The river basin as a planning and management unit for water resources has been seen as a means of developing an integrated approach. Its closed geographic boundary system permits various sectors and users in a basin to work together: agriculture, flood control, industry, settlements, communities, etc. Since these water uses fall under the aegis of different administrative departments, a survey is needed to identify those present in the basin, their various roles and capacities, and how they will inter-relate, before an RBO can be established. RBOs have proved their worth in the following areas: watershed management including erosion control; data collection and storage for surface water flows; land-use planning and flood risk prevention; the facilitation of demand management decisions based on a comprehensive understanding of the uses of water and their relative values within the basin; co­ordination between the various sectoral authorities present in the basin and with stakeholders. Shortcomings include the fact that hydraulic boundaries do not match aquifer boundaries and water table over-exploitation and pollution of groundwater can easily be neglected.