Governance Of Water Resources Research Articles

Unleashing capacity in the water sector: A framework for public entities

ABSTRACT Capacity development in the water sector is crucial to achieving universal, adequate, sustainable, and resilient services. It has been broadly recognized as a priority, connected with governance and management of water resources and water and sanitation services. Through a scoping review including 153 scientific articles and 103 other documents, complemented with a consultation of experts, this article presents how the concept of ‘capacity development’ has evolved, what levels it consists of, and which are the key elements of success for effective capacity development processes. The article finds that most existing frameworks do not conduct any in-depth analysis of the determinants that define capacity at different levels and that there is no specific framework for public water-related entities. To address this gap, a dedicated capacity development framework is proposed for the public water sector, defining the key determinants to be pondered in the analysis of the situation at different levels and types of interventions to achieve outcomes at each level. The framework will enable practitioners and policymakers to acknowledge the complexity and develop more systematic work on capacity development in water through various types of interventions that can support them.

The Source-to-Sea Landscape: A hybrid integrative territory management approach

Whether fresh or salty, water is a unique resource, a continuum interlinked by the hydrological cycle. It forms a complex system connected to the landscape. When the landscape is altered, water flows and their benefits are impacted. Degraded land compromises water resources. The governance and management of landscape and water resources are handled in a fragmented manner and in separate contexts. The Source-to-Sea approach offers an integrative vision based on systems thinking that focuses its concerns on the interaction among parts, flows, and processes. It proposes a framework for the governance and management of freshwater and marine water but does not bring the landscape into the context of the approach. This research used an analytical-deductive method to explore the interactions and connections between the Source-to-sea approach, landscape concepts and approaches, and the guidelines of the European Landscape Convention. The main objective was to identify and assess the feasibility of integrating these elements. The integration resulted in a governance and management approach termed the S2S Landscape approach. It is grounded in systems thinking, practical learning, active participation, and adaptive governance and management, providing an integrated vision between landscape and water. The approach includes four essential steps (Comprehension, Involvement, Planning, and Execution and Monitoring) that address the complex connections that freshwater and marine water maintain in the landscape, considering physical, biological, socio-environmental, and economic aspects across all segments, from the land to the open sea. This S2S Landscape approach may be the path to address the challenges of governance and sustainable management of resources in an interconnected and constantly changing world.

Assessing groundwater quality in semi-arid conditions: a geographic information systems-integrated approach using water quality index

Meeting freshwater demands in water-scarce regions is imperative, given challenges like hydric stress, urbanization, aridity, and population growth. This study focuses on the Tebessa aquifer system, a critical water source facing escalating demands. A primary objective is to identify actionable management strategies to improve groundwater quality dynamics in semi-arid regions. The methodology involves a comprehensive assessment of groundwater health using the Water Quality Index (WQI) approach. This method integrates diverse parameters influenced by intensive agricultural and industrial activities. Additionally, spatial relationship analysis, facilitated by Geographic Information System (GIS) technology, is employed to gain insights into complex hydrogeological processes. The multi-parameter strategy implemented results in water quality maps that highlight various ions, revealing spatial disparities and assigning quality priority classes from 'Good' to 'Poor' across the groundwater. The research, conducted in the semi-arid Tebessa-Morsott Plain, encompasses field and laboratory investigations to delineate hydrochemical traits, including alkalinity, salinity, and heightened ion concentrations. The results of the study contribute to scientific understanding by uncovering interrelationships and spatial intricacies, offering valuable insights for water resource governance. The effectiveness of the methodology, incorporating WQI and GIS, is demonstrated in the comprehensive evaluation of groundwater quality. Ultimately, this research provides a foundation for informed decision-making and sustainable management of groundwater resources in semi-arid regions.

Understanding Water Governance in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia: Governance Framework, Coherence and Practices.

