ABSTRACT
Water demand already exceeds supply in many parts of the world, and as population continues to rise, and economies grow, more areas are expected to experience water scarcity. Water managers are also facing a massive challenge as they seek to balance human water demand with ecological needs. Since water availability is key to economic development, disputes over shared water resources continue to rise between different users/sectors. This is mainly because of the socio-economic difference and the physical linkages that exist especially between upstream and downstream users. Agricultural interests are expanding with irrigation being adopted by many farmers to enhance productivity. It is important to plan water resources development, allocation, and management in a context of multiple uses of water based on the actual amount of water available in the basin, economic efficiency and with an understanding of the potential impacts (socio-economic and environmental).
