Principles of Water Law and Administration: National and International

Cover
Half Title
Title
Copyright
Contents
Acknowledgements
Biographical notes
Preface
1 Introduction
	1.1 Water and the society
	1.2 The need for a water policy, legislation and administration
	1.3 The interdisciplinarity of the subject
	1.4 The physical context
		1.4.1 The hydrologic cycle
		1.4.2 Definition and analysis of precipitation
		1.4.3 Analysis of flow
		1.4.4 Groundwater and its behaviour
		1.4.5 The notion of aquifer
		1.4.6 Weather modification
		1.4.7 Climate change
		1.4.8 Integrated water resources management (IWRM)
	1.5 The socio-economic context
		1.5.1 Water demand
		1.5.2 Water pricing
		1.5.3 Externalities
		1.5.4 Cost analysis
	1.6 The purpose of the book
	References
2 Earliest water regulations and management
	2.1 The importance of water regulations throughout history
	2.2 The difficulty of studying early water regulations
	2.3 The development of earliest water law principles
	2.4 Ancient Egyptian water regulations and management
		2.4.1 Earliest dynasties (3400–2650 BC)
		2.4.2 Later dynasties (2650–300 BC)
	2.5 Ancient Mesopotamian water regulations and management
		2.5.1 Historical development
		2.5.2 The Hammurabi Code
		2.5.3 Subsequent codifications
		2.5.4 Detailed water regulations
	2.6 Ancient Hindu water regulations and management
		2.6.1 The Hindu legal system
		2.6.2 The water regulations in the Code of Manu
	2.7 Ancient Chinese water regulations and management
		2.7.1 Introduction
		2.7.2 Water regulations
		2.7.3 Basic principles
	2.8 Hebrew water regulations and management
		2.8.1 Introduction
		2.8.2 The importance of water
		2.8.3 Water law principles
		2.8.4 Conclusion
	2.9 Pre-Columbian water regulations and management
		2.9.1 Coastal Peru (Inca)
		2.9.2 Meso-America (Maya-Aztec)
	2.10 Other early systems of water regulations and management
	2.11 General conclusion
	References
3 Roman and intermediate period
	3.1 Introduction
	3.2 Roman water law principles
		3.2.1 The origins and Regal period (1000–500 BC)
		3.2.2 The Republican period (509–27 BC)
			3.2.2.1 The classification and ownership of water
			3.2.2.2 The right to use water
			3.2.2.3 Protection from harmful effects of water and control of waterworks and structures
			3.2.2.4 Water administration
		3.2.3 The Principate (27 BC–286 AD)
			3.2.3.1 The classification and ownership of water
			3.2.3.2 The right to use water
			3.2.3.3 Protection of existing water rights: the interdicta
			3.2.3.4 Protection from harmful effects of water and control of waterworks and structures
			3.2.3.5 Water administration
		3.2.4 The Absolute Monarchy or Late Empire (286–565 AD)
			3.2.4.1 The classification and ownership of water
			3.2.4.2 The right to use water
			3.2.4.3 Protection from harmful effects of water and control of waterworks and structures
			3.2.4.4 Water administration
	3.3 Intermediate water law principles in Europe (565–1812)
		3.3.1 First period (fifth century AD–1158)
			3.3.1.1 Introduction
			3.3.1.2 Principles of water law under Roman-Barbaric rule
			3.3.1.3 The feudal system
			3.3.1.4 Water law principles under the feudal system
		3.3.2 Second period (1158–1812)
			3.3.2.1 Introduction
			3.3.2.2 The classification and ownership of water
			3.3.2.3 The right to use water
	3.4 Intermediate water law principles in Ibero-America
		3.4.1 Early legal principles
		3.4.2 Water regulations
	References
4 Definition and sources of water law
	4.1 Introduction
	4.2 The content and concept of water law
	4.3 The relationship between water law and other legal disciplines
		4.3.1 Constitutional law
		4.3.2 Administrative law
		4.3.3 Civil law
		4.3.4 Criminal or penal law
		4.3.5 Agrarian law
		4.3.6 Mining law
