Water Resources Research Articles

Floods of Egypt's Nile in the 21st century.

Extreme precipitation and flooding events are rising globally, necessitating a thorough understanding and sustainable management of water resources. One such setting is the Nile River's source areas, where high precipitation has led to the filling of Lake Nasser (LN) twice (1998-2003; 2019-2022) in the last two decades and the diversion of overflow to depressions west of the Nile, where it is lost mainly to evaporation. Using temporal satellite-based data, climate models, and continuous rainfall-runoff models, we identified the primary contributor to increased runoff that reached LN in the past two decades and assessed the impact of climate change on the LN's runoff throughout the twenty-first century. Findings include: (1) the Blue Nile subbasin (BNS) is the primary contributor to increased downstream runoff, (2) the BNS runoff was simulated in the twenty-first century using a calibrated (1965-1992) rainfall-runoff model with global circulation models (GCMs), CCSM4, HadGEM3, and GFDL-CM4.0, projections as model inputs, (3) the extreme value analysis for projected runoff driven by GCMs' output indicates extreme floods are more severe in the twenty-first century, (4) one adaptation for the projected twenty-first century increase in precipitation (25-39%) and flood (2%-20%) extremes is to recharge Egypt's fossil aquifers during high flood years.

Quantifying the Effect of Land Use and Land Cover Changes on Spatial-Temporal Dynamics of Water in Hanjiang River Basin

As a vital part of the geo-environment and water cycle, ecosystem health and human development are dependent on water resources. Water supply and demand are influenced significantly by land use and cover change (LUCC) which shapes the surface ecosystems by altering their structure and function. Under future climate change scenarios, LUCC may greatly impact regional water balance, yet the impact is still not well understood. Therefore, examining the spatial relationship between LUCC and water yield services is crucial for optimizing land resources and informing sustainable development policies. In this study, we focused on the Hanjiang River Basin and used the patch-generating land use simulation (PLUS) model, coupled with the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model, to assess water yield services under three Shared Socioeconomic Pathway and Representative Concentration Pathway (SSP-RCP) scenarios. For the first time, we considered the impact of future changes in socio-economic and water use indicators on water demand using correction factors and ARIMA projections. The relationship between water supply and demand was explored using this approach, and LUCC’s effects on this balance are also discussed. Results indicate that: (1) The patterns of LUCC are similar for the three scenarios from 2030 to 2050, with varying levels of decrease for cropland and significant growth of built-up areas, with increases of 6.77% to 19.65% (SSP119), 7.66% to 22.65% (SSP245), and 15.88% to 46.69% (SSP585), respectively, in the three scenarios relative to 2020; (2) The future supply and demand trends for the three scenarios of produced water services are similar, and the overall supply and demand risks are all on a downward trend. Water demand continues to decline, and by 2050, the water demand of the 3 scenarios will decrease by 96.275×108t, 81.210×108t, and 84.13×108t relative to 2020, respectively; while supply decreases from 2030 to 2040 and rises from 2040 to 2050; (3) Both water supply and demand distributions exhibit spatial correlation, and the distribution of hotspots is similar. The water supply and demand are well-matched, with an overall supply-demand ratio greater than 1.5; (4) LUCC can either increase or decrease water yield. Built-up land provides more water supply compared to other land types, while forest land has the lowest average water supply. Limiting land use type conversions can enhance the water supply.

Set pair analysis and system dynamics coupling approach for structure simulation and variation trend evaluation of water resources spatial equilibrium system

AbstractThe implement of water resources spatial equilibrium (WRSE) schemes is fundamental task of integrated water resources management in China, in which, the evaluation and simulation analysis of WRSE system is of great concern for understanding the overall variation and feedback characteristics of WRSE system. Therefore, we utilized the ordered degree, entropy and connection number coupling model to evaluate the variation of WRSE system, and also employed system dynamics (SD) and scenario simulation integrated method to reveal the feedback characteristics between different equilibrium variables and subsystems, and thus the set pair analysis‐SD based approach for structure simulation and variation trend evaluation of WRSE system was constructed. The application results in Anhui province, China demonstrated that, the overall variation of provincial spatial equilibrium situation of WRSE system presented obvious improving trend, 2009–2019, the index of ordered degree and connection number entropy in Hefei, increased from the minimum of 0.6434 (Grade 3, unequilibrium) to maximum of 0.9985 (Grade 1, equilibrium). Moreover, the future variation of WRSE system will display stable improving trend during 2020 to 2029, in which, annual water resources availability and water resources utilization efficiency will have significant influence on WRSE system. And the research findings can be favorable to formulate water resources development and utilization strategies.

