Increasing Water Demand Research Articles

Factors impacting water quality and quantity in rapidly expanding urban areas based on the DPSIR model: experiences and challenges from Addis Ababa City, Ethiopia.

Due to the increasing pressures of global change, such as urbanization, climate change, population growth, and socioeconomic changes, cities around the world are facing significant water challenges, both in terms of supply and quality. This emphasizes the need for concerted effort to manage water supplies effectively for sustainable development. The driver, pressure, state, impact, and response (DPSIR) model was applied in this study to determine the underlying causes of Addis Ababa's water supply and quality issues. Field observations, key informant interviews, and previously published reports were used to identify these variables, impacts, and coping mechanisms. The model suggests that issues with urban water are caused by inadequate waste management, fast urbanization, climate change, sociodemographic shifts, economic challenges, changes in land use and land cover, and institutional pressures. As a result, aquatic ecosystems endure damage and there is also an increase in water-related diseases and unmet water demand. Some of the responses to these effects include using bottled water, digging boreholes, harvesting rainwater, planting trees, and soliciting funds. The study concludes by recommending an integrated approach to managing the risks of declining water quality and shortage. This study will advance the important empirical understanding of how urban water supply and quality are impacted by environmental stresses on a global scale. It will also positively impact the development of sustainable water management policies and practices.

Cationic micronutrient fractions in some tropical Alfisols and Inceptisols as affected by organic amendments and simulated moisture regimes: an incubation study

Cultivation of rice is severely jeopardized by the intangible behavior of micronutrients under variable moisture and organics leading to its inconsistent availability. The present study has been conducted to determine the effect of organic amendments and moisture regimes on cationic micronutrients like zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn). Controlled situation incubation study using thrice replicated factorial randomized design with (3 organic amendments × 2 moisture regimes × 2 incubation periods) levels was conducted. Continuous submergence (CS), 50 g kg−1 rice straw and 150 days of incubation (DOI) restored higher soluble and Exchangeable (SE) manganese and iron; while SE-Cu was facilitated under alternate wetting and drying (AWD) condition. SE-Zn was found higher under AWD, no organic administration and 60 DOI. Again AWD, 50 g kg−1 rice straw and 60 DOI recovered higher Mn, Cu, Fe and Zn in organically bound fractions. The adoption of CS, 50 g kg−1 rice straw and 150 DOI recovered higher Mn, Cu, Fe and Zn in manganese and amorphous iron oxide bound fractions; while AWD, no rice straw administration and 60 DOI recovered higher Mn, Cu, Fe and Zn in crystalline iron oxide bound fractions. Substantial change in all the studies fraction resulted into alteration in plant availability of Mn, Cu, Fe and Zn. Under the scenario of global increasing water demands, AWD apart from saving 30-40% moisture improves availability of Cu and Zn which is further accentuated by organic matter, sustaining soil productivity and ensuring food security.

Low‐head dam fragmentation, habitat alteration, and invasive predators degrade a Western United States stream fish assemblage

AbstractDams fragment streams, alter hydrology and habitat, and facilitate establishment of nonnative species worldwide to the detriment of native biota. Understanding and mitigating these effects to conserve and restore stream fish assemblages has relied on short‐ and long‐term datasets to assess acute and chronic change through time, craft management strategies, and measure remediation success. We used sampling records collected over a 29‐year period (1993–2021) to examine likely causes of fish assemblage change in the Cache la Poudre River, Colorado, USA. Numerous low‐head dams have reduced connectivity and altered flow, temperature, and habitat in the transition zone, a reach that historically supported rare and sensitive taxa valuable to regional biodiversity. We found diversity, distribution, and abundance of native species declined since the early 1990s, with formerly rare taxa extirpated and some common species becoming rare. Native taxa remained numerically dominant in warmer downstream reaches most affected by streamflow diversion but were incrementally reduced in richness and abundance upstream of low‐head dams without fishways. Concurrently, nonnative Brown Trout Salmo trutta increased in distribution and abundance, dominating upstream reaches that receive cooler and more stable flows, and expanding into downstream reaches where they were formerly absent, with likely negative consequences for native fishes. In the absence of mitigation, these collective effects, plus recent wildfire disturbance and future water development, will continue to degrade stream fish assemblages in our study area, and worldwide, where resource managers face the often‐competing interests of conserving native species, providing recreational fisheries, and meeting increasing water demands.

