WCD is therefore able to draw on substantial expertise worldwide, where over 60 countries have some form of experience in this field, and to give appropriate support to those areas of RBOs that allow improved decision-making on water resource and dam-related issues at basin level.

4. The creation of new river basin structures that potentially duplicate or replace the responsibilities of existing sectoral line ministries is a delicate institutional process, that results in differing degrees of effectiveness of River Basin Organisations (RBOs) worldwide in the planning and management of resources within the basin.

5. The role and structure of such organisations in the developed world have evolved over time to reflect the prevailing driving forces, often starting with single sector objectives of hydropower or irrigation development, through to the current situation of increasing responsiveness to environmental and social concerns, community participation and sustainability.

6. Similar processes are underway in many emerging economies and future trends are thought likely to follow those found in the developed world. However adding an additional level of planning and decision-making that is effective, rather than paralysing, may require relatively sophisticated systems of decentralised governance.

1.3 The main issues

7. There are over 200 major river basins world-wide that cover more than one country. Initiatives to establish a collaborative framework for the management of these common resources, or to manage the impacts of upstream activities on downstream riparians is an increasingly important issue. Where major rivers flow through arid or semi-arid areas water storage or diversion for irrigation can put the viability of downstream economic activities at risk. In temperate and tropical areas where water quantity is not usually an issue, pollution can become the major motivating factor for transnational cooperation. Naturally the collaborating countries focus on designing institutions to respond to their local needs. It will therefore be important to focus primarily on the dams-related issues rather than the wider issues of water quality management and control, or mechanisms for allocation of water rights for domestic, industrial or agricultural consumption that do not involve dams.

8. The thematic review will retrace the evolution of policy in major river basin organisations to assess the driving forces, how the institution responded to change and the resultant impact on the basin’s development and draw lessons for river basin authorities elsewhere. This will be used to inform the design of decision-making frameworks required for improved options assessment in the early part of next century.

The lead writer for this thematic review will be asked to finalise the scope of work incorporating comments from a peer review group. The review paper will focus on the following issues :

• What are the different types of River Basin Organisations and under what pre-conditions have they been effective at managing inter-sectoral issues related to dams and promoting integrated water management? Which sectors have been included and which omitted?
• What functions, responsibilities and influence should RBOs have to promote participation and effective inter-sectoral decision-making in respect of dam projects?
• Can RBOs be effective in examining non-dam options and alternatives? If so give examples of good practice of assessing options and alternatives.
• How have RBOs evolved and responded to changing circumstances as a consequence of the evolution of the basin?
• What are best practices for management, knowledge generation, community participation and conflict prevention around issues posed by dam projects in large basins (national or internationally shared) ?
• Have developments in international law aided or hindered the planning of dams in international basins?

14. This thematic review will draw on experience highlighted in the focal dam case studies especially through the consideration of basin or transboundary issues. For example, the Columbia Treaty relates to transboundary water management in the US/Canada, the Mekong Commission for Pak Mun, the Indus Treaty for Tarbela and the Zambezi Authority for Kariba. The Norway and Brazil case studies will give insights into national river basin considerations.

15. RBOs are clearly an important link in the planning and decision-making processes surrounding water resource use issues. There are therefore clear linkages with all thematic reviews concerned with options assessment, planning and decision-making, as well as considerations related to operations.

16. As the RBO review is linked to the planning and options assessment for the water resources base, there are strong linkages with other thematic reviews including I.1 Social impacts and equity (distribution of benefits); V.1 Planning approaches (how to incorporate options assessment); all the options papers IV.1 – IV.5 where these concern the planning process, particularly flood control and water supply options and V.5 Consultation and participatory decision making (how to involve people in decisions making on options).

17. This thematic review principally gives outputs related to Outputs 2 and 3. Best practice in sustainable management and development of basin resources will feed into the former, while broad policy considerations will feed into the latter.

18. There is work underway on this theme through the Global Water Partnership and the International Network of Basin Organisations, as well as ongoing initiatives through bilateral and multi-lateral banks that could feed into this thematic review.

19 International symposium towards cooperation and co-ordinated management of international rivers Kunming, China, June 25-30 1999.