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Lakes and Reservoirs

Lakes and their surrounding watersheds are unique and valuable ecosystems for both people and nature. Lakes are critical "storage tanks" for freshwater. More than 90% of all available liquid surface freshwater is contained in lakes and reservoirs. Manging lakes, and the river basins and watersheds that they depend on for replenishment is critical for the communities and human settlements that they depend on.

The health of a lake is intrincically linked to its watershed, and the extensive changes humans have made to the landscape. Over-withdrawal of water and water diversion from rivers that feed lakes has been compounded by pollution and sedimentation. Many lakes are also extensive fisheries, with its accompanying poblems of depleting stocks and invasive species. Meaningful long-term improvements in lakes can only result from a comprehensive look at the entire watershed or lake basins.

Reservoirs serve many different and diverse functions. They improve water supply for irrigation and for households, provide power, mitigate floods, and reduce dependence on fossil fuels for development by the generation of electricity. The meeting of the combined needs of wter and energy from dams and reservoirs, has to be balanced by minimizing/mitigating of their adverse environmental and social impacts.

IWMI: Water Scarcity and the Role of Storage in Development (Publication)
One-third of the developing world will face severe water shortages in the twenty-first century even though large amounts of water will continue to annually flood out to sea from water-scarce regions. The problem is that the sporadic, spatial and temporal distribution of precipitation rarely coincides with demand. Whether the demand is for natural processes or human needs, the only way water supply can match demand is through storage.
http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/pubs/Pub039/RR039.htm

UNEP-IETC: Sourcebook of Alternative Technologies for Freshwater Augumentation in Africa (Publication)
The sourcebook offers many illustrations and ideas on freshwater augmentation, including smallscale rock dams and other techniques.
http://www.unep.or.jp/ietc/publications/techpublications/techpub-8a/index.asp

IWMI: Small Dams and Malaria in Ethiopia (Project Note)
A short project concept note to develop a methodology for participatory impact assessment, assess the socio-economical, health and environmental impacts of small dams in the state of Tigray, Ethiopia and assist local communities in the development of agriculture-based interventions to reduce malaria and improve their health.
http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/sima/cn9a.htm

IWMI: Towards Smart Strategies for Water Storage (Short Note)
What is the best strategy for water storage? The one that meets the specific water needs of each situation. This requires combinations of large and small surface storage and groundwater recharge.
http://www.iwmi.cgiar.org/textonly/press/brief1.htm

UNEP-IETC: Guidelines for Lake Management (Book series)
A series of 10 publications on the different issues related to management of lakes, jointly prepared by UNEP-IETC and the International Lake Environment Committee (ILEC) are available online.
http://www.unep.or.jp/ietc/Focus/pub_online.asp