Climate Change and Adaptation Strategies in Agriculture

Climate change is a fact that is happening in most regions of the world, the increase of greenhouse gases (mainly CO2), temperature increase and precipitation fluctuations are among the components of climate change that are the result of agricultural products and in general, the production of the agriculture sector will undergo many changes in the future. It is important to know the effects of this phenomenon on agricultural crops and their effect on the yield of plants, as well as to identify strategies compatible with this phenomenon in the agriculture sector, especially the issues of water consumption, production and ensuring food security in every country. Among the methods adapted to climate change, changes in the type of product and the pattern of cultivation and production by creating cultivars resistant to environmental stresses (drought, salinity and heat). play an important role. In this article, by studying and summarizing reliable global and domestic sources, the effects of climate change on agricultural products from the aspects of thermal stress, increased water demand and the reaction of plants to CO2, in general, the efficiency of water consumption and production in the agricultural sector are identified and discussed also the methods, compatible with a number of solutions in this field have been presented.

Analyzing Policy Framework of Agrovoltaics Across the Water Energy and Food (WEF) Nexus in The Gambia

The projected increase in demand for food, water, and energy owing to systemic shocks has heightened the need for innovative solutions and integrated resource governance. The Agrovoltaics for Mali and Gambia (APV MaGa) Project, focuses on sustainable electricity production through agrovoltaics' triple land-use system and is leveraged with digital technologies. The project addresses The Gambia’s high food importation gap, growing dependency on fossil fuels for electricity generation, and high electricity tariffs. However, the nascence of agrovoltaics presents a new energy dimension that calls for increased coordination of sectoral policy and management, a domain of WEF nexus governance detached mainly from governance practice. Thus, a policy and institutional foresight of the potential implications of agrovoltaics’ integration is warranted, since Gambia’s decision-making for land, water, energy, and agriculture remains mainly sectoral. A qualitative research design was adopted, using a sample of twenty-eight key informative interviews, policy document analysis, and grey literature. Research findings show that the existing policy frameworks such as ‘Feed-in tariffs for excess RE, renewable energy funds, and capital subsidies can practically accommodate the frame of the agrovoltaics. However, clarification is required on the siting aspect of solar panels within the compartmentalized land policy structures. Institutionally, the Ministry of Energy’s nexus platform allows for technical coordination of agrovoltaics projects. However weak institutional harmonization, technical/financial incapacities, and overriding national interests due to sectoral bias present challenges. Therefore, harmonizing sectoral divergent policy provisions, interests, and prioritization of sustainability concerns will foster the pertinent integration of agrovoltaics for fast expansion.

A triple increase in global river basins with water scarcity due to future pollution

Water security is at stake today. While climate changes influence water availability, urbanization and agricultural activities have led to increasing water demand as well as pollution, limiting safe water use. We conducted a global assessment of future clean-water scarcity for 2050s by adding the water pollution aspect to the classical water quantity-induced scarcity assessments. This was done for >10,000 sub-basins focusing on nitrogen pollution in rivers by integrating land-system, hydrological and water quality models. We found that water pollution aggravates water scarcity in >2000 sub-basins worldwide. The number of sub-basins with water scarcity triples due to future nitrogen pollution worldwide. In 2010, 984 sub-basins are classified as water scarce when considering only quantity-induced scarcity, while 2517 sub-basins are affected by quantity & quality-induced scarcity. This number even increases to 3061 sub-basins in the worst case scenario in 2050. This aggravation means an extra 40 million km2 of basin area and 3 billion more people that may potentially face water scarcity in 2050. Our results stress the urgent need to address water quality in future water management policies for the Sustainable Development Goals.