Are Climate Change Strategies Effective in Managing Urban Water Resources? The Case of Portugal

This study examines the relationship between climate mitigation, adaptation strategies, and water management practices in Portugal from 2015 to 2021. Utilizing climate and water resource data from 2015 to 2021, including meteorological data (emperature, rainfall), wastewater treatment volumes, and energy efficiency metrics, the data are sourced from national agencies such as IPMA, ERSAR, APA, and Eurostat. The methodology employs correlation analysis to assess the relationships between climate variables (e.g., temperature, rainfall) and water resource indicators (e.g., reclaimed wastewater, energy efficiency). Despite notable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and improvements in wastewater treatment efficiency, water resource stability remains a complex issue, particularly with regional disparities such as severe droughts in the Algarve. Additionally, the study evaluates the effectiveness of rainwater harvesting systems, reclaimed wastewater, and infiltration facilities, revealing a decline in reclaimed wastewater efficiency despite increased wastewater treatment. Rainwater harvesting systems (RWHSs) offer resilience, but their broader adoption is hindered by high costs and public perception challenges. Key recommendations include the development of resilient infrastructure, enhanced support for reclaimed water use, and increased investment in research to address water management challenges amid climate variability.

Study on optimization of maize irrigation scheduling in Shaanxi Province

With the impact of climate change in recent years, the instability of precipitation and the increase of evaporation have made water resources in Shaanxi Province more and more stressed. How to maintain stable economic development while ensuring the sustainable development of agriculture within the limited water resources has become an important issue facing Shaanxi Province. This paper analyzes the temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of maize irrigation water requirement in Shaanxi Province based on meteorological data and obtains the ideal irrigation water requirement. However, considering the agricultural water scarcity issue in this region, this paper establishes different water scarcity scenarios, adopts the Jensen model to construct an objective function aimed at minimizing crop yield reduction, and solves it using a genetic algorithm to obtain the optimized maize irrigation scheduling under different water scarcity scenarios. The results analysis indicates the following: (1) The effective rainfall in Shaanxi Province from 1960 to 2019 shows a slight upward trend, while the maize water requirement and maize irrigation water requirement shows a downward trend. (2) The spatial distribution of maize irrigation water requirement in Shaanxi Province decreases gradually from north to south. High-value areas are mainly distributed in the northern regions of Yulin City and Yan’an City in Shanbei. Low-value areas are distributed in Ankang City in Shannan. (3) In the face of water scarcity, spring maize should ensure water use during the middle growth period, fast development period, and initial growth periods. Under the same water scarcity conditions, the yield reduction rate is the highest in Guanzhong, followed by the Shannan, and the lowest in Shanbei. This paper aims to provide a scientific and reasonable optimization plan for maize irrigation in Shaanxi Province by calculating and analyzing the maize irrigation water requirement in Shaanxi Province, combined with optimization tools such as genetic algorithms, to address the challenges brought by water resource constraints.

Disposal of SARS-CoV-2 corpses: experiences of environmental health officers.