		4.3.7 Natural resources and/or environmental law
		4.3.8 Public health law
		4.3.9 Other legal disciplines
	4.4 Sources of water law
	4.5 Legislation in general
	4.6 International and interstate agreements
	4.7 Customary law
	4.8 Case law and arbitral awards
	4.9 Doctrine, or scholarly opinion
	4.10 Common law
	4.11 Conclusion
	References
5 Existing systems
	5.1 Introduction
	5.2 Original Roman water law principles and their influence in subsequent legislation
	5.3 Customary water law: its importance
	5.4 Water law principles in the Islamic system
		5.4.1 Introduction
		5.4.2 The origin and sources of Islamic water law
		5.4.3 Water ownership and the right of use
		5.4.4 Groundwater law
		5.4.5 The process of codification and the Ottoman Civil Code ‘Mejelle’
			5.4.5.1 The Ottoman Civil Code ‘Mejelle’
			5.4.5.2 The legal status of water
			5.4.5.3 The right to use water
			5.4.5.4 Maintenance of waterways
			5.4.5.5 The harim
		5.4.6 Islamic water administration
			5.4.6.1 Customary water administration
			5.4.6.2 Recent developments in the administration of water
			5.4.6.3 Government action in Moslem countries
	5.5 Water law principles in civil law countries
		5.5.1 Introduction
		5.5.2 The legal status of water resources
		5.5.3 The right to use water
		5.5.4 Water quality and pollution control
		5.5.5 Water administration
		5.5.6 Conclusion
	5.6 Water law principles in common law countries
		5.6.1 Introduction
		5.6.2 The legal status of water resources
		5.6.3 The right to use water
		5.6.4 Water quality and pollution control
		5.6.5 Recent developments of the common law system
		5.6.6 Water administration
	5.7 Water law principles in the former Soviet system
		5.7.1 Fundamentals of Soviet water law
		5.7.2 The legal status of water
		5.7.3 The right to use water
		5.7.4 Order of priorities
		5.7.5 Harmful effects of water
		5.7.6 Water quality and pollution control
		5.7.7 Enforcement
		5.7.8 Centralized inventory and planning
		5.7.9 Water administration
		5.7.10 Evolution and trends
	5.8 Water law principles in the Hindu subak system in Bali
		5.8.1 Legal-historical background
		5.8.2 Definition and origin
		5.8.3 Organization
		5.8.4 The legal status of water resources
		5.8.5 The right to use water
		5.8.6 Order of priorities
		5.8.7 Water quality and pollution control
		5.8.8 The water distribution system
		5.8.9 Financial aspects
		5.8.10 Water law implementation
		5.8.11 The settlement of disputes
		5.8.12 The statutory subak
		5.8.13 Conclusion
	References
6 Development by region
	6.1 Africa
		6.1.1 Introduction
		6.1.2 Customary law
		6.1.3 Countries following principles of the civil law system
		6.1.4 Countries following principles of the common law system
		6.1.5 Countries following principles of other systems
		6.1.6 Countries influenced by principles of the Islamic water law system
	6.2 Asia and the Pacific
		6.2.1 Introduction
		6.2.2 Countries following principles of the civil law system
		6.2.3 Countries following principles of the common law system
			6.2.3.1 Australia
			6.2.3.2 Bangladesh
			6.2.3.3 India
			6.2.3.4 Sri Lanka (Ceylon)
			6.2.3.5 Other countries
		6.2.4 Countries following principles of other systems
			6.2.4.1 People’s Republic of China
			6.2.4.2 Japan
			6.2.4.3 The Philippines
			6.2.4.4 Other countries
		6.2.5 Water administration
	6.3 Central and South America
		6.3.1 Introduction
		6.3.2 Central and South American water law principles
			6.3.2.1 Latin American countries
			6.3.2.2 Other countries of Central and South America
		6.3.3 The legal status of water resources
		6.3.4 The right to use water
		6.3.5 Order of priorities
		6.3.6 Legislation on water use, quality and pollution control
		6.3.7 Water administration
	6.4 Europe
