Levels Of Water Scarcity Research Articles

Fresh water production via atmospheric water harvesting using solar energy for green hydrogen production

Abstract Solar energy is used to drive an atmospheric water harvesting unit to produce fresh water needed for the electrolysis process to produce hydrogen, as well as to drive the electrolyzer. So, the system can be considered as a solar powered hybrid system for fresh water harvesting and green hydrogen production implementing the electrolysis concept. Implementation of the system specially in arid regions with high levels of water scarcity and high relative humidity levels helps in achieving SDGs 3, 7, 9, and 13 progressively, improving health and wellbeing, reducing water scarcity, using clean renewable energy, and limiting climate change. The system is proposed and investigated for the production of both fresh and clean water and green hydrogen gas. To improve the productivity of the overall system, performance enhancement of the atmospheric water harvesting subsystem is experimentally investigated to assure the reliability and continuous operation of the overall green hydrogen hybrid system. It was investigated in summer and winter using different number of porous sheet metals with the silica gel bed. The results show that the productivity of the atmospheric water harvesting system can be increased by a minimum of 6% with one mesh metal sheet and 30% with two meshes, and increases by a maxinmum of 60% with one mech and 260% with two meches.

Solar/microwave-driven composite membrane evaporation and its application in seawater desalination

Increased economic growth and population expansion has heightened the demand for water resources, leading to escalating levels of water scarcity. Sustainable seawater desalination methods, powered by renewable energy, offer promising solutions to the long-standing global water shortage. This study presents a method for seawater desalination that employs eco-friendly materials. The approach involves utilizing metakaolin-based porous geopolymer (GP) as the base material, and depositing graphene oxide (GO) to create a graphene oxide geopolymer (GOGP) composite membrane. The membrane undergoes in-situ self-reduction to obtain reduced graphene oxide geopolymer (rGOGP). The study examines the composition, microstructure, and water evaporation performance of the composite membrane under both solar/microwave-driven. The results show that, under microwave conditions with a frequency of 2450 MHz and power of 400 W, the evaporation rate can reach up to 4.13 kg·m−2·h−1, doubling the evaporation rate achieved through solar-driven evaporation at an equivalent efficiency level. Furthermore, the evaporation rate of the composite membrane remains consistent when exposed to high-concentration saltwater of 15 wt%. Notably, the removal rates of Na+, K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ all exceed 99 %, meeting the drinking water requirements established by the World Health Organization. This study provides a novel approach to seawater desalination utilizing environmentally friendly materials and clean energy sources.

Sustainable Water Conservation and Management Practices: A Perception Survey of the Farmers of Haryana, India

In order to ensure water sustainability, alarming levels of water scarcity across the globe is a critical issue warranting urgent address. The present study aims to bring to light the perception of farmers regarding water conservation and management practices from the selected five districts of the Haryana region of India. By analyzing the responses of 125 farmers, collected through a self-administered questionnaire, the impact of socio-demographic factors, current irrigation system, and cost-benefit perception of the farmers was studied on water conservation and management practices. Using ordinal regression analysis, the study revealed that the cost-benefit perception of the farmers, viz. willingness to pay an additional price for canal water and an increase in the availability of water due to canal lining, are the major factors responsible for undertaking conservation and sustainability measures. Further, socio-demographic variables such as age and education also influence water conservation behavior. The study recommends vital policy reforms and initiatives for efficient water use and management to resolve the grave concern of scarcity of usable water. The present study is unique in its suggestion of a comprehensive water conservation and management framework.

Barriers and drivers to the development of an effective water reuse chain: insights from an Italian water utility

AbstractWidespread adoption of water reuse technologies is critical to the development of a circular economy and to reduce the pressure on increasingly scarce freshwater resources. However, the adoption of water reuse technologies involves a complex and multi-level decision-making process, influenced by different factors that hinder or support such adoption, namely barriers and drivers. The present research provides a first identification of such factors from a value chain perspective. To do so, the paper first conceptualises the water reuse value chain, including the actors and stages required to bring collected wastewater to the reuse destination. It then conducts an exploratory case study in the context of an Italian water utility facing increasing water stress. External barriers such as societal perceptions and lack of demand for recycled water emerge as particularly influential in hindering the adoption of water reuse technologies. Drivers emerge from both the external and internal environment, with the level of water scarcity and the effectiveness of collaboration and coordination between different institutional and policy actors being particularly strong. Barriers and drivers are found to be of varying relevance depending on the characteristics of the facilities and the reuse value chain analysed, including the operational status of the reclamation facility, the type of final reuse, and the roles in the value chains. The paper provides relevant implications for academics, policymakers, and adopters of water reuse technologies for a more circular and environmentally sustainable water sector, offering useful insights for decision-makers in related sectors. Graphical abstract