Water governance demands multi-sector participation beyond the state; and, appropriate laws, policies, regulations, and institutions need to be developed and put in place for sustainable use of water resources. A good water policy, a critical and integral instrument of water governance, guides water use schemes and ensures equitable water distribution among users. The Ethiopian Central Rift Valley (CRV) is rich in water resources, but these water resources are currently under severe strain owing to an imbalance in human-water interactions. This study examined the state of water resources governance framework, policy coherence, actors' engagement and transparency, accountability, and participation in irrigation water supply in the CRV of Ethiopia. Key informant interviews (KII), focused group discussions, and document reviews were used to gather data for the study. The NVivo 11 program was used to organize, code, and analyze the data. The results revealed that water resources governance practices such as water allocation and apportionment, water resources protection, and conservation activities were inappropriately exercised. Water resources management policy mechanisms were not fully put in place. Lack of coherence in water policy implementation, absence of clear roles and responsibilities of stakeholders, absence of transparency and accountability in irrigation water service delivery, and lack of meaningful participation of key actors in water governance decision-making were observed. As a result, over-abstraction, deterioration of buffer zone areas, and chemical erosion from surrounding farming are attributed to the reduction in water volume and quality in the CRV. These challenges have influenced aquatic ecosystem services and threaten the livelihoods of the surrounding communities. Hence, reforms relating to policy coherence and enforcement, stakeholder engagement, water distribution strategies, and the implementation of water governance principles must be given adequate emphasis.

The role and interplay of institutions in water governance in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

Background Institutions can play a key role in coordinating how natural resources are effectively managed and used without over-exploitation. Institutions are laws, policies, and organizational arrangements that permit, forbid or regulate human action. This study aimed to look into the roles of formal and informal institutions, and their interactions in water resources governance in the Central Rift Valley (CRV), Ethiopia. Methods Key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and secondary data sources were employed to collect relevant data. Results The result of the study indicated that the influence of informal institutions on formal institutions or vice versa was insignificant, and unable to change the actions of water users in the CRV. Other limitations observed in water resources governance in the CRV include a lack of actors’ clear roles and responsibilities, absence of meaningful decentralization, limited engagement of key actors in policy development, lack of synergy between the institutions, and absence of enforcement mechanisms. Conclusion Considering the local contexts and community’s traditional knowledge of water governance in water-related policy, rules, and regulations, and enhancing the capacity of local-level institutions, strong interplay among all institutions involved in water governance, and meaningful actors’ engagement were recommended to advance the role of institutions in water resources governance in the CRV and in the country. Hence, a mechanism that enables to harmonize formal and informal institutions in water management system can enhance the governance of water resources in the study area and elsewhere in the country.

Exploring the relationship between soil erosion and hydraulic parameters on slopes with clipped herbaceous vegetation through Bayesian network modeling

AbstractClipping management, which alters vegetation conditions by removing aboveground vegetation while preserving the underground root system, directly impacts hydrological processes and flow dynamics, ultimately affecting soil erosion processes. This study conducted field experiments (2 × 6 m) encompassing four clipping intensities (with vegetation coverage of 70%, 50%, 25%, and 0%), three rainfall intensities (60, 90, and 120 mm·h−1), and three slope gradients (10°, 20°, and 30°). The results showed that clipping treatments significantly reduced the Darcy–Weisbach resistance coefficient (f). Elevated levels of clipping intensity, rainfall intensity, and slope gradient led to increased flow velocity (v), Reynolds number (Re), and stream power (ω). The shear stress (τ) exhibited an upward trend with rising slope and rainfall intensity, with no significant difference in the effect of clipping intensity. Variation partitioning analysis demonstrated that the influence of steep slopes amplified the effects of rainfall intensity while diminishing the impact of clipping intensity on v values. Critically, the Bayesian network model suggested that, in comparison to the influence of raindrop splashing, soil detachment and transportation by runoff were the predominant driving mechanisms for erosion on slopes with clipped vegetation. Rainfall intensity and clipping intensity were found to raise the runoff depth and enhance the v value, which ultimately influenced soil erosion. Overall, these results contribute to an improved comprehension of the hydraulic dynamics of soil erosion on slopes with clipped vegetation and provide invaluable perspectives for developing effective clipping management strategies to ensure sustainable land utilization and judicious water resource governance.

