Wetlands and Water Management: Finding a Common Ground

Wetlands, ecosystems at the interface of land and water, have a significant role in ensuring water and climate security of India given their role in the water cycle and multiple hydrological functions. The rapid loss of natural wetlands as has been experienced lately is as much a threat to water and climate security, as is an environmental crisis. The supply-side hydrology which characterized water sector for long has tended to overlook this role of wetlands, and at several instances, in an attempt to ‘develop’ these ecosystems, created several adverse ecological and socio-economic impacts. With broadening of thinking on water resources management from run-off to precipitation-based management incorporating land use, the role of ecosystems such as wetlands in building water system resilience becomes highly significant in Indian context. Forging ‘natural infrastructure’ of wetlands with the conventional ‘physical infrastructure’ of water resources can bring multiple advantages to the water sector and provide the required flexibility to address climate change-induced uncertainties and risks. Using catchment as a planning unit and a harmonized understanding of wetlands and their hydrological functions is the foundation step for collaboration between water and wetlands sectors. Communication between the two sectors can be bridged by wetlands managers articulating water needs and hydrological functions of wetlands in terms useful to water sector, and the latter, incorporating wetlands as nature-based solutions for meeting water management objectives.