Chapter 19 - Quantitative Estimation of Resource Linkages in Water Infrastructure Planning

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The Indus River Basin (IRB) is a source of livelihood for about 300 million people in four neighboring countries: Afghanistan, China, India, and Pakistan. The IRB supplies irrigation water of >20mha, which contributes greatly to food security in the region. The IRB provides over 10,000MW of clean energy. Other 10,000MW projects are at different stages of implementation. The IRB supports a unique ecosystem and aquatic life in cold mountains and hot and humid plains. The past 100years witnessed a rapid growth in water infrastructures in the IRB that were designed to meet the increasing demand for water, food, and energy. Geopolitical changes and transboundary conflicts, an increasing population, and changes in lifestyle and the climate have already affected the basin's water security and sustainability. Competition for how to use the basin's water is ongoing. One obvious example is between using it for irrigation or for hydro-energy generation, with a priority for irrigation in operations at the Tarbela and Mangla reservoirs in Pakistan. High agricultural water uses (>90%) and competing demands for water for energy, household uses, and the environment require a better understanding of the resource linkages and better planning for water infrastructures in the IRB. Acknowledging the resource links among water, energy, and food in planning, development, and management is critical to reduce the likelihood that decisions in one area will have negative impacts in other areas. This chapter investigates the linkages among the water-food nexus, the water-energy nexus, and land use within the context of the IRB context. The chapter also explores the main concerns around prioritizing water use by sectors, regions, and countries and identifies gaps and factors that constrain cross-sectoral water synergies. The chapter suggests a methodology that is conducive to working in a competing environment and capitalizing on cooperation.