Conflict analysis of multiple decision-makers ecological environment governance of water resources based on graph model with heterogeneous preference in China's South-to-North water transfer project

Ecological environment governance of water resources is the foundation and key measures to ensure good water quality in China's South-to-North Water Transfer Project. However, as a limited rational economic person, considering their economic benefit, different involvers in China's South-to-North Water Transfer Project show different types of preference relations and make different action decisions as well as play conflicts with each other, which have a negative effect on ecological environmental governance. To overcome above-described shortcomings, heterogeneous preferences are integrated into graph model for conflict resolution (GMCR) to resolve ecological environment governance conflict of water resources. Specifically, first, four different structures of preference expression, including preference orderings, utility functions, multiplicative preferences, and additive preferences, are used to represent decision-maker's (DM's) preference information over states. Then, a novel preference ranking method is designed to calculate the ordinal preferences over all states by using matrix representation. Based on this, a set of heterogeneous stability definitions is proposed in GMCR to describe human diversified choice and behavior in detail, and it is applied to the ecological environment governance conflict of water resources in China's South-to-North Water Transfer Project. The heterogeneous stability analysis result showed that incentive policies used by water resources agencies can effectively encourage local governments and enterprises to actively participate in the ecological environment governance, and promote the ecological environment governance conflict to evolve into a state of equilibrium.

Energy Poverty Impact on Sustainable Development of Water Resources in China: The Study of an Entropy Recycling Dynamic Two-Stage SBM Model

Water scarcity is increasingly being recognized as a global concern. Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG-6) was established by the United Nations to address water resource governance within its sustainable development framework. This study employs the entropy weight method and a two-stage cyclical dynamic slacks-based measure (SBM) model to scientifically evaluate water resource utilization and governance across various regions in China. The findings reveal notable disparities in both the production and governance efficiency of water resources. Recognizing governance efficiency is crucial for promoting sustainable water resource utilization and socioeconomic development. The eastern, central, and western regions encounter unique challenges in attaining sustainability. The eastern region exhibits minimal potential for enhancing technical efficiency, necessitating interventions in management strategies and resource allocation. Conversely, the challenges in the central and western regions are more pronounced, demanding immediate implementation of new technologies and equipment. The data analysis in this study yields conclusions that offer targeted improvement recommendations to address disparities across China’s eastern, central, and western regions, and this is achieved by considering various developmental stages and regional contexts. These recommendations cover areas such as technical support, financial investment, and policy incentives, with the aim of enhancing the sustainable utilization of water resources in the country.

On the tailor-made water governance mechanism for Taiwan's semiconductor industry

This study explores a new governance mechanism aimed at regional integration and explains how this mechanism can achieve optimal governance of water resources through the division of labour in politics and the economy. This study adopts political economic geography as the research approach. The data used in the analysis were obtained from official documents, interviews and field investigations, and its authenticity was interactively checked via triangulation. The results show that ‘spatial shifts’ were the driving force behind water redistribution. The division of labour between politics and the economy eliminates obstacles to water distribution through the mutual adjustment and division of underground rhizomes; ‘creative destruction’ and ‘destructive creation’ are alternately used to achieve dialectical progress. This study concludes that in this case, the process of regional integration simultaneously generates circular mechanisms in which political power and economic productivity are consolidated.

Review of climate change impact on water availability in the USA and Africa

This research paper reviews the impact of climate change on water availability in the USA and Africa. Global climate change trends reveal rising temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, and increasing extreme events, all influencing water resources. The diverse regional contexts in the USA encompass issues such as prolonged droughts, changing snowmelt patterns, and coastal vulnerabilities. In Africa, heightened susceptibility arises from dependence on rain-fed agriculture, contributing to increased aridity and intensified rainfall. Temperature changes and precipitation patterns emerge as critical factors influencing water availability, necessitating adaptive strategies. Both regions implement water conservation, infrastructure development, sustainable practices, and broader policies addressing emission reduction and community-based adaptation. Policy implications underscore the need for integrated water resource governance, climate-resilient infrastructure, and international collaboration. This review provides a nuanced understanding of the complexities involved, offering insights for effective adaptation and mitigation measures in the face of evolving climate challenges.

