Principles Of Water Resources Management Research Articles

Hydrotechnical and ecological principles of water resources management for a mined-out mine field

The article considers the issue of predicting and managing water resources of flooded mines based on hydrotechnical and ecological criteria. Reproduction of a natural-technogenic situation within mine fields with many unknowns regarding the condition of a rock massif and influence factors became possible through a step-by-step construction and identification of a numerical geofiltration model. Balance components of formation for a technogenic underground water mode, capacity parameters and zonal water permeability of a rock massif are estimated as a result of methodical adaptation and creation of a hydrodynamic model of two adjacent mines with a complex hydrogeological structure. A duration and speed for groundwater level restoration at different time periods, an area of underflooding and flooding on the surface is established according to predictive calculations. The inefficiency of submersible pumps use is proven when capital workings lose their drainage functions and a massif has rheological dynamics. Variants for long-term pumping of mine waters with subsequent discharge into a hydrographic network do not bring the territory into a self-draining mode. Therefore, the mode of closing mines with full restoration of underground water level in a monitoring mode with a combination of drainage reconstruction of the surface is the most acceptable.

Conceptual principles of water resources management in irrigated agriculture

Conceptual principles of water resources management in irrigated agriculture

An assessment of the degree of the implementation of the integrated water resources management principles in the Lake Chad Basin: the case of the Republic of Chad

An assessment of the degree of the implementation of the integrated water resources management principles in the Lake Chad Basin: the case of the Republic of Chad

Experiences, Challenges, and Initiatives on Water Resource Management of a Small Island Community: The Case of Basco, Batanes, Philippines

With the increasing water demand across different sectors: residential, commercial, agriculture, tourism, and energy, management of this finite resource is a major challenge in harnessing and sustaining its availability. The increasing demand for water from various stakeholders of Basco, Batanes puts pressure on the availability of water. These supply constraints are rooted in the current management setup aside from its biophysical characteristics. The main objective of the study is to better understand the water-related issues and concerns and the operation and implementation of water resource strategies and programs in the case of the small island community in Basco, Batanes. Specifically, it aims to i) characterize the existing water supply systems in a small island community; and ii) assess the challenges, experiences, and efforts in water resources management. Guided with the Integrated Water Resource Management principles (IWRM), the experiences, issues, challenges, and opportunities in water resources management in the small island community were assessed. The available water sources and existing water systems were characterized, and challenges and initiatives toward effective resource management were also evaluated. The methods employed were secondary data collection; detailed household, commercial, and institutional sectors surveys; Focus Group Discussions (FGD) using Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) matrix; Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with key officials in the Local Government Unit (LGU) to capture data on the current operation and implementation of water-related programs. Results showed that Basco, the capital of Batanes, only has two major sources of water: Racuaranum (upstream) and Miaga (downstream) springs. It has no perennial or ephemeral streams. The intermittent streams only flow for a few minutes during heavy rainfall events. Their other sources of water are deep wells and rainwater for everyday use. With the limited budget and human resources of the small island community, localized integrated water resource management highlights the importance of institutional aspects towards its success. A framework on effective resource management emphasized the importance of institutional synergies in small island community setups, such as: joint implementation of watershed management plans, enhancement of technical and financial capabilities given a limited budget and human resources, improvement, and maintenance of water facilities, etc. The complexities of the issues surrounding water resources management could be best addressed by the consolidated efforts of government institutions, the private sector, and the local community within the small island, prioritizing environmental sustainability, economic efficiency, and social equity.

Determination of Minimum Ecological Value of Wetland and Assessment of Hydrologic Alteration Indicators Affecting Local Communities’ Livelihood: Case Study Anzali Wetland

Wetlands are of great importance to human society due to their direct and indirect delivery of goods and services; therefore, there has been a growing interest in the restoration and preservation of wetlands in different communities. To preserve the ecological values of wetlands and, thus, to ensure the local communities’ livelihood, it is essential to supply the water demand to provide ecological services relevant to the organisms in the ecosystems and also to the local communities around the wetland. A conceptual model derived from the integrated water resources management principles was used to assess the economic damages caused by the degradation of ecological conditions in Anzali Wetland. In order to quantify the assessment of this study, initially, the economic value of the entire wetland was estimated at 592,960 billion Iranian rials, which includes direct use value, indirect use value, and non-use value of about 28.5%, 10.5%, and 61%, respectively. Then, by defining the optimal and minimum acceptable conditions of Anzali Wetland in terms of ecological health, the economic value of wetland functions and services within the goals set for the livelihoods of local communities was obtained in the corresponding ecohydrological conditions. Finally, the value of wetland services was evaluated by comparing the current reduced economic value with both minimum and optimal ecological conditions. In this paper, by introducing the indicators for the vital wetland-related occupations, it was shown how disturbing the hydrological balance by impairing the tangible ecological services of Anzali Wetland influenced the IWRM, particularly the livelihoods of local communities in this system.

