Water management in the Indus basin of Pakistan: A half-century perspective

James L. Wescoat, Sarah J. Halvorson, Daanish Mustafa

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

69 Scopus citations

Abstract

This paper surveys the past half-century of water management experiments and experience in the Indus River basin in Pakistan as a way to identify principles for long-term water planning. The survey focuses on three variables: (1) spatial scales of water management; (2) geographic regions of water management; and (3) substantive water problems. These variables help assess changes during the post-colonial transition (1947-60); Indus basin development (1960-75); and management and environmental movements (1975-2000). Taken together, these periods point toward a model of Articulated Adaptive Management, which stresses planning for economic, political and environmental crises; dynamic changes in governance; multiple scales of water management; regional diversity and innovation; and broader scientific experimentation and monitoring of water management alternatives.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)391-406
Number of pages16
JournalInternational Journal of Water Resources Development
Volume16
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 2000

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