The Impact of Water Resource Tax on the Sustainable Development in Water-Intensive Industries: Evidence from Listed Companies

China is taking measures to minimize the negative impact of the long-term extensive water use model on the water environment. The large number of zombie enterprises with high energy consumption and low energy efficiency in highly water-consuming industries is one of the important reasons for the water resource governance plight of China. Based on the quasi-natural experiment of water resource tax reform from 2016 to 2020, this paper uses the panel data of listed companies to quantify the impact of water resource tax on the zombification of high water consumption enterprises in this paper. The results show that the zombie degree of high water consumption enterprises after the implementation of the water resource fee to tax reform has become significantly higher, and this conclusion remains stable after a series of tests. The conclusion of this paper has major implications regarding sustainably developing zombie enterprises and highly water-consuming industries in terms of policy.

Rethinking the Role of Institutions in Water Resource Governance in Tanzania: What is Still Missing?

The question of how the government would ensure water supply for its people while protecting the environment remains a challenging endeavour. Emerging water resource management challenges have driven governments to reform governance policies. This includes the introduction of formal institutions of water management. Additionally, the Tanzanian government adopted Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) frameworks. However, evidence indicates that establishing formal institutions (which replaced the informal ones) has achieved little in improving water supply and ensuring sustainable water management. This study asks what is still needed to achieve sustainable water management in Tanzania. Using a systematic literature review, the study examined the experience of water resources management in Tanzania, particularly the formal institutions. The study found that formal institutions have been unable to ensure sustainable water resources management; they have weakened the informal institutions and attracted water conflicts. The study calls for considering and integrating the informal institutions (that have been serving communities for generations) in water resources management initiatives. 

Governança das águas: a complexidade das dinâmicas interativas entre os grupos de interessados

Abstract The management of water involves complex issues related to just allocation and sustainability. While integrated approaches incorporating diverse stakeholders have emerged as the dominant global framework for 21st-century challenges, policymakers face difficulties in assessing stakeholder participation and integration. This study generated primary data from a survey and interviews and used social network analysis to reveal and map the dynamics of interaction among ten groups holding stakes in the water resources of the Açu Lake State Park, a Brazilian coastal estuary. The results indicate that stakeholder group interaction was concentrated within two distinct clusters, such that high interaction correlated positively with political power, while those most dependent on the resources were characterized by limited decision-making influence and low interaction with other groups. These results offer insight for the equitable and sustainable governance of water resources and the assessment of participation and interaction among stakeholder groups.

Integrated water resource management in the decision-making of large firms in Morocco: Case of Managem group (Hydraulic basin of Tensift AL Haouz)

Water resources and economic growth are two preoccupations that take different senses. The overconsumption can be very costly in terms of the quantity and quality of water resources, which indulges many negative impacts on water reserves. In arid zones, institutions and large national firms are obligated to deliver more efforts in term of adaptation to the area’s hydraulic situation. In this work, we addressed the issue of integrating good governance of water resources into the decision-making process of large firms in Morocco. We studied the case of the Guemassa mine of the Managem group, located in the Tensift Haouz basin. In order to assess the efficiency of their strategy, we carried out an impact study of the company’s mining activities on the quality and quantity of the region’s waterresources and we provided key information on the hydraulic situation of the region in question. As a result, the company is monopolizing a large part of the water resources of the Haouz plain and their integrated water resource management strategy is deemed insufficient.

Placing Stakeholder Formation in Central Oregon’s Deschutes Basin

This paper examines the processes by which “stakeholder” status is constructed, and the importance of sense of place to that construction in collaborative water resource governance processes. Water management often involves collaborative governance, but there can be differences between who has an interest in the outcome, and who is formally invited to participate as a “stakeholder.” We examine a case study of a collaborative water governance process in Central Oregon, and found that existing models of stakeholder formation present in scholarly literature did not fully explain the dynamics of stakeholder participation. We propose a two-step “Interest-Participation” model of stakeholder formation: to be considered stakeholders, a group must not only have an interest in the outcome but must actively navigate barriers to participation. We moreover argue that collaborative engagement is an embodiment of sense of place, emphasizing the importance of competing place meanings in resource governance processes.

