Learning to manage quality in a multiple reservoir system : contribution of a companion modelling approach

The development of water policies based on integrated water management principles promotes the development of multistakeholder platforms to manage water resources at catchment level. This is the case of the Alto-Tietê watershed, the urban catchment encompassing the São Paulo metropolis in Brazil. Th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Water S. A. 2011-01, Vol.37 (1), p.81-91
Main Authors: Bommel, Pierre, Ducrot, Raphaele, Clavel, Lucie
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
CIRAD
Companion modelling
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Environmental Sciences
Eutrophication
Exact sciences and technology
FUNCEME
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Humanities and Social Sciences
Hydrology
Hydrology. Hydrogeology
Life Sciences
Participatory modelling
Peri-urban catchment
Reservoirs
Simulation
Social behavior
Urban areas
Urban catchments
Water allocation
Water quality
Water resources management
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Summary:The development of water policies based on integrated water management principles promotes the development of multistakeholder platforms to manage water resources at catchment level. This is the case of the Alto-Tietê watershed, the urban catchment encompassing the São Paulo metropolis in Brazil. The dynamic pattern of peri-urban areas characterised by rapid major changes has led to complex management issues in which the quantity and quality dimensions of water are intertwined. Effective participation of a broad spectrum of stakeholders supposes that actors from different technical backgrounds have a better understanding of the social and biophysical interactions of the system concerned. This paper describes the role of participatory modelling and simulation as a way to provide a meaningful framework to enable actors to understand the interdependencies in peri-urban catchment management. A role-playing game, connecting the quantitative and qualitative dynamics of the resources with social interactions at catchment level, was developed and tested with members of the catchment committee. Monitoring of the sessions underlined the role of such a tool in learning about collective water management.
ISSN:0378-4738
0378-4738
1816-7950
DOI:10.4314/wsa.v37i1.64111