Water cycle management relates to all planning, strategy development, operational and tactical decisions to optimize the water cycle to satisfy human or environmental objectives.
The term is used in different organizations to mean management of a sub-set of the whole water cycle. In Australia, it has been adopted to encompass the fresh water to sewage disposal cycle. Elsewhere, it refers to a more holistic view of the water cycle.
Many scientific and engineering disciplines may be involved in water cycle management.
Meteorology deals with predicting and measuring precipitation
Water resource management deals with the management overview of fresh water resources available in defined areas
Hydrology measures water flow in river and underground and predicts flow patterns using outputs from meteorology together with mathematical modelling of river and groundwater flow
Water engineering encompasses water treatment, Sewerage and sewage treatment amongst other disciplines, providing clean water to homes and business and taking away contaminated water to be cleaned and made available for re-use.
Water conservation deals principally with techniques and practices for minimizing use of water whilst achieving desired objectives.
Environmental monitoring provides information and trends on the impact of policies adopted in water cycle management on eco-systems and sensitive biota; for example the effects of reduced river flows on salmon spawning.
