Many countries have adopted an IWRM approach to managing water resources but how do we measure if progress is being made? Good management of water resources has been elusive and part of the reason is that we do not have the tools to measure performance. As part of a programme of support to implementation of IWRM Cap-Net has been developing activities with River Basin Organisations.

A series of case studies were carried out on River basins across the world (Mexico, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Malaysia) to assess IWRM implementation. These have been summarised in one report and informed subsequent actions to improve IWRM implementation and measurement of progress.

A training manual has been developed for river basin organisations addressing all the major functions of water resources management and this is available in hard copy and on CD and can be downloaded from this site. The training materials have been used in training courses in South Africa, Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar, Malkaysia and Mozambique. held with the support of Jasa Tirta 1, an organisation managing the Brantas and Solo river basins.

Indicators to measure progress with water management against 8 key water management functions have been developed, tested in several river basins (see Pungwe river , Mozambique) and were reported at the World Water Week in Stockholm. Have a look at the indicators and send your comments to Cap-Net. If you can complete the indicators for a basin so much the better. Let us know your experience. Look at the indicators.

The next stage of the programme will give more direct support to river basins to a) complete the indicators; b) analyse the progress being made in IWRM and the priorities for next actions; and c) provide exchange between basins to help strengthen weak water management functions areas by learning from a basin managing that function better. Work is ongoing with the capacity building networks WaterNet and Nile IWRM-net to support application of indicators in Zimbabwe and Kenya.