Abstract
AbstractReservoirs are built worldwide for a higher water supply in dry periods by storing water temporarily in wet periods. Recent socio‐hydrology studies hypothesized, by creating “supply–demand cycles”, that reservoirs can lead indirectly to counterintuitive dynamics such as more water scarcity and a higher economic and social vulnerability. This opinion argues that reservoirs are part of co‐evolutionary processes with natural, social, and engineered elements and therefore, water scarcity need to be analyzed within socio‐political interactions. Aspects such as (a) institutions; (b) governance processes; (c) social–ecological factors; (d) narratives of water scarcity; and (e) powerful economic interests are essential to understand feedback mechanisms between reservoirs and water scarcity and to hypothesize long‐term phenomena such as water scarcity. Neglecting these interactions could lead to biased research agendas, misleading conclusions, and adverse effects on the transformation process toward sustainability. Given the complexity of social–ecological systems, the diversity and critical capacity of inter‐ and transdisciplinary work is crucial to further advance the study of unintended side effects of reservoirs or — more general — the study of socio‐hydrology.This article is categorized under: Human Water
Highlights
During the last decades, water abstractions have been rising due to increasing world population, improving living standards, changing consumption patterns, economic growth, and expansion of irrigated agriculture (J. Liu et al, 2017; Mekonnen & Hoekstra, 2016)
Reservoirs are part of social–ecological systems co-constituted with interactions between humans, social networks, institutions, and political and natural dynamics
Reservoirs are part of social–ecological systems, which are complex systems that are co-constituted with interactions between humans, social networks, institutions, and political and natural dynamics
Summary
Water abstractions have been rising due to increasing world population, improving living standards, changing consumption patterns, economic growth, and expansion of irrigated agriculture (J. Liu et al, 2017; Mekonnen & Hoekstra, 2016). The understanding of interactions and feedbacks between engineered (e.g., infrastructures like reservoirs), social (e.g., institutions, governance processes), and natural (water and associated natural resources) elements becomes increasingly important (Brelsford et al, 2020).
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