Water scarcity assessment index from the realistic perspective of human basic water requirements

Significant population growth with rapid economic development have led to water scarcity problems around the world. Currently, most of the simple water scarcity assessment methods only refer to per capita water use, failing to take into account actual water availability and actual human domestic water use. Therefore, we have developed a simple and practical method to assess water scarcity, incorporating total water resources, water use efficiency, and the proportion of domestic water. In this approach, a new water scarcity index is employed to describe different levels of water scarcity using various thresholds based on the basic daily human water use per person. This may help to visualize the extent of water scarcity in a region while focusing on human interests. To illustrate this approach, we take China–the world's largest developing country–as an example, analysing its nationwide water scarcity in 2021 while validating it with the results of other scholars on China's water scarcity. The results show that our water scarcity assessment index is very accurate, revealing that in 2021, the disparity in water resources between the northern and southern regions of China remains substantial, with severe water scarcity still widely concentrated in northern China.

Transcriptome Analysis on the Quality of Epimedium koreanum in Different Soil Moisture Conditions at Harvesting Stage.

Epimedium koreanum is a traditional Chinese tonic herb. Its main medicinal components are secondary metabolites such as flavonoids and flavonol glycosides, but the biosynthetic mechanism is still unclear. Moisture conditions are a key environmental factor affecting E. koreanum medicinal components during harvesting. Different stages of E. koreanum under natural conditions after rainfall were selected to study changes in physiological properties, herb quality, and transcriptome. Malondialdehyde (MDA) content increased significantly in the D3 stage after rainfall, and protective enzyme levels also rose. Additionally, the flavonol glycoside content was relatively high. We sequenced the transcriptomes of D1, D3, and D9 (R) and identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to flavonoid synthesis. This analysis allowed us to predict the roadmap and key genes involved in flavonoid biosynthesis for E. koreanum. These results suggest that the E. koreanum quality can be enhanced by natural drought conditions in the soil after precipitation during harvest. The harvesting period of E. koreanum is optimal when soil moisture naturally dries to a relative water content of 26% after precipitation. These conditions help E. koreanum tolerate a certain level of water scarcity, resulting in increased expression of flavonoid-related genes and ultimately enhancing the quality of the herb.

Overcoming systemic and institutional challenges in policy implementation in South Africa's water sector

The water sector in South Africa is faced with numerous challenges, among which include; increased flooding and prolonged droughts caused by increased climate variability, rapid population growth, unsustainable water demands and withdrawals by various water users, deficiencies in institutional management and infrastructural maintenance, lack of political will with accompanying high levels of corruption and steady deteriorations in all sub-sectors of the economy. Other significant challenges include provision of water in rural communities, water pollution especially from poorly operated wastewater treatments works, acid mine drainage, nutrients from agriculture, siltation of dams. A combination of these factors has led to high levels of water scarcity and an immense burden on the water supply. However, it must be noted that in 1994, South Africa (SA) embarked on developing numerous policies and strategies to address water challenges. While some levels of success have been achieved in terms of policy formulation, there is, however, a lack of comprehensive coordination and synergy that cut across the broad objectives of these policies in meeting environmental, social and economic targets and aspirations. Additionally, the implementation of the policies and programmes is stalled by structural, systemic and institutional factors, coupled with new challenges arising from climatic variabilities. Using a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods together with rapid appraisal of existing literature, we explore systemic and institutional factors impeding the implementation of policies and strategies designed to drive South Africa's water sector as envisaged within the National Development Plan of 2012. We argue that the water sector is faced with multifarious and interweaving challenges such as inadequate human capital, changes in climatic conditions, limited financial resources, infrastructural deficiencies largely linked to poor urban planning and rapid growth of informal settlements, rampant corruption and mismanagement, lack of stakeholders' involvement and compartmentalisation of institutions. This paper, therefore, recommends a community-based approach that enforces transparency and the participation of civil society, cross-sectoral cooperation and a broad range of stakeholders and decentralisation of policy implementation strategies.

