淡水短缺將是人類二十一世紀面臨的最大挑戰之一。現在如聯合國、世界銀行等國際組織在處理水資源議題時，不再只強調工程技術或政府管理，而強調水治理之觀念。這種集體解決社會問題的方式，形成了綜合性水資源管理的模式。事實上，以農立國的中國，向來將水視為政治最根本的議題之一。本文分析清代的周鍾瑄與曹謹之水治理觀念，發現已具有政治、經濟、社會、與文化等面向，並以此建構綜合性水資源管理的模式。此種思維應是受了儒家思想之影響，認為為政者應肩負富民、安民、與教民之責。故周鍾瑄與曹謹之水治理，乃以建造灌溉設施來增加糧產，作為消減貧窮、維持治安、與教育人民之方法。

Freshwater scarcity is one of the biggest challenges we face in the 21(superscript st) Century. Today, international organizations, such as the United Nations and World Bank, dealing with the issues about water resources, no longer emphasize technology or government management. Instead, they use the concept of water governance. It is a way of collectively solving societal problems, and constructs a model of integrated water resources management (IWRM). In fact, Chinese civilization, based on agricultural development, always considered water is one of the political fundamental factors. This paper analyzes Chou Chung-Hsuan's and Tsao Chin's concept of water governance in Ching Dynasty. There were political, economic, social, and cultural dimensions in their concept, and built an IWRM model. Their thought should be influenced by Confucianism, which believes the statesmen should be on duty of enriching, protecting and educating the people. Therefore, the water governance model of Chou Chung-hsuan and Tsao Chin was to add rice production through building irrigation ditches and canals, which was a mean of poverty alleviation, social security maintenance, and public literate promotion.