Regional Water Policy Research Articles

Exploring market-based environmental policy for groundwater management and ecosystem protection for the Great Lakes region: Lessons learned

The Great Lakes–St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact (the Compact) was created to protect future water supplies and aquatic ecosystems in the Great Lakes. The Compact requires the eight Great Lakes state to regulate, among other things, large withdrawals of groundwater and surface water so that they do not negatively affect stream flows and ecosystems within the Great Lakes Basin. Thus, the Compact raises the possibility of increased restrictions on groundwater withdrawals in many locations throughout the Great Lakes region. However, restricting withdrawals is likely to encounter opposition from water users when such restrictions are viewed as an infringement on existing water use rights and/or as negatively impacting local economic development. Such conflicts could hinder effective implementation of state and regional water policy. This paper explores the application of a market-based environmental management tool called “Conservation Credit Offsets Trading (CCOT)” that could facilitate allocation of groundwater withdrawals, and develops a framework for guiding the implementation of CCOT within the context of a groundwater permitting system. Using a watershed in southwestern Michigan, this study demonstrates how bio-physical information and input from various local stakeholders were combined to aid groundwater policy designed to achieve the objective of no net (adverse) impact on stream ecosystems. By allowing flexibility through trading of conservation credit offsets, this groundwater policy tool appears to be more politically acceptable than traditional, less flexible, regulations. The results and discussion provide useful lessons learned with relevance to other areas in the Great Lakes Basin.

An interdisciplinary regional groundwater model: A study of the Ogallala in the Texas High Plains

AbstractGroundwater research in the Texas High Plains (THP), where production agriculture depends on the Ogallala aquifer, has been conducted by economists, hydrologists and environmental scientists, each focusing on disciplinary aspects of water use, including conservation cost, level of conservation achieved, long‐term aquifer sustainability and water quality degradation. Due to paucity of data, economists often make stringent and unrealistic assumptions concerning the uniformity of aquifer characteristics, land use and water use practices. To address modelling sensitivity to the assumption that aquifer characteristics are homogeneous we develop an integrated regional water policy model for the THP that links a groundwater hydrology model with a dynamic economic optimization model. We compare baseline water use projections provided by a stand‐alone normative economic model to those provided by an integrated economic and hydrologic model that controls for spatial variability in aquifer characteristics. Findings suggest the stand‐alone economic model generally overstates baseline economic returns to water and the water use level compared to the integrated model. The integrated modelling framework controls for the impact spatially heterogeneous aquifer characteristics have on the optimal use of limited groundwater supplies. Improved county‐level estimates for expected baseline economic returns to, and water use by irrigated agriculture over time enhances the ability of water policy‐makers to more precisely model the economic cost and water savings of proposed water conservation policies because policy cost‐effectiveness is normally measured relative to the baseline condition.

Observational and Synoptic Analyses of the Winter Precipitation Regime Change over Utah

Abstract Previous studies have indicated a widespread decline in snowpack over Utah accompanied by a decline in the snow–precipitation ratio while anecdotal evidence claims have been put forward that measured changes in Utah’s snowpack are spurious and do not reflect actual change. Using two distinct lines of investigation, this paper further analyzes the winter precipitation regime in the state of Utah. First, by means of observation-based, gridded daily temperature, precipitation, and remotely sensed data, as well as utilizing a climatological rain–snow threshold (RST) temperature method, the precipitation regime of Utah was scrutinized. Second, a comprehensive synoptic analysis was conducted as an alternate means that is independent from surface observations. It was found that the proportion of winter (January–March) precipitation falling as snow has decreased by 9% during the last half century, a combined result from a significant increase in rainfall and a minor decrease in snowfall. Meanwhile, observed snow depth across Utah has decreased and is accompanied by consistent decreases in snow cover and surface albedo. Weather systems with the potential to produce precipitation in Utah have decreased in number with those producing snowfall decreasing at a considerably greater rate. Further circulation analysis showed that an anomalous anticyclone has developed over western North America, which acts to reduce the frequency of cyclone waves impacting Utah. Combined with the increased precipitation, this feature suggests that the average precipitation per event has intensified with more of it falling as rain than as snow. Trends in the hydroclimate such as these have implications for present and future regional water policy in the state of Utah.