Though the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is no more of a public health emergency, the experiences from burying SARS-CoV-2 infectious dead bodies may remain with the workers. For Environmental Health Officers (EHOs), dealing with decedents during the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak may arouse strong feelings of pity, horror, repulsion, disgust, and anger at the tragedy. Therefore, this study aims to explore the experiences of EHOs in disposing off of confirmed or suspected SARS-CoV-2 fatalities in Ghana. Using an 18-item interview guide, we gathered data from 27 EHOs from three regions of Ghana. We followed the steps in Descriptive Phenomenology in conducting the data analysis. i. EHOs were confronted with several occupational health and safety (OHS) hazards like physical and chemical injuries, threat of harm, and psychological harm, ii. The officers also faced severe shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE). Unfortunately, they were not provided with any form of psychological support during the period. The SARS-CoV-2 outbreak in Ghana exposed major fault lines in the health and safety/disaster and emergency preparedness of EHOs towards the burial of infectious disease dead bodies. Clearly, the disposal exercise failed to uphold the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4.4, 8.3, and 8.5, which advocate for the promotion of decent jobs for all. Ghana's Ministries of Health, Local Government, and Sanitation and Water Resources need to attach Clinical Psychologists and security personnel to the disposal teams in future exercises to provide psychological support and security to the team. Though studies on the disposal of infectious bodies in Africa exist, very little is known about the experiences of EHOs in the disposal of SARS-CoV-2 dead bodies during the outbreak.

How Has the Source Apportionment of Heavy Metals in Soil and Water Evolved over the Past 20 Years? A Bibliometric Perspective

Exploring soil heavy metal sources is of great significance for ensuring the safety of ecological environments and agricultural product safety, as well as for guiding pollution control and management policies. This paper retrieved 452 research papers on soil heavy metal source analysis published over the 2004–2024 period from the Web of Science database. The collected literature was subjected to multidimensional bibliometric analysis using the CiteSpace 6.3.R1. The results showed significantly increasing trends in the scientific outputs and the number of papers on heavy metal source analysis in soils and water over the study period. In addition, related research topics have expanded from single to multiple heavy metal elements in environmental media and have increasingly recognized the impact of water pollution on soil contamination. Research methods have also evolved from basic statistical analysis to complex spatial analysis techniques, covering agricultural and urban soils. Previous related studies have focused on heavy metal pollution in different areas, and related research on heavy metal source analysis has now extended from ecological environments to associated human health risks. The present study provides directions for future related research and guidance for ensuring effective source control of heavy metal pollution and safe utilization of land and water resources.

Coupling Coordination Mechanism between Ecological Protection and High Quality Development in the Yellow River Basin

Abstract In the issue of ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin, this study deeply discusses the influencing factors of the coupling and coordination level between the two systems by calculating the ecological environment protection and high-quality development, as well as the ecological protection evaluation index system, and using spatial econometric models. The results showed that the average value of the comprehensive evaluation index for ecological protection in the Yellow River Basin grew from 0.253 to 0.351 (2014-2023), and the overall coupling coordination degree was in the range of 0.496 to 0.582. This indicated that the country's emphasis on protecting the Yellow River ecosystem and the implementation of its policies had achieved significant results, and the overall environmental condition of the system had been significantly improved. At the same time, the comprehensive evaluation index for high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin also showed a fluctuating upward tendency, indicating the mutual connection between economic development and ecological environment protection. Tests had shown that the use of oil and water resources had a negative impact on the system degree of coupling and coordination, while other factors had a positive impact. This study provides useful references for environmental protection and sustainable development, and provides guidance for policymakers to achieve ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin.

Assessing the Origin and Mapping the Extension of Salinity Around Shrimp Culture Ponds in Rio Grande Do Norte (Brazil)

The increasing installation of shrimp farms in vulnerable coastal areas around the world generates an environmental impact and makes it urgent to develop methodologies and studies for assessing and scaling the potential risks and sustainability of these activities. One of the main hazards of these activities is that the prolonged inundation of excavated ponds for shrimp farming allows the percolation of saltwater in the surroundings, resulting in increasing groundwater salinity. Saltwater intrusion in coastal aquifers, accompanied by salinization of soils, causes a decrease in available freshwater resources, a decline in crop productivity and the deterioration of the natural ecosystem. The coastal aquifer of Rio Grande do Norte State (Brazil) where, for years, several shrimp farm factories have been operating, reported some issues related to aquifer and soil salinization. The present study aims to assess the origin of and delineate groundwater salinization in a sector of this coastal aquifer using a low-budget procedure. The integration of hydrogeological and hydrogeochemical characterization by drilling shallow piezometers, measuring the hydrostatic level and analyzing the major ion concentrations of the groundwater has made it possible to establish that the origin of groundwater pollution in the studied area is caused by saltwater percolation from shrimp farms. The joint use of both characterization techniques has been shown to have an efficient cost–benefit ratio and less-intrusive methodology, which can be applied in other areas with similar environmental concerns.