Understanding Links Between Water Scarcity and Violent Conflicts in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin Using the Water Footprint Concept

AbstractWhilst there are several empirical studies linking water scarcity and violent conflicts, existing quantitative studies use mostly climate and environmental variables even though such variables have been shown to not be strong predictors of water conflicts by some studies. The aim of this study was to use the water footprint concept and the Falkenmark index to identify water scarcity hotspots at the sub‐national scale and to understand the links between water scarcity and violent conflicts in the Sahel and Lake Chad Basin over a period of two decades (2000–2021). We achieve this by developing five water scarcity metrics at a monthly timescale using runoff, soil moisture, potential evapotranspiration, water consumption and demographic data. The developed metrics show high levels of water scarcity across the study area during the dry, pre‐monsoon and post‐monsoon seasons. Analyses further reveal high green water scarcity (GWS) (soil moisture deficit) and low Falkenmark index scores (water stress) during the dry, pre‐monsoon and post‐monsoon seasons, across all reported water conflict locations. This suggest that there is an indirect link between GWS, the Falkenmark index scores and water conflicts. Results from this study may be used to enhance water management, mitigate, and prevent water conflicts in the study area and likewise the methodology adopted may be used to address water scarcity and conflicts in other regions.

Water desalination using PV panels based on boiling and evaporation

The annual share of water in Egypt has decreased to approximately 500 m3 per capita, while the annual water scarcity level is 1000 m3 per capita, which indicates that Egyptians are at a high risk of living. A domestic desalination unit based on solar energy was designed, built, and tested to solve this problem in remote areas that do not have access to fresh water or electricity but have access to salty water. The desalination unit has a new design that depends on boiling salty water using photovoltaic solar cells and then condensing the water vapor through a heat exchanger to obtain freshwater. This new design has not been implemented before and can compete with the solar stills used for domestic applications. The output of the developed unit was compared to those of passive and active solar stills that have been developed and built. The new desalination design produced almost the same amount of daily fresh water, 4 Liter/day, compared to the other solar stills (2–4.75 Liter/day), but the cost per unit volume of the new design, 31 $/m3, is less by 30% compared to the best performing solar still, 44.55 $/m3, which produces only 2 Liter/day. The price of the distilled water produced by the new design was 75% lower than the market price at the time of conducting the experiments. Converting a Solar still from a passive system, that is, operating only during sunlight, to an active system operating day and night improves the water productivity rate. However, this is not feasible because of the added accessories that increase the initial cost, consequently increasing the cost of desalination.

Exploring China's water scarcity incorporating surface water quality and multiple existing solutions

Water scarcity has threatened the sustainability of human life, ecosystem evolution, and socio-economic development. However, previous studies have often lacked a comprehensive consideration of the impact of water quality and existing solutions, such as inter-basin water transfer and unconventional water resources, on water scarcity. In this paper, an improved approach was proposed to quantify water scarcity levels by comprehensively considering surface water quality and multiple solutions. China's water scarcity was first assessed at a high spatial resolution on a monthly basis over the 5-year period from 2014 to 2018. Then, the driving factors including water quality and solutions were identified by a geographic detector model. Finally, an in-depth investigation was conducted to unravel the effects of water quantity solutions (i.e., inter-basin water transfer and unconventional water use), and water quality solutions (i.e., improving surface water quality) on alleviating water scarcity. Based on monthly assessments considering water quality and multiple existing solutions, the results showed that over half of the national population (∼777 million) faced water scarcity for at least one month of the year. Agricultural water use and inadequate water quality were the main driving factors responsible for China's water scarcity. Over four-fifths of the national population (∼1.10 billion) could benefit from alleviated water scarcity through a combination of water quantity and quality solutions. However, the existing solutions considered were insufficient to completely resolve water scarcity in China, especially in Northern China, persisting as a challenging issue. The results obtained from this study provided a better understanding of China's water scarcity, which could contribute to guiding future efforts aimed at alleviating water scarcity and ensuring water security in China.