Domestic institutions and international collective action problems: International water rights conflicts

Abstract To what extent do domestic institutions affect the solution of collective action problems in international waters? Dwindling water resources and dire climate change projections make the determination of water rights in international rivers a major source of contention among states. If the states cooperate based on integrated water resource management principles, they could achieve social equity, economic efficiency, and sustainability. Yet, many international rivers remain subject to unilateral exploitation. This paper explores the role of domestic institutions in facilitating the emergence of international water rights. Adopting a political economy approach, it presents a case study analysis of the dispute over the Euphrates and explores the complex interaction of governing institutions in achieving efficient water management. I argue that the solution to the collective action dilemma in water rights is the creation of property rights institutions, which requires high levels of trust and reciprocity among highly motivated actors, who are accountable to their people.

A historical perspective on water governance in Republic of Ireland

This paper provides a historical perspective on the evolution of water governance in the Republic of Ireland where long-term shifts in agricultural activities, demographic characteristics, water and debates over drinking water supply charges have influenced water resources governance and the integration of management practices. Drawing on threads from the past, the paper first describes how water governance from the early 1950s focused on rural access to water, pollution control and monitoring. With the advent of the Water Framework Directive in 2003, the crux of policy and management practices changed, with 81% of present policies mirroring Integrated Water Resource Management principles. However, issues such as the implementation of drinking water supply water charges and equitable access to water resources remain controversial. Looking to the future, the effects of climate change and land use planning, as well as demographic changes and international legislation are among those factors influencing water policy and management in the Republic of Ireland. Structured stakeholder engagement and further research directed at improving water quality is advocated to promote a sustainable and equitable water future.

Development of a Water-Pricing Model for Domestic Water Uses in Dhaka City Using an IWRM Framework

Dhaka city is experiencing high water use and rapid declination of groundwater. The current water price in the city is low and based on a uniform rate. To arrest the resource degradation along with pursuing cost recovery and promoting social equity, this paper develops a new pricing model for domestic water uses using the integrated water resources management principles. The development is accomplished through estimation of domestic water usage, evaluation of current water prices, and assessment of groundwater degradation externalities in the Tejgaon area of the city using both primary and secondary data. Two economic and two environmental externalities are incorporated. The model is based on an increasing block tariff strategy, and the estimated unit prices for the first and second blocks are respectively 5% and 75% higher than the existing price. The model has the potential to reduce the domestic water use in the city by up to 27%, increase the revenue for the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority by up to 75%, and reduce the water bill for poor households by up to 67%. The model has a great potential for practical deployment and the concept can also be applied to other cities and water uses.

An application of Integrated Water Resource Management principles to flood risk mitigation in Mossman, North Queensland, Australia

AbstractAs the economic and political center of Douglas Shire in Far North Queensland, Australia, the Mossman Township plays an important role in the development of the region. To allow for the economic and population growth of the town, the local authority has developed strategies to expand the residential and industrial zones closer to the Mossman River. However, these areas are frequently affected by fluvial floods that are exacerbated by the confluence of the two Mossman tributaries, South and North. In addition, the frequency and intensity of floods is likely to increase under the impact of climate change. To minimize flood risk in this area, the State and Local Governments have a coordinated approach to implement measures to address the issue. However, these measures have limitations and it is difficult to achieve all of their intended objectives.To support the Mossman authorities in improving flood resilience, this study combined the principles of Integrated Water Resources Management and Flood Risk Management to identify and assess measures to achieve flood risk mitigation. This study proposes a range of measures that may enable the region to reduce the exposure and vulnerability of the affected population to flood hazard. Subsequently, these measures were evaluated from different perspectives including risk index, financial cost, and the environmental and social impact of each.By using a new methodology for flood risk assessment that considers exposure, vulnerability, and tolerance of the community to flood risk, this study determined that the current flood risk level in Mossman is high. To reduce the high‐risk level to low, three measures were proposed: land use change, the construction of flood levees, and a flood forecasting and warning system. The study found that the implementation of each measure alone does not minimize flood risk effectively, especially within important zones such as residential areas, the town center, and critical roads. It was also found that relying on just one measure impacts the economic, social, or environmental conditions of the study area significantly. The simultaneous implementation of three measures is, therefore, perceived to be necessary. The combination of measures determined by using Integrated Water Resources Management principles enables the region to mitigate flood risk effectively, and also provides an opportunity to balance benefits and cost economically, environmentally, and socially.