Projections of Land Use Change and Water Supply–Demand Assessment Based on Climate Change and Socioeconomic Scenarios: A Case Study of Guizhou Province, China

Land use change and water supply–demand assessment are critical to achieving regional sustainable development and improving human wellbeing. In the context of complex climate change and socioeconomic development, there is an urgent need for systematic assessment and forecasting studies on how to combine physical, geographical, and socioeconomic factors to clarify patterns of change in the land use change and water supply–demand, as well as to respond appropriately to different climate and socioeconomic development scenarios in the future. Based on the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways-Representative Concentration Pathway (SSP-RCP) scenarios, a framework for simulating future land use change and assessing water supply–demand in the coupled SD-PLUS-InVEST model was constructed. The land use change in Guizhou Province from 2020 to 2050 was simulated using the SD-PLUS model, and the water supply–demand conditions were projected for 2030, 2040, and 2050 under multiple scenarios (SSP126, SSP245, and SSP585). The research results indicated that (1) The land use change in the study area has significant spatial heterogeneity. It showed similar trends in the land use change in the SSP126 and SSP245 scenarios, with both artificial surfaces and forest showing an expansion trend, but the expansion of forest was most typical in the southwestern region in the SSP126 scenario, and there is a significant increase in the northeastern region in the SSP245 scenario. Additionally, there is a rapid expansion of artificial surfaces in the central region in the SSP585 scenario, and a more rapid expansion of cultivated land in the southeastern region, with a significant increase in the area of water bodies. (2) The changes in water supply from 2020 to 2050 under the three scenarios show a smaller increase (5.22–11.88%), a significant increase in water demand (29.45–58.84%), and an increase in the area of water shortage by about 2708.94–9084.40 km2, with the extent of the shortage increasing by about 23.71–79.50%. (3) According to the results of the SSP-RCP scenario projections, socioeconomic development has a significant impact on the growth of water demand, and climate and land use change may exacerbate the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of water supply–demand in the karst region. The systematic study of land use change and water supply–demand in Guizhou can provide a scientific basis for the sustainable management of regional ecosystems and the rational allocation of land and water resources.

Estimating irrigation requirement and scheduling for major crops: Case study in Kampong Thom, Cambodia

The situation is the outcome of both increased water demand and climate change, the shortage of water resources is increasing in Cambodia. In this regard, efficient irrigation water management for vegetable production is a crucial need for farmers. The main crops farmed in Chroab commune, Santuk district, Kampong Thom province, Cambodia, are cabbage, potato, and tomato. This article uses the CROPWAT model to predict the water requirement. The pressure plant was used to measure the soil’s soil water capacity, and the findings ranged from 45.65 to 234.159 mm/m. The analysis showed that the overall CWR for crop water for the entire growing season for cabbage, potato, and tomato was 589.4 mm/165 days; 442.5 mm/130 days; and 585.4 mm/145 days, respectively. The findings of the study contribute to investigating the irrigation water requirements with scientific soil and climate inputs.

A comprehensive analysis of surface water changes in Dau Tieng Lake, Vietnam, across dry and wet seasons

This study investigates the seasonal dynamics of Dau Tieng Lake near Tay Ninh, Vietnam, employing remote sensing technology, specifically the Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). Focused on the period from 2016 to 2020, the research aims to detect changes in the water surface area during dry and wet seasons. As the largest reservoir for water supply and irrigation in Vietnam, Dau Tieng Lake faces operational challenges due to seasonal rainfall variations and increasing water demands. The results reveal significant differences in water body areas between wet and dry seasons, with MNDWI proving more effective in capturing these variations compared to NDVI. The study concludes that the seasonal change in Dau Tieng Lake is 21.76 km2 (NDVI) and 25.55 km2 (MNDWI), emphasizing the latter's superiority in accurately detecting water body changes. These findings contribute valuable insights for improved reservoir management and sustainable utilization of water resources in the region.

Scarcity and quality risks for future global urban water supply

ContextSupply of freshwater to the world’s cities is increasingly affected by human pressures and climate change. Understanding the effects of human pressures and climate change on global urban water scarcity and quality risks in an integrated way is important.ObjectivesThe objective of this study is to assess the scarcity and quality risks to water security for 304 large cities (population > 1 million) across the world for 2015 and 2050.MethodsWe assessed the water scarcity according to water demand and availability, and evaluated the quality of water supply in terms of the population density, cropland fertilization, and landscape patterns in source watersheds. In addition, the impacts of human pressures and climate change on urban water risks were quantified using contribution analysis.ResultsWe found that about 90% of these cities faced water risks in 2015. The number of cities facing quality risk was about three times the number of cities facing scarcity risk, and nearly a quarter faced dual risks. From 2015 to 2050, 88.8–99.7% of cities were projected to face rising water risks with about one-third facing dual risks by 2050. Increase in water demand was the main cause of rising scarcity risk; growth in population and crop fertilization in source watersheds were the main reasons for rising quality risk.ConclusionsThere is an urgent need to promote landscape conservation of urban water source areas, implement sustainable urban water planning and governance, improve water supply infrastructure, and refine ecological compensation regimes to achieve global urban water security.