Water Scarcity Zonation Mapping of Household in District Soreng West Sikkim by MCDM Method Using RS&GIS

Abstract: A major global problem, water scarcity has a negative impact on ecosystems, socioeconomic activity, and millions of people. Effective water resource management calls for well-informed decision-making processes that consider many factors and their respective importance. The goal of this case study is to use the Multiple Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) method to address the problem of ranking water scarcity. The study starts out by developing a set of pertinent standards for evaluating water shortage, including water availability, population demand, storage capacity, total population of the household, accessibility of a nearby source, distance to a perennial source, use of rainwater harvesting, number of animals in the household, water obtained from a public supply, and manual water collection methods. Surveys are used to gather information on these criteria, as well as statistical reports, remote sensing, and expert opinions. To ensure comparability across many parameters, the collected data are subsequently analysed and standardized. The regions are then ranked according to the severity of their water scarcity using a suitable MCDM approach. Using the MCDM method, decision-makers can consider their preferences and opinions as well as give various criteria proportionate weights based on their importance. The case study demonstrates how MCDM was used in the study area's battle against water scarcity. Policymakers and stakeholders can utilize the data to identify families that are experiencing the greatest levels of water scarcity and then priorities solutions based on those findings. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis can be performed to assess how well the ranking results hold up under other weightings and criteria. The results of this case study provide a systematic and all-encompassing strategy, which advances water resources management tactics also the results can be further used to prepare a Water Scarcity Zonation Map in ArcGIS or QGIS using RS&GIS method

Forecasting China's water use peak path under coordinating perspective from economic development and technological progress

AbstractChina holds the distinction of being the foremost global consumer of water resources and contends with a significant level of water scarcity. In light of this quandary, China has been assiduously endeavoring to foster water conservation practices with the ultimate objective of reaching a peak point in water use. In this paper, we construct a framework for forecasting China's total water use (TWU) peak path. In this framework, we select influencing factors in terms of both economy and technology to forecast the peak path of China's TWU under six different scenarios, and analyze the economic and technological circumstances at the peak. Our findings indicate that China's TWU will persist in its upward trend based on both the high growth and business as usual scenarios. The projected peak period is estimated to transpire in 2037, 2032, 2030, and 2028, respectively, with the corresponding peak levels amounting to 644.03, 633.93, 625.79, and 620.92 billion m3. However, in the low growth scenarios, China's TWU reached its peak in 2013. The extent of economic development plays a pivotal role in determining the timing and manner of water usage peaking. Early peaking of water usage could potentially result in a loss of gross domestic product (GDP). Furthermore, technological advancements hold the potential to facilitate a reduction in water use without requiring a significant trade‐off between resource conservation and economic development. The results of sensitivity analysis show that the average acreage of water used for irrigation on cropland, GDP, water use efficiency, and population contribute the most to TWU, while the increase in the proportion of industrial, service, and water‐saving irrigation area can reduce water use. Our analytical framework provides a commonly applicable solution for the water use forecast in areas seeking to reach the water use peak or to achieve sustainable development.

Structural Characteristics and Evolutionary Drivers of Global Virtual Water Trade Networks: A Stochastic Actor-Oriented Model for 2000-2015.

The globalization of trade has caused tremendous pressure on water resources globally, and a virtual water trade provides a new perspective on global freshwater sharing and water sustainability. No study has yet explored the structural characteristics and drivers of the evolution of global virtual water trade networks from a network structure evolution perspective. This paper aims to fill this critical gap by developing a research framework to explore how endogenous network structures and external factors have influenced the evolution of virtual water trade networks. We constructed virtual water trade networks for 62 countries worldwide from 2000 to 2015 and used an innovative combination of multi-regional input-output data and stochastic actor-oriented models for analytical purposes. Our results support the theoretical hypothesis of ecologically unequal exchange and trade drivers, arguing that virtual water flows from less developed countries to developed countries under global free trade and that unequal trade patterns lead to excessive consumption of virtual water in less developed countries. The results partially support the theoretical content of water endowment and traditional gravity models, finding that trade networks are expanding to farther and larger markets, confirming that national water scarcity levels do not impact the evolution of virtual water trade networks. Finally, we point out that meritocratic links, path dependence, reciprocity, and transmissive links have extreme explanatory power for the evolutionary development of virtual water networks.

