Executive Summary

The management of sediment in river basins and waterways has been an important issue for water managers throughout history – from the ancient Egyptians managing sediment on floodplains to provide their crops with nutrients, to today‟s challenges of siltation in large reservoirs. The changing nature of sediment issues, due to increasing human populations (and the resulting changes in land use and increased water use), the increasing prevalence of man-made structures such as dams, weirs and barrages and recognition of the important role of sediment in the transport and fate of contaminants within river systems has meant that water managers today face many complex technical and environmental challenges in relation to sediment management.UNESCO launched International Sediment Initiative (ISI) in 2003. ISI aims to develop a decision support framework for sediment management, in order to provide guidance on legislative and institutional solutions, applicable to various socio-economic and physiographic settings, in the context of global changes. ISI aims to further advance sustainable sediment management on a global scale. This report draws on international experience in sediment measurement and management, to provide guidance for policy makers dealing with water and river basin management.Case studies prepared as a key component of the ISI, have been produced for the Nile River Basin, the Mississippi River Basin (USA), the Rhine River Basin, the Volga River Basin, the Yellow River Basin (China) and the Haihe and Liaohe Rivers (China). The purpose of these case studies is to:

·Increase awareness of erosion and sedimentation issues;

·Increase understanding of erosion and sediment transport processes under different conditions;

·Improve the sustainable management of soil and sediment resources, by providing examples of monitoring and data processing techniques, technical procedures,and methodologies for the analysis of environmental, social and economic impacts;

·Ultimately assist in the provision of better advice for policy development and implementation and evaluation of management practices.

The synthesis of these case studies is intended to provide an accessible overview of sediment problems and sediment management around the world for water managers and policy makers. Key issues relating to sediment management are explored through the various case studies and recommendations for developing management strategies have been extracted from these experiences.

Sediment Issues & Sediment Management in Large River Basins Interim Case Study Synthesis Reports. (PDF, 2.95 MB)