		6.4.1 Introduction
		6.4.2 The legal status and the right to use water
		6.4.3 Water quality and pollution control
		6.4.4 Institutional framework
			6.4.4.1 Federal states in Europe
			6.4.4.2 Unitary states in Europe
			6.4.4.3 States undergoing a process of decentralization
			6.4.4.4 Basin level
		6.4.5 The process of transposition of the European legal framework
			6.4.5.1 Background
			6.4.5.2 Developments
	6.5 United States of America
		6.5.1 Introduction
		6.5.2 Federal water law principles
		6.5.3 State water law principles
			6.5.3.1 Riparian water law
			6.5.3.2 The appropriation doctrine
			6.5.3.3 Groundwater management
			6.5.3.4 The conjunctive use of surface and underground water
	References
7 Possible contents of and reasons for water law
	7.1 Introduction
	7.2 The contribution of the lawyer
	7.3 General considerations
	7.4 Water policy
	7.5 Collection and use of data and information
	7.6 Water resources planning
	7.7 Ownership or other juridical status of water
		7.7.1 Public waters
		7.7.2 Private waters
		7.7.3 Res nullius
		7.7.4 Common waters: community or tribal waters
		7.7.5 Conclusion
	7.8 The right to use water
		7.8.1 Basic concepts
		7.8.2 Legal régimes governing the right to use water freely or by virtue of a simple declaration/registration
			7.8.2.1 The free use of water
			7.8.2.2 Declaration/registration
		7.8.3 The permit system
			7.8.3.1 Applicability
			7.8.3.2 Different types of permit
			7.8.3.3 The procedure for granting permits
		7.8.4 Characteristics of permits and concessions
			7.8.4.1 The difference between permits and concessions
			7.8.4.2 Common characteristics of permits and concessions
		7.8.5 Recognition or reallocation of pre-existing water rights
			7.8.5.1 Customary and riparian rights
			7.8.5.2 Rights under the appropriation doctrine
			7.8.5.3 Powers of the administration
			7.8.5.4 The reallocation of water
		7.8.6 Water markets
	7.9 Limitations to the right to use
	7.10 Priorities
	7.11 Beneficial uses
		7.11.1 Water and other natural resources
		7.11.2 Domestic and municipal uses
		7.11.3 Agricultural uses
		7.11.4 Industrial uses
		7.11.5 Hydropower production
		7.11.6 Setting of minimum flow requirements
		7.11.7 Other public uses
		7.11.8 Conclusion
	7.12 The right to water
	7.13 Harmful effects of water
	7.14 Water quality and pollution control
		7.14.1 Waste and misuse of water
		7.14.2 Recycling, reuse of water and recharging of aquifers
		7.14.3 Wastewater and effluent control
		7.14.4 Health preservation
		7.14.5 Pollution control
	7.15 Environment protection: the ‘greening’ of water law
	7.16 Underground waters
		7.16.1 General considerations
		7.16.2 Exploration or prospecting permits
		7.16.3 Drillers’ licences or permits
		7.16.4 Groundwater found incidentally
		7.16.5 Metering
		7.16.6 Groundwater pollution control
		7.16.7 Reservation of good quality groundwater for drinking purposes
		7.16.8 Zoning mechanisms
	7.17 Control and protection of waterworks and structures
	7.18 Protected zones/areas
	7.19 Legislation on financial aspects
	7.20 Implementation of water legislation
		7.20.1 General remarks
		7.20.2 Judicial and administrative control over water ownership, use and distribution
		7.20.3 Protection of individual rights and water rights
		7.20.4 Administrative procedures for claims against the water administration
		7.20.5 Water tribunals or courts
		7.20.6 Penalties and sanctions
	7.21 The interconnection between water law and other legal enactments relevant to water law
	7.22 Customary water law and institutions
	7.23 Water users’ associations
	7.24 National water resources administration
	References
8 Water resources planning and water law
	8.1 The rationale of water resources planning
	8.2 Objectives of a water resources plan