Multi-objective optimization of concentrated solar power plants from an energy-water-environment nexus perspective under distinct climatic conditions – Part B: Environ-economic analysis

The objective of this study is to include environmental impact in optimization of concentrated solar power plants previously limited to techno-economic analysis only. Performance of solar towers and parabolic trough collectors equipped with dry and wet cooling is numerically investigated at 10 min interval for three climatic zones. Based on electricity generation profiles pertinent to variation of design variables of solar multiple and thermal energy storage, the water usage is quantified techno-economically, considering water scarcity levels. Besides, five different potential impacts over lifecycle of concentrated solar and natural gas-based power plants are compared after unifying them into metric of net environmental impact avoided. Additionally, utilizing techno-economic solutions and eco-friendly solutions, multi-objective ‘balanced’ solution is proposed. It is found that levelized cost of water increases five-fold for areas with extreme water scarcity and is higher for trough than solar tower. Net environmental impact of troughs is higher and lower electricity generation causes the avoided impact to be higher than solar towers, when compared with natural gas-fired power plants. For eco-friendly solutions, solar multiple varies from 3.5 to 4 with thermal energy storage of 24 h. Dry-cooled solar towers with optimal solar multiple in range of 3–3.2 and thermal energy storage of 18.8–19.9 h are evaluated for pareto-optimality based ‘balanced’ solutions for all zones. These solutions offer minimum net levelized cost of electricity, alongside maximized electricity generation, huge return on invested capital and energy, and reducing environmental impact by over 94%. Lastly, semi-arid climates are found suitable for concentrated solar power plant installation.

An Urgent Dialogue between Urban Design and Regulatory Framework for Urban Rivers: The Case of the Andalién River in Chile

Climate change scenarios predict alarming levels of water scarcity and damaging flood events worldwide. Considering hydric systems in integrated spatial planning will be crucial in mitigating, adapting, and reversing climate change’s catastrophic effects. This paper focuses on fluvial restoration as part of urban and territorial regulatory frameworks in the Andalién River and the city of Concepción in Chile. We consider three work scales: (i) basin, (ii) river reaches which focus on the city–river interplay, and (iii) site-specific, deepening the discussion around the last two. The objective is to elaborate an interdisciplinary dialogue between urban design, fluvial dynamics, and the Chilean regulatory framework where property rights play a predominant role in the management of natural resources (water and land). In this regard, the ‘New Latin American Constitutionalism’ offers concrete possibilities to operationalize an emerging paradigm that recognizes legal personhood for Nature. The incorporation of an ecological function to property rights emerges as a new way in which the principles of resilient urban development can be applied in order to combine river dynamics and urban growth.

Climate Adaptation Needs to Reduce Water Scarcity Vulnerability in the Tagus River Basin

In southern Europe, climate change is expected to aggravate water scarcity conditions and challenge current water management practices. The present paper evaluates the impacts of climate change in the highly regulated Tagus River basin and assesses various adaptation options, quantifying the effort needed to maintain the ability to sustain current water uses. A water management and allocation model covering surface and groundwater resources is used to evaluate available and renewable water resources for different climate scenarios. Additionally, the Water Exploitation Index Plus (WEI+) and water supply reliability criteria are used to quantify water scarcity and the ability to satisfy water demands, respectively. The results show that climate change will significantly change the stream flow regime and reduce water availability in the Tagus River basin, but the existing reservoir infrastructure will alleviate some of these impacts, especially in the dry half-year. Until the end of the century, water scarcity levels, measured by annual WEI+, are expected to increase in the Tagus River basin from 0.46 to 0.52 or 0.62, respectively under two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP 4.5 or RCP 8.5). The benefits of streamflow regulation vary with the hydrological regimen, the current degree of water use and the role of groundwater resources to meet demand. The benefits of streamflow regulation are also dependent on the environmental flow requirements that will be adopted in the future. A reduction of water consumption for irrigation by 25% to 40% will significantly improve the Tagus River system performance and maintain the current scarcity situation in the future, under the expected scenarios of climate change.

Water scarcity footprint of cocoa irrigation in Bahia

This study simulated the water scarcity footprint (WSF) of cocoa irrigation in municipalities considered suitable for cocoa growing in the state of Bahia, according to agro climatic zoning. Irrigation demand was calculated using the model proposed by FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations). Subsequently, impact on water scarcity was calculated using the product of crop irrigation demand and water scarcity characterization factors of the regionalized AWARE method for Brazil. The WSF in Bahia ranged between 0.28 and 646.5 m³ of water per kilo of cocoa produced. From the defined scale, of the 417 municipalities in Bahia suitable for growing cocoa, 59% have a 'low' footprint, 18% 'medium', 10% 'high', and 12% have a 'very high' footprint. Based on these results, it is suggested that areas with lower WSF are a priority in the expansion of cocoa to avoid a possible compromise of other essential demands of the municipalities. In addition, irrigation should avoid waste, especially in regions with high levels of water scarcity. The results show that the inclusion of the WSF in agroclimatic zoning can contribute to the process of identifying potential and critical regions for new crops and the expansion of others.
 Keywords: agriculture, agroclimatic zoning, AWARE, environmental indicator.

