tion and coordination, as suggested by Pahl-Wostl and

Kranz,

some degree of decentralization combined with

effective vertical integration of different levels of govern-

ment (provincial and local) that share responsibility for a

resource, and horizontal integration within government

levels, would be required.

Social adoption and changing groundwater cultures offer

considerable potential to internalize externalities (factors

which received inadequate attention in previous IWRM

plans) and are key elements of this blueprint for sustain-

able groundwater management in Balochistan. However,

it is worth noting that without firm political commit-

ment and effective coordination of different elements of

the blueprint, it would be extremely difficult to achieve

sustainable management of groundwater resources.

Moving from development to management

Groundwater is the subject of growing social

concern around the globe, and this is especially so

in Pakistan. While they are successful in enhanc-

ing agricultural production, groundwater policies in

Pakistan and, most particularly, in the province of

Balochistan are not well designed to handle ground-

water sustainability issues. They are based on a

lack of geophysical knowledge and are also poorly

implemented due to poor governance, inadequate

institutional arrangements and lack of political

determination. With groundwater systems seriously

degrading in the region, there is a critical need for

a shift from groundwater development policies to

groundwater management policies accompanied by

sound hydrological planning. The five fundamental

components proposed above should be part of any

IWRM approach proposed and developed in Pakistan.

The five fundamental elements of the proposed blueprint for

sustainable groundwater management in Balochistan, Pakistan

Effective

coordination

& cooperation

Institutional

reform & improved

governance

Supply side

groundwater

management

Community

acceptance

& adoption

Demand side

groundwater

management

External

environment

Political stability

& political will