	8.3 Types and characteristics of plans
	8.4 The relationship between water resources planning and economic and social sectors
	8.5 Methods for planning processes
	8.6 Relevant administrative and institutional issues
		8.6.1 Administrative and institutional issues
		8.6.2 Other factors contributing to a better administration and planning of water resources
	8.7 Water resources planning under the European Water Framework Directive
	References
9 National water resources administration
	9.1 Introduction
	9.2 Different types of water resources administration
		9.2.1 Institutions according to their powers
		9.2.2 Institutions according to their functions
		9.2.3 Institutions according to uses
		9.2.4 Institutions according to their territorial level of jurisdiction
		9.2.5 Institutions according to their legal régime
		9.2.6 Special water development agencies
		9.2.7 Water users’ associations
	9.3 Major issues of water resources administration
		9.3.1 The need for coordination
		9.3.2 The question of centralization, decentralization and deconcentration of the water administration
		9.3.3 The water rights administration
		9.3.4 The need for a water resources ‘regulatory’ institution
			9.3.4.1 Definitions
			9.3.4.2 Major objectives and functions of a regulatory institution
		9.3.5 The role of water law in institution building
	9.4 A possible institutional solution
		9.4.1 Institutions at the national level
			9.4.1.1 A national water resources council
			9.4.1.2 A national water committee or commission
			9.4.1.3 A central water administration
		9.4.2 Institutions at the regional, basin, sub-basin and local levels
			9.4.2.1 At the regional level
			9.4.2.2 At the basin or sub-basin level
			9.4.2.3 At the aquifer level
			9.4.2.4 At the local level
			9.4.2.5 At the international level
		9.4.3 Conclusion
	References
10 International water resources law in general
	10.1 Introduction
	10.2 The concept of ‘international water resources’ and other definitions
		10.2.1 A historical review
		10.2.2 The drainage basin concept
		10.2.3 The expression ‘international water resources’
	10.3 The sources of international water resources law
		10.3.1 Introduction
		10.3.2 International conventions
			10.3.2.1 General conventions
			10.3.2.2 Particular conventions
		10.3.3 International customary water law
		10.3.4 The codification of international water resources law
		10.3.5 The law-making activity of the European Union
		10.3.6 General principles of international water resources law
		10.3.7 Resolutions of intergovernmental organizations
		10.3.8 Judicial decisions
			10.3.8.1 Decisions of international courts
			10.3.8.2 Arbitral awards
			10.3.8.3 Decisions of national tribunals
		10.3.9 Contributions of publicists and international non-governmental organizations
			10.3.9.1 The work of the Institute of International Law
			10.3.9.2 The work of the International Law Association
			10.3.9.3 The work of the Inter-American Bar Association
			10.3.9.4 The work of the Asian-African Legal Consultative Committee
			10.3.9.5 The work of the Pan American Union
			10.3.9.6 The work of the Council of Europe
			10.3.9.7 The work of the International Association for Water Law
	References
11 International water resources law: major issues
	11.1 Boundary demarcation
		11.1.1 Introduction
		11.1.2 The boundary on a successive river
		11.1.3 The boundary on a contiguous river
			11.1.3.1 The boundary at the banks (river res nullius)
			11.1.3.2 The boundary at the banks (river res communis)
			11.1.3.3 The boundary at one of the banks
			11.1.3.4 The boundary at the median line
			11.1.3.5 The boundary at the thalweg
		11.1.4 Natural modifications of the boundary on a contiguous river
