Abstract
When implemented on a large scale, Interbasin Water Transfer (IBWT) projects are one of the most significant human interventions in natural environmental processes. Although water transfer might have considerable beneficial impacts, it produces inevitably other adverse effects on different levels. The present work aims to assess the phenomenon of IBWT to answer the question of whether such transfers are justified or not. To this end, this paper is first introduced by reviewing criteria proposed by some international organizations and epistemic communities for assessing IBWT. Then, a coherent set of IBWT evaluation criteria are proposed. Afterward, the authors have applied the chosen criteria to the North-South Water Transfer Project (NSWTP) in Morocco to provide a global assessment. The results show that the NSWTP, in its current version, is not justified. To remedy the negative sides of this project, the authors propose to limit the water transfer only between Sebou (donor) and Bouregreg (recipient), all in increasing the storage capacity of the recipient reservoir. On the other hand, studies related to the legal and institutional sides, and the ecological impacts are to be finalized.
Highlights
Interbasin Water Transfer (IBWT) projects have been promoted for many centuries to alleviate the heterogeneous distribution of water resources
Sinha et al [12] have proposed the following criteria for evaluating the IBWT projects: (1) the donor basin must have surplus Water Availability (WA) after fulfilling all its present and future Water Demand (WD); (2) the recipient basin must have a water deficit after tapping all possibilities of WA within the basin; (3) the completed project must be supported by a multidisciplinary assessment intended to reduce adverse impacts, increase benefits, and demonstrate equitable distribution among basins; (4) analysis must use, where possible, data which is freely available within the public domain, and which should be made available for scrutiny [12]
This article reviews some of the values and criteria that have been proposed, by the policy organisations and the scientific communities, to assess inter-basins water transfers
Summary
IBWT projects have been promoted for many centuries to alleviate the heterogeneous distribution of water resources. Proponents argue that they deliver socioeconomic development, enhance water security, and result in environmental benefits by alleviating ecological degradation in recipient basins suffering water shortage [1]. The critical challenge is how to assess the implications of IBWT schemes effectively. For this purpose, this paper reviews the values and standards proposed to evaluate IBWT projects. The paper distils from these a coherent set of criteria for inter-basin water transfer schemes. Afterwards, those proposed criteria are applied to the NSWTP in Morocco
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