The Next 2 Billion: Can the World Support 10 Billion People?

AbstractThe UN projects that world population will peak at 10.3 billion in 2084, a 2.1 billion increase from 2024. Can the world provide food, water, and other resources to 10.3 billion people? How will additional population exacerbate resource challenges and worsen climate change? This paper analyzes these questions by looking at the last 60 years and by simulating the future impact of population growth and rising incomes on food, water, energy, and CO2 emissions. Looking back, food production has increased faster than the population in all regions, and we have not experienced significant shortages in nonrenewable resources. The history of water and CO2 emissions is less encouraging, however, with declining water levels in many aquifers and global warming threatening to undermine progress in all areas. Looking forward, population growth will be concentrated in poor countries, while rich countries, with higher consumption levels and emissions, will experience population decline. Population growth is projected to significantly increase demand for food and water in coming decades but is projected to have only modest impacts on energy and CO2, with population decline in high‐emission higher income countries more than offsetting the impact of population growth in low‐emission lower‐income countries.

Sustainable Behavior of Generation Z Tourists’ Water Consumption

Tourism is one of the sectors with the highest demand for fresh water. Indicators suggest that water consumption by tourists is more than double that of residents. This phenomenon can be explained by tourists’ interest in engaging in unique experiences, which frequently entails putting sustainable practices aside. To mitigate the environmental impact of tourism and promote sustainable practices, the state of Quintana Roo has implemented the Sustainable Tourism Master Plan 2030, linking the government and companies to reduce environmental impacts by reducing tourists’ water consumption. Despite these efforts, the use of fresh water by tourists continues to be more than double that of residents. Consequently, tourists’ sustainable behavior is not significantly influenced by external factors, such as awareness campaigns, but depends more on the personal aspects of each individual. Generation Z stands out for being more aware of environmental problems and showing a willingness to modify their behavior towards more sustainable practices. The objective of this study was to explain the factors that influence the sustainable behavior related to water consumption among Generation Z tourists. The methodology employed was cross-sectional, with a quantitative approach, focused on attitude variables, subjective norms, and perceived control as determinants of sustainable behavior. This research is also considered nonexperimental, as there was no direct intervention with the subjects of the study, A non-probabilistic convenience sampling method was used to collect data directly from Generation Z tourists in the state of Quintana Roo, specifically from the destinations of Tulum, Playa del Carmen, Bacalar, and Cancún. These locations were selected due to their prominence as major tourist attractions within the data collection areas, without further differentiation or classification. Data were collected through a face-to-face survey conducted over a period of two months, with a total of 408 respondents participating, of whom 57.8% were male. The results revealed that subjective norms and perceived control influence sustainable water consumption behavior, while attitudes do not have a direct impact. These findings will provide governments and businesses with a basis to design more effective strategies that encourage sustainable behavior among Gen Z tourists, thus offering a starting point for understanding the behavior of other generations.

The LTAR Integrated Common Experiment at Southern Plains.

The Southern Plains (SP) is one of 18 Long-Term Agroecosystem Research network sites that combine strategic research projects with common measurements across multiple agroecosystems. Projects at the SP site focus on the use of indicator measurements to aid in assessment of land and nutrient management's impact on soil health, water quality, carbon and water balances, and forage biomass-quality in diversified, adaptive crop-livestock systems designed to overcome shifts in natural resources and climate. The prevailing treatment is tilled winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) that is grazed, hayed, harvested for grain, or grazed and harvested for grain. The alternative treatment is year-round annual cover crop forage mixes for cattle (Bos taurus) production planted in fall and spring under conservation tillage management. The area is subject to variable weather and climatic shifts that reduce the potential to diversify forage crops and limit grazing in southern tall grass prairies and small grain systems. Incorporation of fertilized, rain-fed, annual cool and warm season mixtures of cover crops could fill forage gaps. The presence of year-round ground cover reduces sediment and nutrient loading to surface waters while enhancing soil health and water holding capacity. Tools to aid agricultural producers and land and water resource managers have been developed and implemented to determine how climate, topography, and varying conservation management practices alter hydrological structures, greenhouse gas emissions, water usage, and soil resources.