Drinking Wastewater

In the coming decades, highly treated wastewater, known as reclaimed water, is slated to be a major element of municipal water supplies. In particular, planners propose supplementing drinking water with reclaimed water as a sustainable solution to the growing challenge of urban water scarcity. Public opposition is currently considered the primary barrier to implementing successful potable water reuse projects; nonetheless, public responses to reclaimed water are not well understood. Based on a survey of over 250 residents of Tucson, Arizona, this article assesses the relationship between trust in the professional institutions responsible for municipal water development and willingness to drink reclaimed water. Results demonstrate that public acceptance of potable reuse is contingent on trust in the authorities who influence design of sociotechnical systems for water supply and reuse—including water and wastewater utilities, regulators, consultants, academics, and elected local officials. Findings emphasize the highly interdependent social and political factors that inform personal decisions to support or reject potable reuse. The authors suggest that achieving greater acceptance of potable reuse will require bringing local and regional water policy in line with public values, as well as finding ways to incorporate these values into the planning process.

Agricultural Water Transfers in China: Current Issues and Perspectives

Water transfers from agricultural to industrial or domestic uses are becoming increasingly common in China. Water conflicts can be partly considered as the consequence of water transfer failures. In this paper, data of water use in recent years were reviewed and cases of water transfers were presented. Current issues were analyzed and some measures were proposed for enhancing water use efficiency, productivity and equity. It ends with implications for regional water management strategies and policy reform. It is concluded that the decisions of water reallocation under water stress should be shared by all communities, especially the availability of the basic water need for all water use sectors.

Participatory scenarios for regional water management planning: an Eastern Baltic case study

Ambitious mid- and long-term water protection goals currently exist regionally and globally. Setting policy goals means commitments not only for the environmental sector but also for all water users. This paper aims to contribute to the enhancement of mid- (2015) and long-term (2030 and 2050) regional water policy development by addressing the role of participatory scenarios in river basin management planning. It presents selected results of a participatory scenario development process on water resources in the Eastern Baltic region and how the process relates to certain aspects of the river basin management. The paper concludes that a Fuzzy Cognitive Map containing information on the present water management issues has a strong link with the assessment of significant drivers and pressures for the characterisation of river basins according to the Water Framework Directive. As the Eastern Baltic region does not generally have water shortage problems, the quality of available water was assessed as the major issue. Surprisingly, stakeholders did not recognise climate change as an important factor affecting the present water system in the region. The paper also shows that participatory scenarios can contribute to identifying the likelihood of failure to meet the set water policy objectives.

Millennial-Length Records of Streamflow From Three Major Upper Colorado River Tributaries1

Gray, Stephen T., Jeffrey J. Lukas, and Connie A. Woodhouse, 2011. Millennial-Length Records of Streamflow From Three Major Upper Colorado River Tributaries. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 47(4):702-712. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2011.00535.x Abstract: Drought, climate change, and shifting consumptive use are prompting a widespread reassessment of water availability in the Upper Colorado River basin. Here, we present millennial-length records of water year (October-September) streamflow for key Upper Colorado tributaries: the White, Yampa, and Little Snake Rivers. Based on tree rings, these records represent the first paleohydrological reconstructions from these subbasins to overlap with a series of Medieval droughts (∼ad 800 to 1300). The reconstructions show marked interannual variability imbedded in nonstationary behavior over decadal to multidecadal time scales. These reconstructions suggest that, even in a millennial context, gaged flows from a handful of years (e.g., 1977 and 2002) were extremely dry. However, droughts of much greater duration and magnitude than any in the instrumental record were regular features prior to 1900. Likewise these reconstructions point to the unusual wetness of the gage period, and the potential for recent observations to paint an overly optimistic picture of regional water supplies. The future of the Upper Colorado River will be determined by a combination of inherent hydroclimatic variability and a broad range of human-induced changes. It is then essential that regional water managers, water users, and policy makers alike consider a broader range of hydroclimatic scenarios than is offered by the gage record alone.

