ABSTRACT
Substantial changes in approach to groundwater governance are widely required (a) to respond to the growing challenges of resource depletion and quality degradation resulting from radical changes in land-use and water-demand associated with global population growth and (b) to incorporate fully consideration of the sustainability of groundwater-dependent ecosystems. Integrated groundwater policy formulation and management planning are absolutely critical facets of sound governance to manage the ‘required change process’. They need to be founded on a clear understanding of the key linkages between groundwater systems and surface-water, land-use and other sectors, which are thus discussed in some detail. It is simultaneously recognised that community mobilization and stakeholder organization around a ‘shared vision’ of resource sustainability are essential prerequisites to formulate and implement groundwater management plans, but detailed discussion of the social dimensions is beyond the present scope.