Monitoring and Evaluation of Coastal Ecological Carrying Capacity in the Context of Sustainable Development: A Case Study of Shandong Province

The research on coastal ecological carrying capacity holds great significance for the sustainable development of coastal areas and is a focal point of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study coupled multi-source data and ecological analysis models to construct a multi-level evaluation system and analysis method for the coastal ecological carrying capacity of Shandong Province so as to realize the dynamic monitoring and evaluation of the coastal ecological carrying capacity of Shandong Province from 2010 to 2020. The results indicated: (1) The ecological carrying capacity of the coastal zone in Shandong Province showed a “U”-shaped development trend, with 2016 being a turning point. (2) The economic development–social support system gradually became the main force driving the overall improvement of coastal ecological carrying capacity. (3) The system coupling coordination degree of ecological carrying capacity in the coastal areas of Shandong Province showed a trend of first decreasing and then increasing, with a high level of internal coupling coordination of carrying capacity. (4) Per capita GDP, environmental protection investment, per capita water resources, and other indicators were the main factors driving the changes in the ecological carrying capacity of the coastal zone. This study aims to provide methodological reference and data support for coastal ecosystem monitoring, assessment, and climate change response.

Quantification of streamflow response to climate change and human activities within upstream mountainous areas of the Daqing River Basin, Northern China

The Daqinghe River Basin is located in the North China Plain. In recent years, however, climate warming, drying, and intense human activities have led to declining ecosystem functions and shrinking wetlands in the region. Understanding streamflow changes in the upstream mountainous areas of the Daqinghe River Basin in this changing environment and identifying the driving factors can provide a scientific basis for water resources management and optimization in these areas. This study focuses on the Beihedian River watershed, the Xidayang Reservoir watershed, and the Wangkuai Reservoir watershed in the upstream mountainous areas of the Daqinghe River. It is based on hydro-meteorological data collected between 1963 and 2019. The methods used in the study include the linear tendency estimation method, the non-parametric Mann-Kendall trend test, the elasticity coefficient method, and hydrological simulation methods. The results of this study suggest that the streamflow, precipitation, and potential evapotranspiration (PET) in the three watersheds showed an overall decreasing trend. The minimum precipitation decrease rate ranged from −1.09 to −0.55 mm/a, and the minimum streamflow decreasing rate at the Beihedian Hydrological Station was −1.32 mm/a, with a minimum range of 0–176.03 mm. Change-point analysis revealed that the streamflow in the Beihedian River and Xidayang Reservoir watersheds experienced a significant change point around 1999, with a significant level of α=0.05. As for the Wangkuai Reservoir watershed, a significant change point was observed around 1980, which is likely attributable to land system reforms and protective forest projects. The attribution analysis which combined both climate change and human activities using the elasticity coefficient method and hydrological simulation methods indicated that climate change contributed an average of 32.93%, 34.50%, and 35.12% to the reduction in streamflow in the three watersheds, respectively. Human activities accounted for an average contribution of 67.07%, 65.50%, and 64.88%, respectively. Water conservancy projects, afforestation, and other human activities were identified as the primary factors contributing to streamflow decreases.

Phytoremediation of microcystins using Myriophyllum aquaticum can prevent sublethal effects in a Neotropical freshwater catfish

