A new program being launched, Participatory Water Management will focus on stakeholder participation in water management in three contexts: (1) watershed and river basin management, (2) irrigation system management, and (3) community water supply systems. The program's initial output will be a White Paper reviewing the status of stakeholder involvement in water management within the three focus contexts: (a) watershed/river basin management, (b) community and government-owned irrigation systems, and (c) municipal water supply systems. The White Paper will also serve as a strategic planning document to guide the program over the coming three years.
The Water-Culture Institute promotes the sustainable management of our rivers, lakes, springs, and groundwater through the application of indigenous wisdom and cultural traditions that respect the rights of nature. Our premise is that the sustainability of water ecosystems requires an ethic that recognizes our sacred responsibility to the Earth. We work both locally and globally. Locally our focus is New Mexico and the Rio Grande Basin. Additional geographic areas where we plan to become active are (1) Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin and (2) East-Central India (Mahanadi River Basin). Globally we are cooperating with UNESCO and other international organizations to develop a global "water ethics charter" (See program description).
1021 Camino Santander