Growing need for water due to rapid population growth, lack of appropriate sources and developing industrial and agricultural activities result in over-exploitation and pollution have increased the importance of water resources management, especially at the basin level. Management and conservation plans setting short, medium and long-term protection policies within a protection-usage balance framework are needed for the improvement of water resources and conservation of existing water quality.
Legislation relating to protection and management of water resources occupy an important place in Turkey’s accessions talks with the European Union. The most important directives in this area is the 22 December 2000 2000/60/EC of the European Union (EU) Water Framework Directive (WFD), which form the water management policy framework of the Union. Integrated watershed management is the main tool for achieving the goals set forth by the WFD.
Integrated approach to management is a management model providing large scale solutions to multiple problems by using some new concepts (sustainability, stakeholder participation, international principles, integrated watershed management).
Integrated watershed management aims the protection, improvement prevention of possible damage of aquatic ecosystems and of ecosystems dependent on them by encouraging sustainable use of water and land resources other. Within this context, management of natural resources is based on watershed scale.
Basin modeling studies is an important tool for the implementation of watershed management plans and management of water resources. In addition, modeling studies result in education of new experts.
Our Institute has concluded Basin Protection Action Plans of 25 basins, Special Provision studies for Drinking Water Basins (Ataturk Dam, Karacaören 1&2, Beyşehir Dam Lakes). The project on Determining Sensitive Areas, Vulnerable Zones and Water Quality Goals on Basin Level is on-going.
Areas of Work
- Preparation of Protection Plans
- Preparation of Management Plans
- Basin Modeling.