What is Water Resource Management?

Water Security

In this lecture, Dr Kevin Grecksch (University of Oxford) explores the topic of water security and management. In the first module, we define water security and discuss the factors which can impact this as well as the management of large scale sources of water such as transboundary rivers. In the second module, we look at the distribution of water globally, then on a national scale with the U.S.A. as an example, as well as how water is used in various industries such as agriculture and manufacturing. In the third lecture we look at national water management schemes such as dams on transboundary rivers, and river sewage management in the UK. In the fourth module, we focus more on the UK and breakdown how water is managed within the country, including looking at UK water companies as well as how the water system is regulated by DEFRA and Ofwat. In the fifth module we look at strategies to increase water supply in the case of insecurity, covering large scale water transfers, dams and desalination. In the sixth module we shift our focus to look at how we manage water demand, including goverment schemes to save water such as water meter installation and water efficiency ratings on products as well as encouraging the use of greywater. In the seventh and final module, we go over the crucial take-home messages from this course and what the individual can do to contribute toward a water secure society.

What is Water Resource Management?

In the first mini lecture we discuss the importance of water and water security. We cover: (i) water's critical role in daily life, agriculture, energy, and forestry; (ii) the uneven distribution of water resources; (iii) water's centrality in climate change impacts and disasters; (iv) the challenges of water governance, including population growth, urbanization, and climate change, stressing the need for regional and local management.