Source-to-sea, integrated water resources management, and integrated coastal management approaches: integrative, complementary, or competing?

Mitigation, adaptation, environmental protection, and sustainable development on the land and related water bodies are being promoted in a fragmented way. Integrated Water Resources Management and Integrated Coastal Management have been presented as a way to face these problems. The Source-to-sea approach has recently emerged proposing a new water governance and management framework. This research aimed to understand the Source-to-sea approach and identify its relationships and convergences with the approaches of Integrated Water Resources Management and Integrated Coastal Management and answer the question of whether they are integrative, complementary, or competitive. Content analysis was used as part of the investigation method so that it was possible to identify the intentions and perceptions of the concepts, principles, and dimensions adopted by each approach. The classification of elements resulted in 8 categories. Based on Leopold’s matrix, we created a base matrix to analyze the relationships between the approaches. The S2S approach integrates and, at the same time, complements Integrated Water Resources Management and Integrated Coastal Management. For the eight categories, Source-to-sea was fully committed to 6 of them. Integrated Water Resources Management was fully committed to 5 of them. And Integrated Coastal Management was fully committed to only 3 of them. The Source-to-sea approach brings new elements, revitalizes some methods, and strengthens the governance and management structure of freshwater and marine water resources, enabling a new vision in the continuum where Integrated Water Resources Management and Integrated Coastal Management are part of the process within a new perspective.

Deep-Learning-Based Water Quality Monitoring and Early Warning Methods: A Case Study of Ammonia Nitrogen Prediction in Rivers

In line with rapid economic development and accelerated urbanization, the increasing discharge of wastewater and agricultural fertilizer usage has led to a gradual rise in ammonia nitrogen levels in rivers. High concentrations of ammonia nitrogen pose a significant challenge, causing eutrophication and adversely affecting the aquatic ecosystems and sustainable utilization of water resources. Traditional ammonia nitrogen detection methods suffer from limitations such as cumbersome sample handling and analysis, low sensitivity, and lack of real-time and dynamic feedback. In contrast, automated monitoring and ammonia nitrogen prediction technologies offer more efficient methods and accurate solutions. However, existing approaches still have some shortcomings, including sample processing complexity, interference issues, and the absence of real-time and dynamic information feedback. Consequently, deep learning techniques have emerged as promising methods to address these challenges. In this paper, we propose the application of a neural network model based on Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) to analyze and model ammonia nitrogen monitoring data, enabling high-precision prediction of ammonia nitrogen indicators. Moreover, through correlation analysis between water quality parameters and ammonia nitrogen indicators, we identify a set of key feature indicators to enhance prediction efficiency and reduce costs. Experimental validation demonstrates the potential of our proposed approach to improve the accuracy, timeliness, and precision of ammonia nitrogen monitoring and prediction, which could provide support for environmental management and water resource governance.

The role and interplay of institutions in water governance in the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

Background Institutions can play a key role in coordinating how natural resources are effectively managed and used without over-exploitation. Institutions are laws, policies, and organizational arrangements that permit, forbid or regulate human action. This study aimed to look into the roles of formal and informal institutions, and their interactions in water resources governance in the Central Rift Valley (CRV), Ethiopia. Methods Key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and secondary data sources were employed to collect relevant data. Results The result of the study indicated that the influence of informal institutions on formal institutions or vice versa was insignificant, and unable to change the actions of water users in the CRV. Other limitations observed in water resources governance in the CRV include a lack of actors’ clear roles and responsibilities, absence of meaningful decentralization, limited engagement of key actors in policy development, lack of synergy between the institutions, and absence of enforcement mechanisms. Conclusion Considering the local contexts and community’s traditional knowledge of water governance in water-related policy, rules, and regulations, and enhancing the capacity of local-level institutions, strong interplay among all institutions involved in water governance, and meaningful actors’ engagement were recommended to advance the role of institutions in water resources governance in the CRV and in the country.