Climate-informed environmental inflows to revive a drying lake facing meteorological and anthropogenic droughts

The rapid shrinkage of Lake Urmia, one of the world’s largest saline lakes located in northwestern Iran, is a tragic wake-up call to revisit the principles of water resources management based on the socio-economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. The overarching goal of this paper is to set a framework for deriving dynamic, climate-informed environmental inflows for drying lakes considering both meteorological/climatic and anthropogenic conditions. We report on the compounding effects of meteorological drought and unsustainable water resource management that contributed to Lake Urmia’s contemporary environmental catastrophe. Using rich datasets of hydrologic attributes, water demands and withdrawals, as well as water management infrastructure (i.e. reservoir capacity and operating policies), we provide a quantitative assessment of the basin’s water resources, demonstrating that Lake Urmia reached a tipping point in the early 2000s. The lake level failed to rebound to its designated ecological threshold (1274 m above sea level) during a relatively normal hydro-period immediately after the drought of record (1998–2002). The collapse was caused by a marked overshoot of the basin’s hydrologic capacity due to growing anthropogenic drought in the face of extreme climatological stressors. We offer a dynamic environmental inflow plan for different climate conditions (dry, wet and near normal), combined with three representative water withdrawal scenarios. Assuming effective implementation of the proposed 40% reduction in the current water withdrawals, the required environmental inflows range from 2900 million cubic meters per year (mcm yr−1) during dry conditions to 5400 mcm yr−1 during wet periods with the average being 4100 mcm yr−1. Finally, for different environmental inflow scenarios, we estimate the expected recovery time for re-establishing the ecological level of Lake Urmia.

La gestión integral del agua en dos consejos de cuenca del noroeste de México

<p>El objetivo del presente artículo es analizar el desempeño de dos consejos de cuenca que operan en el estado de Sonora, México: el Consejo de Cuenca del Alto Noroeste y Consejo de Cuenca del Río Mayo. A partir de la experiencia internacional en relación a las organizaciones de cuenca, se plantea un marco analítico para analizar la implementación de la Gestión Integrada de los Recursos Hídricos en los consejos de cuenca. Tres son las dimensiones clave que guían el estudio: la <em>estructura</em> que conforma a los consejos de cuenca, la dinámica interna de <em>funcionamiento</em> que llevan a cabo y los <em>resultados</em> brindados en la resolución de problemas y conflictos. Los resultados revelan limitaciones estructurales y operativas en los dos consejos de cuenca, lo que reduce su impacto para poner en práctica los principios de la Gestión Integrada de los Recursos Hídricos.</p>

Legal Policy of Water Resources Management by Local Governments: A Review of Right to Water in Indonesia

This study is based by the cancellation of Act No. 7 of 2004 on Water Resources by the Indonesian Constitutional Court. Over the past 10 years, the law is the basis for the water resources management in Indonesia. The cancellation of the law would provide great impact for water resources management policy, especially with regard to the provision of right to water. Hence, this study aimed to determine the legal status of Right to Water provided by the local government after the cancellation of Act No. 7 of 2014 on Water Resources. The object of this normative study includes legal principles and systematic. This is due to the focus of this study is the meaning of the right principle to ruled state in the context of realizing the peoples’ prosperity and the position of Water Resources Act as the basis for the issuance of Government Regulation and Right to Water. The results of study indicate that in order to provide legal certainty for permit holder for Right to Use Water and Right to Commercialize Water, the ministry has issued various ministerial regulations, although the nature of these regulations only fills a legal vacuum. In the case of permit to Use of Water Resources, all permits for use of water resources that use surface water issued before the decision of Constitutional Court No. 85/PUU-XI/2013 are still valid. To permit referred to it, evaluation is conducted based on 6 (six) the principles of water resources management. Request new permit are in the process or for renewal of permit to use water resources that use surface water, processed as 6 (six) principles of water resources management. Although, in order to ensure legal certainty, the government should immediately issues the Act in Lieu of Water Resources Management which will be the basis for water resources management in Indonesia.