Using the WEI+ index to evaluate water scarcity at highly regulated river basins with conjunctive uses of surface and groundwater resources.

This paper discusses the role and limitations of using WEI+ as a water resource management tool for highly regulated river basins, with a conjunctive use of surface and groundwater resources. By considering flow regulation by reservoirs and aquifer systems, seasonality of water availability and demand, returns from water uses and environmental flow requirements, WEI+ constitutes an improvement to existing quantitative water scarcity indexes. However, the computation of WEI+ in complex river basins systems requires detailed data on water availability and water allocation to various uses, which are hard to obtain from monitoring records. The paper describes how the combined use of hydrological and water allocation models can help to overcome data gaps in water accounting and contribute to an improved analysis of water scarcity in heterogeneous and intricate river basins. It also examines the information provided by WEI+ and by other widely used water scarcity indexes, such as the Water Stress Index and the Criticality Ratio, as well as discusses the ability of WEI+ to measure the performance of hydraulic systems, usually evaluated by parameters such as reliability, vulnerability, and resilience. The Tagus River transboundary basin was selected as case study due to massive flow regulation by multi-purpose reservoirs and significant seasonality of water availability and demand. Results show the benefits of using WEI+ to define levels of water scarcity, over other indexes. Within the Tagus River systems, high values of WEI+ are reached during the summer months in regions with intensive agriculture, denoting severe water stress conditions in most sub-basins. The analysis also reveals the strong dependence of Portugal, the downstream country, on flows from Spain, the upstream country.

Salinity impacts on irrigation water-scarcity in food bowl regions of the US and Australia

Irrigation water use and crop production may be severely limited by both water shortages and increased salinity levels. However, impacts of crop-specific salinity limitations on irrigation water scarcity are largely unknown. We develop a salinity-inclusive water scarcity framework for the irrigation sector, accounting for crop-specific irrigation water demands and salinity tolerance levels and apply it to 29 sub-basins within two food bowl regions; the Central Valley (CV) (California) and the Murray–Darling basin (MDB) (Australia). Our results show that severe water scarcity (levels >0.4) occurs in 23% and 66% of all instances (from >17 000 monthly crop-specific estimates) for the CV and MDB, respectively. The highest water scarcity levels for both regions occurred during their summer seasons. Including salinity and crop-specific salinity tolerance levels further increased water scarcity levels, compared to estimations based on water quantity only, particularly at local sub-basin scales. We further investigate the potential of alleviating water scarcity through diluting surface water with lower saline groundwater resources, at instances where crop salinity tolerance levels are exceeded (conjunctive water use). Results from the CV highlights that conjunctive water use can reduce severe water scarcity levels by up to 67% (from 946 monthly instances where surface water salinity tolerance levels were exceeded). However, groundwater dilution requirements frequently exceed renewable groundwater rates, posing additional risks for groundwater depletion in several sub-basins. By capturing the dynamics of both crops, salinity and conjunctive water use, our framework can support local-regional agricultural and water management impacts, on water scarcity levels.

Basin Management under Conditions of Scarcity: The Transformation of the Jordan River Basin from Regional Water Supplier to Regional Water Importer

The Jordan River system is one of the most iconic and most contested river systems in the world. The once “mighty Jordan”, which has served as the primary source of water for populations in several countries, is currently a severely denuded river system, with only a fraction of its historic flow. Several initiatives, however, aim to restore some of the basin’s flows. This paper will provide a historical overview and analysis of the trajectory of the Jordan River system from being a primary supplier of water to a desiccated shadow of its former glory. It highlights the critical role international borders played in dividing control over the basin, resulting in different types and levels of water scarcity experienced by each of the basin’s riparians, each of whom has implemented different strategies to cope with such scarcity. The paper then presents several plans for large-scale interbasin transfers involving desalinated water initiated by basin riparians in attempts to deal with water scarcity and highlights how these planned initiatives are set to transform the basin from a regional supplier of water to a net importer.