		11.1.5 The boundary on a bridge over a contiguous river
	11.2 Navigation
		11.2.1 Origins
		11.2.2 The internationalization of navigation
		11.2.3 The Congress of Vienna (1815)
		11.2.4 The Treaty of Paris (1856): the régime of the Danube
		11.2.5 The navigation régime after 1856
		11.2.6 The Act of Berlin (1885)
		11.2.7 The régime after World War I
		11.2.8 The régime established at Barcelona (1921)
			11.2.8.1 The administration of international waterways
			11.2.8.2 Evaluation
		11.2.9 Developments after Barcelona
		11.2.10 The régime after World War II
	11.3 Non-navigational uses of water
		11.3.1 Introduction
		11.3.2 The theory of absolute territorial sovereignty
		11.3.3 The theory of absolute territorial integrity
		11.3.4 The theory of limited territorial sovereignty and integrity
		11.3.5 The shared natural resources concept
		11.3.6 Equitable and reasonable utilization and participation
		11.3.7 Obligation not to cause significant harm
		11.3.8 Floating
		11.3.9 Production of energy and industrial uses
		11.3.10 Procedural rules
		11.3.11 Conclusions
	11.4 Harmful effects of water
		11.4.1 Definition
		11.4.2 Evolution
		11.4.3 The emerging rule
	11.5 Quality control of water
		11.5.1 Definition
		11.5.2 Evolution
		11.5.3 The emerging rule
	11.6 Armed conflict
		11.6.1 Definition
		11.6.2 Precedents
		11.6.3 The emerging rule
	11.7 Environmental aspects
		11.7.1 Definitions
		11.7.2 Evolution
		11.7.3 The emerging rule
	11.8 The right to water in international law
		11.8.1 Definitions
		11.8.2 Evolution
		11.8.3 The emerging rule
	References
12 Developments in the law of transboundary aquifers
	12.1 Introduction
	12.2 Sources and evolution of international groundwater law
	12.3 The experience of federal countries
	12.4 The codification of the law of transboundary aquifers
	12.5 Institutional issues
	12.6 The emerging rules
	12.7 Conclusion
	References
13 International water resources administration
	13.1 Introduction
	13.2 Institutional developments
		13.2.1 Institutional developments in Europe
			13.2.1.1 The Rhine Commissions
			13.2.1.2 The Danube Commissions
			13.2.1.3 Other commissions
		13.2.2 Institutional developments in the Americas
			13.2.2.1 The International Joint Commission between the USA and Canada
			13.2.2.2 The International Boundary and Water Commission between USA and Mexico
			13.2.2.3 The Plata River Basin
			13.2.2.4 Other commissions
		13.2.3 Institutional developments in Africa
			13.2.3.1 The Nile Commission
			13.2.3.2 Post-1960’s basin institutions
			13.2.3.3 The Liptako-Gourma Authority
			13.2.3.4 Institutional framework for cooperation in Southern Africa
			13.2.3.5 The contribution of regional economic integration organizations
		13.2.4 Institutional developments in Asia
			13.2.4.1 The Mekong River Commission
			13.2.4.2 The Indus Commission
			13.2.4.3 Joint commissions between Nepal and India
			13.2.4.4 The India-Bangladesh Joint Commission
			13.2.4.5 Institutional arrangements for the Aral Sea basin
			13.2.4.6 The Helmand River Commission
			13.2.4.7 Other commissions
	13.3 Evaluation of existing arrangements
	13.4 Objectives and purposes
		13.4.1 Technical responsibilities
		13.4.2 Economic and financial responsibilities
		13.4.3 Legal and administrative responsibilities
		13.4.4 Possible options
	13.5 Duration, constitution and decision-making procedures
		13.5.1 Duration
		13.5.2 Constitution
		13.5.3 Procedures for decision making
		13.5.4 Legal status
	13.6 Territorial competence
	13.7 Functions and powers
	13.8 Form
	13.9 Major institutional requirements for rational international water resources administration
	13.10 Economic and financial requirements
	13.11 Prevention and settlement of disputes
	13.12 Conclusion
	References
Index