Microcystins are cyanotoxins that can be produced by cyanobacteria species such as Microcystis aeruginosa. Due to the presence of microcystins in water bodies and aquatic organisms, it needs to be monitored. Furthermore, additional studies are required in the implementation of alternative and sustainable water treatment methods. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of Myriophyllum aquaticum to prevent the harmful effects induced by M. aeruginosa aqueous extract in Rhamdia. quelen usingbiomarkers and to assess whether the plant can be suitable for phytoremediation in aquatic ecosystems. In the first experiment, R. quelen was exposed to 1 and 10 μg.L–1 of microcystins through an aqueous extract dissolved in the bioassay’s water. Second, tanks containing the same test concentrations of microcystins were treated by phytoremediation using M. aquaticum at 10 g.L–1, for 7 days. After that, treated water was used in a new bioassay with fish exposure. The results showed that phytoremediation decreased the microcystin concentration in water, and different biomarker analyses demonstrated that M. aquaticum treatment prevented DNA damage, hematological alterations, and tissue damage in R. quelen. The phytoremediation with M. aquaticum can be a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to water treatment, highlighting its role in enhancing water quality and supporting biodiversity conservation. These results support the importance of adopting more restrictive legal limits for cyanotoxins in water to protect native aquatic species and promote sustainable water resource management.

Remote Sensing Data Assimilation to Improve the Seasonal Snow Cover Simulations Over the Heihe River Basin, Northwest China

ABSTRACTThe reliability of seasonal snow cover information is constrained by limitation of in situ observations and uncertainties in remote sensing data and model simulations in alpine region, thus posing important challenges to understanding the climate system and water resource management in alpine region. Here, the assimilation of daily cloud‐free Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) normalised difference snow index (NDSI) product into an intermediate complexity snow mass and energy balance model—Flexible Snow Model (version FSM2_MO)—was implemented. The aim is to improve the model simulations of seasonal snow cover (snow‐covered extent; SCE, snow depth; SD, snow water equivalent; SWE, and snowmelt runoff; SMR) in the alpine region (a case of the upper‐middle reaches of the Heihe River basin, Northwest China). The results indicate comprehensive improvement in the simulation of SCE, SD, and SMR in the study area through data assimilation, with the ability to significantly reduce prior biases of the FSM2_MO. Based on the independent daily cloud‐free Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) SCE product, the updated SCE simulation (i.e., data assimilation) showed a reduction in mean absolute error (MAE) from 10.46% to 7.16%, root mean square error (RMSE) from 16.14% to 12.26%, and an increase in Pearson's correlation coefficient (CC) from 0.18 to 0.67 compared with the open loop simulation (i.e., without assimilation). The evaluation results of SD observation data showed that data assimilation improved SD simulation compared with the open loop run (OL). And utilising the monthly discharge observations at the Yingluoxia hydrological station, data assimilation slightly improved the SMR simulation. The updated SMR simulation achieved a CC of 0.91, Nash‐Sutcliffe efficiency coefficient (NSE) of 0.73, and Kling‐Gupta efficiency coefficient (KGE) of 0.76. Moreover, the Landsat 8‐derived snow cover map and Sentinel‐1‐derived SD also indicated that the updated simulation effectively filled in the missing snow cover and removed the superfluous snow cover predicted by the OL simulation in terms of spatial distribution.

The Brazilian State Water Resources Councils: diagnosis of civil society participation through criteria of access to information, parity, and decision-making procedures

The aim of the article was to investigate whether the Brazilian State Water Resources Councils, including the Federal District, ensure civil society participation through access to information, parity, and decision-making procedures. In this context, verification criteria were selected, with maximum score of 1 point assigned based on their suitability for the Councils, which were classified in terms of participation adequacy. The states that were deemed suitable, in descending order, were: Paraíba (1st position), Mato Grosso do Sul, Minas Gerais, and São Paulo (2nd position), Amazonas, Pará, Paraná, Rio de Janeiro, Rio Grande do Sul, Rondônia, and Santa Catarina (3rd position), Bahia, Ceará, Federal District, Espírito Santo, and Mato Grosso (4th position), Rio Grande do Norte and Tocantins (5th position), and Alagoas (6th position). The states deemed unsuitable were: Acre and Pernambuco (7th position), Piauí and Roraima (8th position), Goiás and Sergipe (9th position), and Amapá and Maranhão (10th position). As for the criteria, the ones that scored the highest were: the presence of the website and Internal Regulations of the Councils, decision-making by the Council in plenary sessions, the presence of Meeting Minutes on the website, identification of the Technical Chambers of the Councils on these channels, adherence to the regular meeting schedule, identification of the members who make up the Councils, and parity among the three sectors that constitute them. It was concluded that the State Water Resources Councils need to ensure equal participation for civil society members in their discussions and deliberations as well as provide public access to the information generated.