Effectiveness of Two Water Conservation Policies: An Integrated Modeling Approach

Agriculture in the Texas High Plains depends entirely on the Ogallala Aquifer. Texas enacted water conservation legislation to address declining reserves in the aquifer. We developed an integrated regional water policy model that links a hydrology model with an economic optimization model to estimate policy impacts with respect to economic cost and water conservation. Testing the effectiveness of two policies, a groundwater extraction tax and extraction quotas, we observe that neither significantly inhibits groundwater use. Although both policies conserve similar amounts of groundwater, the regional cost of the tax policy to agriculture is more than the quota policy.

Desalination in arid regions: Merits and concerns

Research Article| November 01 2005 Desalination in arid regions: Merits and concerns M. El-Fadel; M. El-Fadel 1Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, American University of Beirut, Bliss Street PO Box 11-0236 Beirut, Lebanon Fax: +1-961-174-4462; E-mail: mfadel@aub.edu.lb Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar I. Alameddine I. Alameddine 1Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, American University of Beirut, Bliss Street PO Box 11-0236 Beirut, Lebanon Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Journal of Water Supply: Research and Technology-Aqua (2005) 54 (7): 449–461. https://doi.org/10.2166/aqua.2005.0042 Article history Received: March 08 2004 Accepted: July 05 2005 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Cite Icon Cite Permissions Search Site Search Dropdown Menu nav search search input Search input auto suggest search filter All ContentAll JournalsThis Journal Search Advanced Search Citation M. El-Fadel, I. Alameddine; Desalination in arid regions: Merits and concerns. Journal of Water Supply: Research and Technology-Aqua 1 November 2005; 54 (7): 449–461. doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/aqua.2005.0042 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex Water, the essence of life, can no longer be considered a natural, self-renewable, low-cost resource in most arid and semi-arid regions. In order to alleviate water scarcity, new water supply sources are in need to augment available resources. Desalination has received wide acceptance in arid countries because of the alarming rate at which conventional water resources are depleted. The present study aims at examining the impacts of the desalination industry in water-stressed regions. The economics of desalination are compared with conventional and non-conventional water options, taking environmental impacts into consideration. Social and political constraints associated with desalination are outlined with emphasis on its merits and drawbacks in national and/or regional water policies. The paper concludes with emerging water management concepts that can aid arid and semi-arid countries in coping with water shortage. arid regions, desalination, economic and environmental impacts, water management This content is only available as a PDF. © IWA Publishing 2005 You do not currently have access to this content.

Regional and global hydrology and water resources issues: The role of international and national programs

This paper presents an overview of water resources issues in the context of world population growth, climate change, and variability, and provides examples of how these issues affect local and regional water policy concerns. Also discussed is the associated research of the international scientific community in regard to physically-based modeling of the hydrological cycle, with special focus on the Global Energy and Water cycle EXperiment (GEWEX) Programme. The critical role of precipitation measurements for climate model accuracy is emphasized, with a review of several satellite methods and strategies for improving precipitation measurements. Finally, the impact of semiarid regions on global hydrologic issues is underscored with a review of research conducted by SAHRA, the National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center dedicated to Sustainability of semi-Arid Hydrology and Riparian Areas.

Cooperation in Water Management—Where’s the Game Plan?

The recent Report of the Inquiry into Federal Water Policy recognized the sensitivities of cooperation among water agencies and also showed that if water issues in Canada are to be resolved effectively it will have to be on the basis of cooperative effort between the various responsible agencies and the public.This will not be an easy matter, but if coherent national water policies are not developed soon, they are likely to be forged in the melting pot of much broader issues such as Free Trade. The paper addresses various questions: How will national or even regional water policies be developed and by whom? Can cooperating agencies set this overall policy direction? Are water agencies going to encourage this discussion or defend their own territories? Who will initiate this debate and when?

