Water and other natural resources within a river basin play significant roles in satisfying our human needs. A river basin contributes forage for livestock and wildlife species, furnishes a diversity of natural products and yields water for human consumption as well as agricultural and industrial developments.
By definition, a river basin is a topographically delineated area that is drained by a system of rivers, including their tributaries, into the sea.
River basin management is the process of organising and guiding land and other resource use within a river basin so as to achieve the desired objectives without adversely affecting soil and water resources. Embedded in the concept of river basin management is the recognition of the inter-relationships between land use, development needs, soil and water, and the linkages between upstream and downstream areas. The practice of river basin management encompasses changes in land use, soil, water and vegetative cover and other non-structural and structural actions that are implemented within the river basin to achieve river basin management objectives.
To ensure future sustainability of Sungai Selangor as a reliable source of water, protection of water source alone is not sufficient. An effective planning and control of the whole river basin is essential. Integrated river basin management is an important new strategy and vital ingredient in achieving successful water resource management planning in the country.
"Water, water everywhere, and not a drop to drink". This mantra was often heard during the water crisis of 1998. It is important that to maintain our lead towards a developed nation, our water supplies must be reliable. By 2005, Sungai Selangor will supply two thirds of the potable water needs for population and industries within Selangor and Kuala Lumpur. Hence, it is a very important raw water source, and an integrated approach is needed to manage the river basin for future sustainable development.
In general, the uppermost reaches of the main river basins in Selangor fall within Class II (water bodies of good quality), with the exception of Sungai Selangor, where most of the upper reaches are of pristine Class I quality. On the other extreme, the Sg. Klang, Sg. Buloh, Sg. Sepang and Sg. Tengi where significant sections of the river are of Class III (may be used for water supply with extensive / advanced treatment) to Class IV quality. It is also evident that marked deterioration occurs along the mid-stream and downstream reaches where most of the rivers become Class III or IV quality. Pollution sources located within the mid-stream and downstream parts of the river basins contribute to the deterioration in water quality. The main pollution sources in the State include sewage, industries, agricultural development, animal husbandry and land development.
The strategies for a comprehensive river basin management programme include:
- Water quality monitoring for detection of pollution sources and enforcement purposes
- Zoning of industries with the possibility of having to relocate industries that are known to pollute waterways to properly sited industrial estates downstream of the intakes
- Relocation of squatter settlements along river banks
- Establishing a buffer zone along riverbank reserves where no development is allowed
- River clean-up and beautification programmes
- The execution of an effective river basin management programme requires committed and concerted effort among the private sector, state authorities and agencies to curb river water quality pollution and degradation
The responsibility for river basin management requires complex interfacing and coordination efforts that require multi-disciplinary collaboration, sustained efforts as well as commitment by Government agencies, private sectors and local communities. The formation of Lembaga Urus Air Selangor (LUAS) is a major milestone towards integrated river basin management in Selangor and Malaysia.
