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Sediment Problems and Strategies for their Management
Experience from several large river basins

Abstract

The management of sediment in river basins and waterways has been an important issue for water managers throughout history. The changing nature of sediment issues has meant that water managers today face many complex technical and environmental challenges in relation to sediment management. UNESCO’s International Hydrological Programme (IHP) launched the International Sediment Initiative (ISI) in 2002. ISI addresses the wide-ranging social, economic and environmental impacts of erosion, sediment transport and sedimentation processes and aims to support the global agenda for sustainable integrated land and water resources management by promoting sound sediment management. Among other actions, ISI has endeavoured to collate and document international experience on sediment problems and their management through the compilation of a series of case studies representative of a broad range of physiographic and socio-economic conditions, which are made available as guidance for policy makers dealing with water and river basin management. Case studies prepared to date include the Nile River Basin, the Mississippi River Basin, the Rhine River Basin, the Volga River Basin, the Yellow River Basin, and the Haihe and Liaohe River Basins. Key experience relating to sediment management drawn from these river basin studies is briefly introduced in this paper, which aims to provide an accessible overview of sediment problems and sediment management around the world and present policy and strategy options to improve the sustainable management of such rivers. Key recommendations for developing management strategies presented in this paper have been extracted from these river case studies.

Keywords: sediment; sediment problems; sediment management; river basin; International Sediment Initiative (ISI)