Role of Information and Communication Technology in Adaptive IntegratedWater Resources Management

IWRM is well recognised globally and needs not much of introduction and recently adaptive management of water resources has gained popularity in tune with other fields where adaptive management has shown encouraging results. This paper gives an introduction of Integrated Water Resources Management in Adaptive Management context and focuses on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Scenario that can be effectively used for Adaptive Integrated Water Resources Management. It also examines the practical issues that are involved in implementation of ICT for adaptive IWRM. The paper briefly discusses recent advancements that have made it possible to address rural areas and scattered locations that have major share of water consumers and tries to establish that most of the underlying problems in effective adaptive IWRM are due to inability to capture data from remote scattered locations over large geographical areas and also in effective implementation of communication that makes core of feedback and participation mechanism. Recent advancements in communication technology have made it possible to effectively use adaptive management practices for integrated water resources use.