Designing a Single Slope Solar Water Still and Testing it in Omani Climate

Oman has a limited resources of fresh water mainly underground water. To preserve those resources and to meet the increase in the fresh water demand, the country turned to water desalination which is known to be very costly and harmful to the environment. Water desalination using solar energy is an attractive alternative for countries like Oman which has a sunny weather all year round and where the length of the day time ranges between 11 to 14 hours. Furthermore, solar energy is a clean source of energy. The aim of the present study is to (1) design and test the solar water still for Omani climate, and (2) to investigate the effect of different design parameters on the still thermal performance.

Amorphous silica fertilization ameliorated soil properties and promoted putative soil beneficial microbial taxa in a wheat field under drought

Increasing water demand from agricultural practices and environmental pollution caused by the intensive use of agrochemicals are among the most pressing issues concerning agriculture sustainability. The use of amorphous silica (ASi) as soil amendment can represent a valid alternative measure to cope with the upcoming challenges of intensifying drought stress and to decrease the need for phosphorus fertilizer application. In this study, we investigated the impact of two levels of ASi fertilization on edaphic characteristics and the rhizosphere microbiota of winter wheat through a field experiment conducted during a drought period. Since plant phenology plays a pivotal role in shaping crop microbiota, our research explored the response of rhizosphere bacteria and fungi to ASi fertilization at three distinct stages of plant growth: pre-planting, tillering, and ripening. Firstly, our results clearly showed an ameliorative effect of ASi fertilization on edaphic properties, with notable improvements in soil moisture, particularly at higher ASi fertilization levels. Secondly, we observed that ASi exerted a profound influence on the wheat microbiota, resulting in varying effects on bacterial and fungal communities. Specifically, in comparison to the control treatment, bacterial community composition exhibited greater sensitivity to ASi fertilization during the tillering stage, whereas the fungal microbiota displayed increased dissimilarity during the ripening stage. Notably, ASi fertilization promoted in the wheat rhizosphere the enrichment of plant-beneficial microbes with putative plant-growth promoting and biocontrol capabilities. Overall, our findings highlight the efficacy of ASi fertilization as an effective measure to mitigate drought stress, enhance the availability of plant nutrients, and promote the enrichment of beneficial microbes within cereal cropping systems.

A Methodology for Water Resource Management and the Planning of the Coastal Reservoir in Indonesia

Metropolitan areas in Indonesia, specifically Jabodetabek, are projected to continue experiencing population growth. This will result in increased water demand, which, if left unchecked, could lead to a water crisis. Additionally, the region faces persistent flooding issues. To mitigate these challenges, the Indonesian government proposes the creation of a coastal reservoir. However, a methodology for the pre-feasibility study of such reservoirs in Indonesia is currently lacking. This study addresses this gap by presenting a methodological framework encompassing hydrology and water allocation analyses as well as numerical modeling related to hydraulic and sedimentation aspects of coastal reservoirs. The methodology was designed to be adaptable based on data availability. Finally, this methodology was applied to a case study located at the Cisadane River estuary. The water allocation simulation showed that the reservoir can release an annual optimum discharge of 80.618 m3/s in wet years and 22.731 m3/s in dry years. Flood modeling demonstrated a modest impact on reducing early-hour floods, with a water level decrease of around 20–50 cm within 5 km of the reservoir. Furthermore, sediment modeling revealed varying sedimentation and erosion depths along the rivers, with approximately 62,300 m3/year settling in the reservoir.

