Socio-hydrological Approach Research Articles

Levee system transformation in coevolution between humans and water systems along the Kiso River, Japan

Abstract. Floodplain societies decide whether to protect themselves against floods (fight), live with floods (adapt), or adopt an approach that represents some combination of the two. The formation of a levee system is an important factor in determining whether a society fights or adapts to floods; however, these factors have been considered fixed boundaries in previous studies in human–flood interactions. We analyze a levee system transformation process covering the past century, from the indigenous ring-type levee system with floods to modern continuous levees against floods in the Kiso River basin in Japan by applying a historical sociohydrological approach. The results show degradation processes of the indigenous levee system and traditional communities alongside the installation of modern continuous levees, and a trade-off relationship was observed between the lengths of both. There are interactions between the levee systems and the human–water system through various water uses and different-scale components, and the dynamics within the region are connected to external socioeconomic trends through the installed modern levees and institutions.

Sense-making and shaping of temporary wetlands: A socio-hydrological analysis of dichotomous ontologies of merjas in Morocco

There are quite different ways of making sense of wetlands: as wastelands to be drained and reclaimed, as hotspots of biodiversity to be preserved or restored, as buffer zones, or as hydrosocial territories in which people live and produce. We argue that such ontologies not only represent ‘a reality out there’ but help bring this reality into being by shaping the way wetlands are developed and used. The present study was conducted on temporary wetlands (merjas) in the Gharb plain (Morocco). Using a socio-hydrological approach, this research probes the origin of these ontologies and how they shape field realities. Qualitative data were collected during field surveys and focus groups while hydrological data were obtained by remote sensing. There are two main ways of seeing merjas that have led to two different enactments – a ‘State’ one, that has drained and developed the land and re-distributed it to farmers of its choice; and a ‘local’ one, that of riverine communities who have learned to live with land–water dynamics, who now also claim part of this reclaimed land for their own children. The view of temporary wetlands as ecological systems has been restricted to three particular merjas, thereby obliterating the ecological role of others. Since the 2009/2010 floods, the idea of merjas as buffer zones to protect agricultural and urban areas has been under discussion. Although the idea is rejected by most actors, in practice, merjas will continue to play this role during major floods in the future, as upstream dams are generally managed with the aim of resilience to drought. We show how each ontology is connected to different networks of people, resulting in different enactments that sometimes co-exist and sometimes clash. Creating space for negotiation for the future of merjas remains challenging, given the changing water flows and the persistent co-existence of ontologies, as the people connected to it aim to enact their own version of the merja.

Socio-Hydrological Approach for Water Resource Management and Human Well-Being in Pinglin District, Taiwan

Despite being a limited resource, pollution, poor management, and other drivers like climate change make available water unsuitable and insufficient for human consumption and ecosystem maintenance. Therefore, a transdisciplinary approach is needed for managing this precious resource. The overall aim of this paper is to address water inequalities and improve human well-being using an integrated approach of key informant interviews, hydrological modeling, and the payment of ecosystem services (PES) scheme in Pinglin District, Taiwan. This site is an upstream area of Feicui Reservoir, which protects the downstream tap water supply. Key informant interviews were conducted to identify the gaps in and challenges to water resource management. This was followed by a scenario-based hydrological simulation using a Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) tool to project future water quality by the year 2050 (using biochemical oxygen demand and total coliform content as key indicator parameters) and to trace the factors responsible for water pollution. Survey analysis of key informant interviews depicts that this area is facing several challenges, such as lack of water infrastructure, agricultural subsidy, construction restrictions, etc., which cumulatively cause water scarcity in the upstream regions. On the other hand, hydrological simulation results show that population decline and climate change under an RCP 8.5 scenario will have an enormous negative impact on water quality. The concentrations of BOD and E. coli in river water will expand by 110.1% and 117.3%, respectively, by 2050 compared to 2018. Finally, the results of the study suggest that the PES scheme can play a positive role in enabling integrated water resource management. For example construction of a small-scale wastewater treatment plant in the upstream area will reduce the total E. coli concentration by up to 90%. While the initial cost of construction will be taken care of by the government, the operation and management cost of this infrastructure will be covered by people living downstream, who need to pay only $0.10 per year per person. The obtained results should be vital for both the stakeholders and decision-makers in this region.