AutoML-GWL: Automated machine learning model for the prediction of groundwater level

Predicting groundwater levels is pivotal in curbing overexploitation and ensuring effective water resource governance. However, groundwater level prediction is intricate, driven by dynamic nonlinear factors. To comprehend the dynamic interaction among these drivers, leveraging machine learning models can provide valuable insights. The drastic increase in computational capabilities has catalysed a substantial surge in the utilisation of machine learning-based solutions for effective groundwater management. The performance of these models highly depends on the selection of hyperparameters. The optimisation of hyperparameters is a complex process that often requires application-specific expertise for a skillful prediction. To mitigate the challenge posed by hyperparameter tuning’s problem-specific nature, we present an innovative approach by introducing the automated machine learning (AutoML-GWL) framework. This framework is specifically designed for precise groundwater level mapping. It seamlessly integrates the selection of best machine learning model and adeptly fine-tunes its hyperparameters by using Bayesian optimisation. We used long time series (1997-2018) data of precipitation, temperature, evaporation, soil type, relative humidity, and lag of groundwater level as input features to train the AutoML-GWL model while considering the influence of Land Use Land Cover (LULC) as a contextual factor. Among these input features, the lag of groundwater level emerged as the most relevant input feature. Once the model is trained, it performs well over the unseen data with a strong correlation of coefficient (R = 0.90), low root mean square error (RMSE = 1.22), and minimal bias = 0.23. Further, we compared the performance of the proposed AutoML-GWL with sixteen benchmark algorithms comprising baseline and novel algorithms. The AutoML-GWL outperforms all the benchmark algorithms. Furthermore, the proposed algorithm ranked first in Friedman’s statistical test, confirming its reliability. Moreover, we conducted a spatial distribution and uncertainty analysis for the proposed algorithm. The outcomes of this analysis affirmed that the AutoML-GWL can effectively manage data with spatial variations and demonstrates remarkable stability when faced with small uncertainties in the input parameters. This study holds significant promise in revolutionising groundwater management practices by establishing an automated framework for simulating groundwater levels for sustainable water resource management.

A lighthouse to enhance the quality of life in the Nile River basin

AbstractThe future of large rivers is related to regional cooperation programs for the sustainable development of water and related resources in great river basins. The objective of this article is to present how roadmaps can be utilized for both building up sustainable development for the Nile River, and supporting the integration of national and regional development strategies in Egypt and other Nile basin countries. The strategic objective is to highlight a wide range of sustainable freshwater pathways for an inclusive, peaceful, and sustainable future for all. In particular, it focuses on generating innovative water solutions, actions, and practices that enhance water exploitation in large river basins, transboundary shared rivers, and other transboundary shared water resources. The roadmapping approach is adopted and developed widely in the science, technology, and innovation community. The paper concentrates on roadmapping as an important tool that promotes sound planning of sustainability of large rivers, and in particular, transboundary shared rivers. The roadmap analyzes the benefits of planning shared water cooperation that extends to ecological, economic, and political features, and also beyond the river for the benefit of all, and identifies at an early stage the actions needed to manage the associated technology and environmental risk. The roadmap includes the key water resources governance characteristics, geographical scope, climate change (CC), and its impact, member states, organizational structure, decision-making, data information sharing, monitoring, the role of multiple stakeholders, financing, legal basis, dispute resolution, and benefit sharing. Therefore, a roadmap for the Nile River can help raise productivity and support faster growth, if considered as a lighthouse for national development strategies. Roadmap for the Nile River proposes windows of opportunity and is a vital milestone for cooperation, peace, stability, joint investment, and prosperity. With possible benefits exceeding those derived from the river itself, a roadmap for the Nile River can catalyze strengthened cooperation and greater regional ecological, economic, social, and political integration. The paper concludes that the roadmap for the Nile River sustainability (NRS) is a promising model for assuring the sustainability of transboundary shared large rivers.