Promoting ILBM
The primary characteristic of ILBM is that it is not a prescriptive planning procedure. Rather, it is a compilation of lessons learned from the global experiences of lake basin management in the past, synthesized to address complex planning issues with a basin governance framework that reflects the unique features of lentic waters such as lakes and reservoirs (i.e., long retention time, complex response dynamics, and integrating the surrounding environment and human activities).
For a successful lake basin management, it is essential to fill the gaps between what has already been done, and what remains to be achieved in its application process with long-term and strong political commitment. Continuous efforts will be necessary to further expand and refine the concept of ILBM for a better future of lakes and other water bodies that are now under serious threat of degradation, particularly caused from human activities and climate change.
What’s ILBM?
Six fundamental pillars for governance improvement
Institution
A management system with an appropriate organizational setup helps ensure sustainable benefits to lake basin resource users.
Policies
Policy tools must be better developed to facilitate concerted societal actions for sustainable lake basin management.
Participation
All lake basin stakeholders should participate in decision-making process for sustainable management.
Technology
Although their effect often tends to be limited in certain areas and short period of time, physical interventions, such as shoreline and wetland restoration, provision of sewerage and industrial waste-water treatment systems, afforestation, and mitigation measures for siltation control can play a significant role in improving lake environment.
Information
Scientific and public perceptions on lake basin management can differ from case to case. Without knowledge generation and sharing, human and financial resources mobilized in lake basin management efforts may prove futile.
Finance
Financial resources should come from all basin stakeholders benefiting from both direct and indirect use of lake resources. Efforts must be made in order to develop innovative approaches for generating locally-usable funds.
A New Perspective for Understanding Water Connectivity from Lakes (ILLBM) — Announcement of Video Release and Revised Concept Paper Revised Concept Paper 2026.03
Lakes do not exist in isolation. They are part of a continuous water system that connects rivers, wetlands, groundwater, and human livelihoods. However, these connections are often not readily visible and have not always been fully captured within existing frameworks.
At ILEC, we are advancing the concept of Integrated Lentic–Lotic Basin Management (ILLBM) as a new perspective that builds upon Integrated Lake Basin Management (ILBM). ILLBM does not introduce a new system or framework. Rather, it is a new way of understanding water as a continuous system, helping to make existing efforts more effective.
The newly released video visualizes this concept based on the ILBM training modules. It illustrates how the ILLBM perspective can be superimposed onto key governance pillars such as “Policy,” “Institution,” and “Information,” while also highlighting the importance of “Heartware” (values, awareness, and culture).
In parallel, the revised concept paper provides a structured explanation of how this perspective complements existing water management frameworks and supports practical implementation.