LAHORE: A five-day ‘Integrated Water Resource Modeling Workshop’ with an objective to strengthen the exceptional tradition of water management in Pakistan concluded on Friday.

The workshop was organised on behalf of the Australian government by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation with Australian partners -- the Water and International Centre of Excellence in Water Resources Management.

Pakistani participants represented a broad range of key water agencies, including the Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda), Indus River System Authority (Irsa), Pakistan Commissioner for Indus Waters, Pakistan Meteorology Department, Planning Commission, provincial Irrigation departments and universities.

The workshop imparted training to Pakistan’s top water sector engineers in computerised river modeling. These tools will support decision-making for improved management of river and channel systems in the Indus basin in Pakistan.

The workshop highlighted the need of transparent, robust, and defensible integrated water resource management calling it essential to ensure food, energy, economic and environmental security of Pakistan. It further held that effective and efficient management of precious surface and groundwater was precious in view of growing population.

The participants said Pakistan and Australia could learn together how to better manage the water of their complex and unpredictable river systems. They said new technologies that supported river system water management would help increase the skills of both nations in this critical area.

The workshop is an important step that will further boost bilateral cooperation between the governments of Pakistan and Australia, by sharing water management experiences and expertise.

Irsa Chairman Raqib Khan opened the workshop while Wapda General Manager (planning and design) Khan Muhammad Abro was chief guest at the concluding ceremony who gave away certificates to the participants of the workshop.

Published in Dawn December 20th , 2014