Because of often limited financial and human resources of the institutions responsible for water resources management the process may be constrained by the institutional capacity, which means that the capacity governs the possible activities to carry out and thus which objectives that can be fulfilled. A water management objective that is not realistic to fulfil within a reasonable time frame is not serving any purpose.
Figure 2.2: The process for conducting and measuring progress of the water resources management functions
The water management objectives should further be formulated to be measurable so that output indicators can be linked to each of them. Through regular monitoring of these indicators there will be feedback on how well the objectives are being fulfilled and whether the performance of the function is proceeding according to plan. The setting of water management objectives should therefore also take into account the physical possibility and institutional capacity to monitor these indicators.
4. Institutional Arrangements for Performing the Functions
There is no blue-print for designing an organisational framework to meet the water management objectives and to exercise all the water resources management functions. An important aspect is that there are many institutions as well as water authorities that must be involved in conducting water resources management (Figure 2.3).
Figure 2.3: Institutional arrangement for performing the water resources management functions