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Water management is assuming more and more importance as freshwater resources are becoming scarce, both in quality and in quantity, across many developed and developing countries. This trend can be attributed to population growth, industrialization, growing agricultural demand, poor water management practices and climate change. In attempting to deal with the intensification of water quality- and quantity-related problems in recent decades, many countries have revised their water resource management policies and legislation, introducing new institutional frameworks and management instruments. Considering regional geographic and cultural distinctions, the present article aims at comparing the models of water resource management in the European Union (EU) and in Brazil. Institutional and legal arrangements currently in place, water planning and management instruments currently in use, assessments of water body status and watershed diagnoses were analysed. Main strengths and weaknesses of each water management system are pointed out in the conclusion. Main challenges for the water sector, and highlights of the converging and diverging points concerning water resource management systems, in each region, are discussed.

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The need for renewed and healthier water resources pushes human society to develop new management procedures that warrant provisions and that are compatible with the population and economic growth. The São Francisco River is one of the main surface water resources in Brazil and is facing environmental challenges that threaten its sustainability. In the scope of growing conflicts over water resources in the São Francisco River Basin, the present research applied surface and groundwater balances for the current situation and for three prospective water demand scenarios (a pessimistic, an optimistic and an equilibrated) referring to 2025 and 2035, considering the multiple uses of the basin. For the surface water balance, the AcquaNet Decision Support System was used, whereas for the groundwater balance, the relationship between the withdrawal flow for consumptive uses and the exploitable flow was applied. The results evidenced that there are scenarios in which the available surface water resources will not be sufficient to satisfy the demanded projections. The groundwater balance was characterized as more favourable; however, the lack of knowledge creates uncertainties about these resources. Beyond its limitations, research was able to define geographical water availability and balance, allowing the indication of precise management procedures.

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