Conjunctive use and management of groundwater and surface water

- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Global Environmental Facility (GEF), International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH), UNESCO-International Hydrological Programme (IHP), World Bank. 2012
- Conjunctive use of groundwater and surface water in an irrigation setting is the process of using water from the two different sources for consumptive purposes. The planned conjunctive use of groundwater and surface water has the potential to offer benefits in terms of economic and social outcomes through significantly increased water use efficiency. This paper explores the reasons underpinning the apparent poor approach to full integration in the management and use of both water sources, and the absence of more coordinated planning. This paper is intended to provide insight into these barriers to adoption and hence provide a new focus on an old paradigm; a focus intended to make progress with the objective of improved water management and water use efficiency and so support longer term outcomes in the form of improved food security in critical parts of the world.
- Geographical coverage: Global, Argentina, Australia, India, Pakistan
- Main themes: Aquifer recharge, Arid zones, Groundwater, Irrigation, Water governance, Water management
- Main target audience: Agriculture sector, Governments, Policy makers, Project planners
- Main purpose: Advocacy, Stimulate debate
- Type of resource: Good practices, Lessons learned, Thematic paper
- Download file (1.9 MB)
- Other versions and languages:
- Governance of the subsurface and groundwater frontier (English) (1.7 MB)
- Groundwater Governance. Synthesis of Thematic Papers/Case Studies. Preparing the ground for Regional Consultations and Global Diagnostic Report (English) (1.3 MB)
- Groundwater Policy and Governance (English) (2.1 MB)
- Legal and institutional frameworks (English) (928 KB)
- Management of aquifer recharge and discharge processes and aquifer storage equilibrium (English) (2.3 MB)
- Social adoption of groundwater pumping technology and the development of groundwater cultures. Governance at the point of abstraction (English) (2.6 MB)
- Trends in groundwater pollution: loss of groundwater quality and related aquifers services (English) (4.9 MB)
- Trends in local groundwater management institutions (English) (2.6 MB)
- Urban-rural tensions and opportunities for co-management (English) (2.1 MB)