Multi-Criteria Analysis and Simulation for Long-Term Water Management in Open-pit Lignite Mining Areas

Within the Regional Water Policies Project at IIASA a Decision Support Model System for the analysis of long-term regional water policies in open-pit lignite mining areas has been developed. The system considers multiple interest groups and objectives. It combines a planning model for multi-criteria analysis in a planning horizon of 30 years being divided into 10 planning periods with a management model for stochastic monthly systems simulation. The multi-criteria analysis is based on the reference point approach. For the management model a deterministic decision rule is used considering the results of the planning model. The system is designed to be used by decision makers, which is why a highly interactive data display and editing system as well as program control system has been developed, integrating computer colour graphics. It has been implemented for a test region in the German Democratic Republic.

Decision support model systems for regional water policies in open-pit lignite mining areas

The impact of open-pit lignite mining on water resources creates significant conflicts between different interest groups, such as the mining industry, water supply agencies, and agriculture in the mining region. The activities of each of the interest groups modify the water resources system and at the same time the conditions for resources use by other groups. Consequently, there is an apparent need for the analysis of regional water policies to reconcile the conflicting interests within such socio-economic environmental systems. On that, a collaborative study between the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis and Research Institutes in the German Democratic Republic (GDR) and Poland is directed.

Analysis of regional water policies in lignite mining areas

Regions with open-pit lignite mining frequently are characterized by conflicting interests of the mining industry, different water users, and of environmental protection authorities. There is an apparent nead for the analysis of long-term policies to reconcile those conflicting interests. Such an analysis should be based on a policy-oriented decision support model system. The development of such a system for a test region in the German Democratic Republic (GDR) is part of the research work in the Regional Water Policies project carried out at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis in collaboration with the Institute for Water Management, the Dresden University of Technology and the VEB Braunkohlenkombinat Sonftenberg, GDR. The paper gives an overview on the methodological approach for the decision support model system under development and demonstrates its application for the test area.

Regional Versus Local Water Supply Planning

The Metropolitan Washington, D.C., area water supply study being conducted by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers presents an approach in planning for water supplies that can lead to regional management. The challenge, however, rests with the local decision‐makers in seeing that a management plan is adopted for the Metropolitan Washington area. Unfortunately, local governments find themselves in a dilemma revolving around the economic and selfsufficient nature of governance. This paper explains how the Metropolitan Washington area has reached a point when new supplies must be developed. The area's supply base is a finite resource where previous independent actions have not caused any serious problems. Now there are obvious advantages in cooperating to develop a regional water policy as well as sharing in the development of cost‐effective solutions.

Economics in Regional Water Research and Policy: Reply

Economics in Regional Water Research and Policy: Reply

Economics in Regional Water Research and Policy: Comment

Economics in Regional Water Research and Policy: Comment

Economics in Regional Water Research and Policy

The federal government has long been active in the area of water resource development. Several agencies are deeply involved in this work: the Corps of Army Engineers, the Bureau of Reclamation, the Soil Conservation Service, and the Federal Water Pollution Control Administration provide examples. In this decade, Congress has established the framework for new directions in water development throughout the nation. The passage of the Water Resources Planning Act (Public Law 89-80) and the establishment of the cabinet-level Water Resources Council has made specific the desire for coordinated and comprehensive water planning. Subsequent to the establishment of the Water Resources Council, twenty major hydrologic regions of the nation have been identified for purposes of comprehensive planning. Eleven of the regions are currently developing their comprehensive water resource development plans. The role of the economist is a demanding one in this multidisciplinary comprehensive planning effort [10]. We are viewed by administration of these programs as capable of generating ex ante the economic potentials for alternative resource development projects. This would include the summation of economic benefits for inclusion of the benefit-cost analysis outlined in Senate Document 97 [18]. Finally, we are to provide economic projections, both national and regional, to indicated future needs for resource development. This, of course, assumes that we know the relationship between levels of resource development and economic growth or vice versa. Further assumed is that the relationship is positive and highly significant.