Legal Policy of Water Resources Management by Local Governments: A Review of Right to Water in Indonesia

This study is based by the cancellation of Act No. 7 of 2004 on Water Resources by the Indonesian Constitutional Court. Over the past 10 years, the law is the basis for the water resources management in Indonesia. The cancellation of the law would provide great impact for water resources management policy, especially with regard to the provision of right to water. Hence, this study aimed to determine the legal status of Right to Water provided by the local government after the cancellation of Act No. 7 of 2014 on Water Resources. The object of this normative study includes legal principles and systematic. This is due to the focus of this study is the meaning of the right principle to ruled state in the context of realizing the peoples’ prosperity and the position of Water Resources Act as the basis for the issuance of Government Regulation and Right to Water. The results of study indicate that in order to provide legal certainty for permit holder for Right to Use Water and Right to Commercialize Water, the ministry has issued various ministerial regulations, although the nature of these regulations only fills a legal vacuum. In the case of permit to Use of Water Resources, all permits for use of water resources that use surface water issued before the decision of Constitutional Court No. 85/PUU-XI/2013 are still valid. To permit referred to it, evaluation is conducted based on 6 (six) the principles of water resources management. Request new permit are in the process or for renewal of permit to use water resources that use surface water, processed as 6 (six) principles of water resources management. Although, in order to ensure legal certainty, the government should immediately issues the Act in Lieu of Water Resources Management which will be the basis for water resources management in Indonesia.

Reusing wastewater to cope with water scarcity: Economic, social and environmental considerations for decision-making

Wastewater reuse has been recognized as an encouraging solution to cope with the problem of water scarcity around the globe. Adopting Integrated Water Resources Management principles will ensure that the implementation of wastewater reuse projects will take into account all the various types of affected stakeholders, accounting in addition for the external costs and benefits derived from the reuse decision. The objective of this paper is to analyze the economic, social and environmental aspects surrounding the concept of wastewater reuse in order to assist policy-makers and managers on the implementation of economic instruments for decision-making. This study proposes a methodological framework for conducting cost-benefit analysis, which is later exemplified by the Yarqon Recycling Project case study in Israel. In this case study application, 3 different scenarios (“pessimistic”, “base-case” and “optimistic”) with a range of parameters values, were used to estimate the most relevant internal and external costs and benefits. Additionally, the most influential parameters were identified using a sensitivity analysis that included both Monte Carlo simulations and the standardized regression coefficients method. For the “base-case” scenario, the net present value obtained was approximately $4.83 million. Although the feasibility of the project is demonstrated, the sensitivity analysis results were less favorable (likelihood of obtaining a positive result was only 64.28%), being the external recreational costs derived from irrigating with reclaimed wastewater the most influential parameter. The results of this analysis led to the conclusion that including the relevant externalities might have a strong impact on the economic feasibility of the wastewater reuse projects. The proposed methodological framework aims to guide decision-makers in evaluating their success with respect to Integrated Water Resources Management in economic terms.

An analysis of factors contributing to household water security problems and threats in different settlement categories of Ngamiland, Botswana

Globally, water security is negatively affected by factors that include climatic and hydrological conditions, population growth, rural–urban migration, increased per-capita water use, pollution and over-abstraction of groundwater. While Botswana has made strides in providing safe and clean water to its population since independence in 1966, over the years, a combination of factors have contributed to water security problems in different settlement categories of the country (i.e., primary, secondary, tertiary and ungazetted settlements) in general and in the district of Ngamiland in particular. To study water security problems differentiated by settlement category, this study employed quantitative data collection methods (i.e. household structured questionnaires) and qualitative data collection methods (i.e. key informant interviews, observation, focus group discussions and informal interviews), complemented by a review of relevant literature. Water security in all settlements is affected by status of the settlement, i.e. gazetted or ungazetted, climatic and hydrological factors and water governance challenges. In large villages such as Maun, factors threatening water security include population growth, urbanization, management challenges, old water supply and distribution infrastructure, increased demand for individual connections and changing lifestyles. Small gazetted and ungazetted settlements encounter problems related to limited sources of water supply as well as salinity of groundwater resources. In order to enhance water security in different settlement categories, Botswana has to develop a comprehensive water resources management strategy underpinned by integrated water resources management principles aimed at addressing factors contributing to water security problems. The strategy has to be settlement category specific. Large villages have to address factors related to demographic changes, urbanization, management challenges, water supply infrastructure and the introducing of water demand management activities. Households in small villages need provision of water from more sustainable sources while ungazetted settlements need better access to clean water.

