Requirements for Adaptive Water Management.

Numerous arguments have been put forward regarding the need for a major change in water resources management. In particular increasing awareness of the impacts of climate change has lead to the insight that water management must be become more flexible in order to deal with uncertainties and surprise. This paper argues for a paradigm shift through the development and implementation of integrated and adaptive water management approaches. Adaptive management is defined here as a systematic process for improving management policies and practices by learning from the outcomes of implemented management strategies. Development and implementation of adaptive management approaches requires structural changes in water management regimes. Such changes are slow due the inertia inherent in prevailing regimes. Concepts for understanding water regime properties and transition processes are summarized. Emphasis is given to the role of actor platforms and processes of social learning in multi-level governance regimes. The paper concludes a strong recommendation to implement learning cycles as an integral part of water management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]