Optimizing Water Productivity through the Conjunctive Use of Borewell and Canal Water for Enhancing Sheep Productivity in Arid Climate of Western Rajasthan, India

In the arid regions of Rajasthan, water scarcity poses a significant challenge to both agriculture and livestock productivity. Sustainable practices in such climates require effective management of limited water resources. This study focuses on optimizing water productivity through the conjunctive use of canal water and borewell water to address the problem of water scarcity while maximizing output per unit of water. The experiment involved eighteen healthy lambs of aged 2-3 months which were managed intensively and divided into three groups of six lambs each based on a randomized block design. All groups were fed Pennisetum glaucum (pearl millet) and Medicago sativa (lucerne) ad-libitum along with concentrates adjusted according to their body weights. The groups were offered three types of drinking water: canal water (G1), a combination of canal and borewell water (G2) and borewell water (G3) in a clean bucket twice a day. No significant effect on total feed intake and body weight of the lambs was found based on the drinking water source. However, G1 and G2 lambs, which were offered canal water, consumed significantly (p<0.05) less water (74.4 ± 1.84 liters) compared to the lambs in G3 (81.6 ± 1.91 liters). The virtual water requirement per kilogram of weight gain, calculated from both direct water intake and indirect intake through feed was lowest in G1 lambs (5771.34 liters) followed by G2 lambs (6129.00 liters) and G3 lambs (6312.00 liters) per kilogram of weight gain, respectively. These results indicate that water productivity was highest with canal water (G1) and lowest with borewell water (G3) per kilogram of weight gain. This study underscores the importance of efficient water management in maximizing productivity and resource use efficiency in water-limited arid regions.

Changing Rainfall Patterns in the Northeastern South Kivu Region, Democratic Republic of the Congo: A Detailed Analysis Using CHIRPS Rainfall Data (1981–2023)

AbstractUnderstanding changes in rainfall patterns is vital for effective water resource management and agricultural planning in climate-sensitive regions. In Northeastern South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo, limited knowledge of rainfall dynamics poses challenges for local climate assessments. This study analyzed rainfall patterns using the Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Stations (CHIRPS) dataset from 1981 to 2023 to fill this knowledge gap. The findings revealed significant spatial and temporal changes in rainfall across the regions of Kabare, Bukavu, Kalehe, and Idjwi. Mean annual rainfall ranged from 1136.92 mm to 2048.85 mm, with coefficients of variation between 8.23% and 8.45%. Monthly rainfall fluctuations were substantial, ranging from 16 to 56.35%. Standardized rainfall anomalies indicated a shift from predominantly wet conditions in the 1980s to drier conditions in later decades, with over half the years from 1990 to 2023 recording below-average rainfall. Mann-Kendall trend analysis, supported by Innovative Trend Analysis (ITA), confirmed significant decreases in annual rainfall, with rates between − 3.53 to -5.72 mm/year. Additionally, rainfall intensity indices highlighted a decline in total annual precipitation, suggested fewer extreme events. Spatial variability was observed, with regions like Kalehe and Bukavu showed higher values for indices such as R95P and RX1day compared to Kabare and Idjwi. These results underscored the urgent need for adaptive strategies to mitigate water scarcity and manage changing rainfall patterns in the region.

Mexico city’s decline in per capita domestic water use: a comprehensive spatial-temporal study

ABSTRACT Facing the growing challenges in water supply in urban areas, characterized by high demand and water scarcity, Mexico City, with its high population density and limited water resources, exemplifies the challenges in ensuring equitable management and water supply in complex urban environments. This study combines GIS tools, statistical analysis and spatial regression to analyze the spatiotemporal changes in per capita water consumption in Mexico City households between 2010 and 2019. The results show a 40% decrease in average consumption and a spatial reconfiguration that reflects an increase in inequalities in access to drinking water. The influence of five key factors in the reconfiguration is identified: intermittent supply, economic income, water feasibility, households without piped water, and an increase in dwellings. The findings are essential for developing equitable and effective water policies, emphasizing the need to address inequalities in water access in urban planning to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.