Systems approach for water resources development

Rapid increase in population and continued economic development have caused increased demands of water, putting pressure and resulting in the deterioration of the quality of this precious natural resource. Water availability greatly influences the health of the people and development potential of the area. In the past, problems were identified and addressed in isolation even without considering their own consequences. These practices are not sustainable in the long run without taking into account various inter-linkages dynamically. Water problems are characterised by complex linkages and interdependencies among many stakeholders and geographic areas, as well as between the water environment and related ecological systems and therefore, integrated approach of water resources development is must for sustainability. The present paper reviews various approaches including structured and hard approaches that can be applied to solve problems of water resources development. The study shows that a system dynamics model can be appropriate to understand, simulate and game such complex inter-linkages. This in turn will help in evolving a sustainable policy for sustainable water resources development. The study also demonstrates that the latest approach of flexible systems management which are increasingly being used successfully in corporate and manufacturing organizations, must be logically extended to water resources systems for its sustainable development.