Bringing ecosystem services into integrated water resources management

In this paper we propose an ecosystem service framework to support integrated water resource management and apply it to the Murray-Darling Basin in Australia. Water resources in the Murray-Darling Basin have been over-allocated for irrigation use with the consequent degradation of freshwater ecosystems. In line with integrated water resource management principles, Australian Government reforms are reducing the amount of water diverted for irrigation to improve ecosystem health. However, limited understanding of the broader benefits and trade-offs associated with reducing irrigation diversions has hampered the planning process supporting this reform. Ecosystem services offer an integrative framework to identify the broader benefits associated with integrated water resource management in the Murray-Darling Basin, thereby providing support for the Government to reform decision-making. We conducted a multi-criteria decision analysis for ranking regional potentials to provide ecosystem services at river basin scale. We surveyed the wider public about their understanding of, and priorities for, managing ecosystem services and then integrated the results with spatially explicit indicators of ecosystem service provision. The preliminary results of this work identified the sub-catchments with the greatest potential synergies and trade-offs of ecosystem service provision under the integrated water resources management reform process. With future development, our framework could be used as a decision support tool by those grappling with the challenge of the sustainable allocation of water between irrigation and the environment.

Principles of Transboundary Water Resources Management and Water-related Agreements in Central Asia: An Analysis

This paper analyzes the use of transboundary water resources management principles in two key regional water-related agreements in Central Asia: the Agreement on Cooperation in Joint Management, Use and Protection of Interstate Sources of Water Resources (1992) and the Statute of the Interstate Commission for Water Coordination of Central Asia (2008). These agreements incorporate several internationally recognized transboundary water resources management principles, though there are also some weaknesses. The presence of such principles in these regional agreements offers plenty of hope for the promotion of sustainable water resources management in Central Asia.

Adoption of integrated water resources management principles and its impacts: lessons from Ferghana Valley

The Ferghana Valley Project, initiated in 2001, has promoted institutional change in the post-Soviet irrigation sector in this part of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. This paper presents the short-term (5-year) impacts of integrated water resources management project activities focused on water user participation in the South Ferghana Canal of Ferghana Province in Uzbekistan on irrigation water delivery and crop productivity. Irrigation performance assessment indicators indicate only slight improvements in water delivery and crop yields. Although water was important, larger changes in the agricultural sector of Uzbekistan dominated outcomes in this relatively short time span.

Use of mathematical modeling to investigate inter-aquifer contamination by organic-rich water through an unplugged well (central Wielkopolska, Poland)

Hydrogeological research was performed to establish the origin of organic-rich water in a Quaternary aquifer (Wielkopolska Buried Valley aquifer, Poland). The spatial distribution of such water was determined by means of multilevel sampling with a packer. The nature, spatial distribution and chemistry of the organic-rich water suggest hydraulic connection between the Quaternary aquifer and the underlying Neogene aquifer. This connection may be enabled by an old abandoned, improperly plugged well, and must therefore be considered as an artificial hydraulic connection between hydrogeologically separated aquifers. For the verification of this hypothesis, a groundwater contaminant transport model was constructed. The results of contaminant transport modeling allow the contaminant transport parameters (transverse and longitudinal dispersivity) to be identified in the field. The numerical groundwater model was used for the prognosis of organic-rich water remediation, and for specification of water-resource management principles in the region where organic-rich water occurs. The results of this research enable the verification of assumptions regarding complex groundwater flow conditions in the boundary zone of a buried valley.

Principles of Transboundary Water Resources Management and Ganges Treaties: An Analysis

The aim of this paper is to analyse the coverage of the principles of transboundary water resources management in two key bilateral treaties in the Ganges Basin. The treaties are the 1996 Mahakali Treaty between Nepal and India and the 1996 Ganges Water Treaty between India and Bangladesh. The study reveals that both treaties incorporate several internationally recognized transboundary water resources management principles, e.g. the principle of equitable and reasonable utilization, an obligation not to cause significant harm, principles of cooperation, information exchange, notification, consultation and the peaceful settlement of disputes. The presence of these internationally accepted principles in these two treaties offer plenty of common ground, which could serve as guidelines to promote sustainable water resources management throughout the region.