1 / 14 NATO/CCMS pilot study ‘Integrated Water Management’ Progress report after the 3rd Workshop Värska, Estonia, 11 – 15 June 2004 Prepared by professor P. Meire (university of Antwerp), Pilot study director professor Roberto Sacile (University of Genoa), Pilot Study co-director Marleen Coenen (University of Antwerp) July 2004 1. Introduction 2. Conceptual background 3. Final aim and expected outcome 4. Methodology 5. Third workshop activities 6. Further planning 7. Preparation of the fourth workshop 8. Publications and dissemination of results 9. Participating countries 10. References Appendices: § Programme of the third workshop. § List of participants at the 3rd workshop. § Questionnaire. 1 Introduction The main objective of the pilot study is exchanging and combining expertise in water system research, considering different dimensions of water management and their intra and inter relations (Fig. 1). The dimension Integration of knowledge represents the required competences; it includes natural scientific as well as social and economical aspects, considered as basic information about the functioning of water systems and the chains of the water users, both including conceptual knowledge as well as a situation analysis. The Organizational Integration dimension concerns all relevant competences and participation of stakeholders and means an important support for the efficiency of the water management. The Legislative basis dimension is the regulating basic framework including and combining all legal aspects. The knowledge brought together by means of the pilot study, has to contribute to the knowledge of Integrated Water Management in general, including the necessary differentiation, given the wide variety of conditions in the different types of basins or watersheds. Therefore, both theoretical studies on the functioning of water systems, organisation and legislation as well as specific cases will be discussed.