Dilution of Salinity Using Rainwater Harvesting System - An Innovative Approach

In view of the increasing water demand, this paper recognizes rainwater harvesting as an innovative approach to the dilution of salinity. It proposes dilution of salinity to reduce both the direct and indirect effects of salinity on human health and well-being. This paper focuses on the saline regions of the Union Territory of Delhi. It identifies possibilities for salinity dilution by proposing an innovative approach to implement rainwater harvesting. For this purpose, this paper evaluates the rooftop rainwater harvesting potential for roof area including 100, 200, 300, 400 and 500 square meter area, in the identified saline regions of National Capital Territory (NCT) Delhi. To assess the impact of the rainwater harvesting system on salinity dilution, different maps and data were analysed. These maps include a salinity map of Delhi, a depth-to-water level map of Delhi, water level fluctuation map of Delhi, isohytal map of Delhi, etc.

Land cover changes and comparison of current landscape metrics in a region of the Central Andes affected by population migration

ABSTRACT The Andes region has a rich history of environmental and human interactions that has shaped the landscape for millennia. Our study quantified the land cover changes in the districts of Huanta and Luricocha after the human population abandoned the region due to the armed conflict with Peruvian authorities (1980 – 1990) and their progressive return (1990 – 2020). We analysed satellite images of various resolutions, including Landsat-5 for the years 1986, 1990, 2000 and 2010; Landsat-8 for the year 2020, Sentinel-2 for the years 2017 and 2020; PeruSat-1 for the years 2017 and 2020, to assess the temporal change of land cover and landscape metrics. The classification was based on the pixel approach for Landsat images and Sentinel-2 with an average accuracy of 88.29% and 92.13% respectively, and an object-based (GEOBIA) approach for Perusat-1 images, with an average accuracy of 87.75%. The dominant coverages are high Andean grasslands, scrublands and croplands. According to the obtained data, high Andean grasslands and scrublands have decreased, which is associated with an increase in population over time. Likewise, there has been an increase in the area of lagoons and the expansion of nearby wetlands due to the construction of dams, driven by an increase in demand for water for human consumption and agriculture. However, areas with degraded soils, rocky outcrops, and forest plantations have expanded. The results suggest that abandoned agricultural lands did not recover quickly enough and more research and action is needed for restoration of the high-mountain ecosystem. Landscape metrics such as Edge Density (ED), Euclidean Distance to Nearest Neighbor (ENN) and Aggregation Index (AI) were calculated for different land cover (LC/LU) to characterize composition and structure, showing their variation at different spatial resolutions. This indicates that increasing spatial resolution makes it possible to better define the landscape characteristics.

Spatiotemporal Siltation Patterns in Moroccan Dam Reservoirs: A Geographic Information System Approach

Siltation of dams appears as an urgent global concern, especially in arid and semi-arid regions concerned by the challenges of managing their limited water resources. These challenges worsen by the increase in water demand driven by population growth, aggravated by the adverse effects of climate change, in particular the siltation of dam reservoirs. This article focuses on the spatiotemporal analysis of the accumulation of sediments in Moroccan dam reservoirs. The methodology involves the collection, verification, correction, and interpolation of bathymetric data, which are organized and visualized in temporal and spatial dimensions using a dedicated Geographic Information System (GIS). The spatial distribution maps generated facilitate the identification of the area most severely impacted by the siltation of dams. The analysis emphasizes that siltation affects all Moroccan watersheds, with a particular emphasis on the Moulouya watershed due to the characteristics of its soil and its arid climate, further aggravated by heavy rainfall and deforestation. This integrated approach, combining bathymetric data with GIS technologies, improves our understanding of dam siltation in Morocco. The results provide valuable information for decision-makers and water resource managers, providing essential information for strategic planning and the implementation of measures to mitigate the impact of siltation.

Analysis of the effect of climatic variability and increasing water demand on the Saïss aquifer, Morocco

Climate variability has a significant impact on the water table of the Saïss plain, which relies heavily on groundwater for agricultural irrigation and drinking water supply. The study of the spatio-temporal evolution of the groundwater level requires a global and integrated approach that considers both natural processes and human activities. Satellite imagery has provided information on land use and land cover that influences groundwater recharge. The GIS has facilitated the integration of different datasets, allowing spatial analysis, mapping and identification of vulnerable areas to depletion. Geostatistical techniques are used to analyze collected data, identify trends and quantify the relationship between groundwater levels and various influencing factors. The results of this study have shown that the depth of the water table of the Saïss plain between 2000 and 2020 has generally decreased by several metres in the NW and the centre zone, but has improved by a few metres or remained constant in the other areas. This information is valuable for developing sustainable water management plans that take into account both environmental and societal needs.

Assessing the impact of Water Resource Development: The Case of Dhidhessa River Basin, Ethiopia

Freshwater scarcity is becoming more of a concern as populations grow and economic demands increase. The Dhidhessa River, a critical source for the Abbay River basin, is under pressure. This study looked at how water resource development projects and changes in water flow impact the basin. Water flow was simulated using WEAP model (software), which took into account various water sources and needs. The study also looked at crop water requirements and the level of flow alteration. Future water demand scenarios were created. The first, scenario considered population growth, with projections indicating that unmet water demand would increase significantly by 2050. The second scenario focused on irrigation expansion, which resulted in a significant increase in unmet water demand. These findings demonstrate the impact of both population growth and water resource development for irrigation activities. The study further investigated how flow alterations affect the river. While most months saw little change, a particular section near Dembi was discovered to be more vulnerable. Remarkably, allocating water specifically for environmental needs, in addition to human demands, resulted in a decrease in unmet water demand. This suggests that prioritizing environmental flow management is critical for long-term water use in the Dhidhessa River basin.

Addressing water scarcity challenges through rainwater harvesting: A comprehensive analysis of potential zones and model performance in arid and semi-arid regions–A case study on Purulia, India

Water scarcity in arid and semi-arid regions is a critical global concern, necessitating innovative solutions to address increasing water demands in these vulnerable areas. This study focuses on tackling this challenge by identifying and classifying rainwater harvesting zones based on their potentiality and comparing the performance of two machine learning models, Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and Random Forest (RF), for optimizing rainwater harvesting strategies. The study area is Purulia, a district in India. Extensive literature review was conducted to identify key factors influencing rainwater harvesting. Open-source remotely sensed data were employed to pinpoint rainwater harvesting potential zones. A multi-criteria decision-making technique was applied to assess the importance of various factors. Results indicated that rainfall, slope, runoff potential, soil, land cover, and drainage density are the six crucial factors for selecting suitable rainwater harvesting locations. Approximately 2% of the area is unsuitable, 8% is poorly suitable, 33% is moderately suitable, 45% is highly suitable, and the remaining 12% is extremely suitable in Purulia. Two predictive models were developed, with the RF algorithm demonstrating nearly 99% accuracy. Finally, remedial techniques for mitigating water scarcity through rainwater harvesting are discussed separately for urban and rural areas. This research article embraces a comprehensive approach to address water-related concerns, offering a replicable framework applicable globally, with a specific focus on arid and semi-arid regions.

Analysis sustainability status of laeya river management for raw water supply in South Konawe Regency Southeast Sulawesi Province

South Konawe Regency experienced a decrease in water supply and an increase in water demand, due the changes in land use caused by ongoing land exploitation, which increases runoff and decreases infiltration capacity. As a result, more water is lost to the ocean, threatening the water supply from Laeya River. Laeya River raw water is not only utilized for PDAM raw water sources, but also used to meet the domestic needs of the community, agricultural irrigation and plantations, so it is important to know the its sustainability status. This research aims to carrying out activities that control the water quality of the Laeya River, as well as to serve an information regarding the status model for the sustainability of raw water management, and to raise environmental awareness. This study was carried out in the Laeya River, South Konawe Regency. Sampling was conducted at three stations representing the upstream area of the Laeya River, the middle area and the downstream area. The Multi Dimensional Scaling (MDS) analysis method was used to conduct an analysis of the status of sustainable natural resource management for sustainable raw water supply. Based on the results can be concluded that Analysis of the 41 attributes derived from five dimensions resulted in 12 attributes acting as leverage factors in each dimension partially. To improve the sustainability status of raw water management in the research area, it is necessary to intervene the 12 attributes, namely 11 attributes that need to increase the intensity of their activities, and one attribute needs to be controlled and planned for its development properly. The results of the assessment of 41 attributes from five dimensionsin the management of the Laeya River for raw water supply in South Konawe Regency, currently is at less Sustainability status(Sustainability Index value of 36.63).KeywordsSustainability Raw WaterMDSMonte CarloRAPS-LaeyaSouth Konawe Regency