Exploring Urban Flood Policy Trends Using a Socio-Hydrological Approach—Case Studies from Japanese Cities

Most industrialized nations have attempted to control floods through civil engineering technologies. However, these measures have failed in the face of immense natural forces. Through allomorph analysis and expert interviews, this study examined the situation of implementing urban flood rules in major Japanese cities. The river canal in the Tokyo region is mostly maintained through infrastructure, and Tokyo has a diverse network of systems linked by rivers, canals, and drainage channels, which demonstrates its dominance in structural and civil engineering flood management. In Osaka Prefecture, flood risk management is an ongoing process built on a structural engineering foundation, and local governments continue to examine and update new policies to handle the risks and difficulties produced by ever-changing flood catastrophes. To enhance public education and awareness, local administrations in the Toyama and Chiba Prefectures are implementing programs to educate locals about flood hazards and preparation. To summarize, public engagement is an important component of flood risk mitigation and management in Japanese communities. Governments may help communities become more resilient and prepared in the face of floods by involving local residents, institutionalizing public education and awareness, and building volunteer networks. This is the conclusion reached as a result of socio-hydrological intervention.

Application of socio-hydrological approach to study water-related hazards in Can Tho City

The concept of socio-hydrology was applied in this study to explore the interaction between urban development and water-related hazards in Can Tho using both primary and secondary data. The results showed that water-related hazards tend to increase. Many drivers are identified including both social and hydrological. The trend of water level at Can Tho station (mid-stream) in the last 20 years has a positive relationship with down-stream (Dai Ngai station), and a negative relationship with up-stream (Chau Doc station). It means that sea level rise has increasingly affected the water regime in Can Tho. Heavy short duration rainfall also contributes to urban floods. Moreover, social drivers as human behaviors and uncontrolled urban development also increase the risk. Therefore, to minimize the impacts of water-related hazards it is necessary to take into account a combination of hard measures and soft measures. Green urban development which shows potential for improving the quality of ecosystem services and provide opportunities for urban dwellers to reconnect with nature should be promoted for disaster risk reduction.

Socio-hydrological approach for farmer adaptability to hydrological changes: a case study in salinity-controlled areas of the Vietnamese Mekong Delta

ABSTRACT The Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD) is an example of a complex dynamic socio-hydrological system in which societies and hydrology interact and co-evolve. The dominant engineering approach in the VMD has enhanced the dynamics of society and hydrology. This study looks at the implications of socio-hydrological dynamics in the coastal VMD where saline water is controlled by various infrastructures. In the first phase, key informant interviews and focus group discussions were used to explore socio-hydrological dynamics in the study area. The results show divergence in livelihood strategies inside the freshwater-projected area, shaping a heterogeneous agricultural landscape of fresh- and brackish-water livelihoods manifested by four socio-hydrological groups. Next, the Motivation and Ability (MOTA) framework and household surveys were used to assess the adaptability in the agricultural development pathway advocated by the freshwater policy. The result revealed differentiations among these socio-hydrological groups. The findings suggest other practices may be required to help the area navigate towards future adaptations to socio-hydrological changes.

Transition of water quality policies in Oregon, USA and South Korea: a historical socio-hydrological approach

ABSTRACT We examined evolutionary pathways for water quality policies in relation to changing pollution events and socio-political system changes in Oregon, USA, and South Korea. Despite geographic and temporal differences, strong oversight and financial support of the governments with public pressure played a crucial role in point source control. As point sources came under control, focus shifted to nonpoint source policies that have evolved through different pathways according to the regional socio-hydrological context. In Oregon, cross-scale collaborative governance and watershed approaches have been encouraged from the beginning. While the South Korean government relied on the rules of the point source era in the early period, it emphasized collaborative and inclusive policies in the later period. The trajectories of both regions illustrate that the pivotal policies in the point source era do not necessarily guarantee successes in nonpoint source management, and hydra-headed problems such as climate change can further complicate water quality management.

Enhancing Water Supply Resilience in a Tropical Island via a Socio-Hydrological Approach: A Case Study in Con Dao Island, Vietnam

Socio-hydrological approaches are gaining momentum due to the importance of understanding the dynamics and co-evolution of water and human systems. Various socio-hydrological approaches have been developed to improve the adaptive capacity of local people to deal with water-related issues. In this study, a social-hydrological approach was developed to enhance the water supply resilience in Con Dao Island, Vietnam. We used a water-balance model, involving the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) tool, to conduct a scenario-based evaluation of water demands. In doing so, we assessed the impacts of socio-economic development, such as population growth and climate change, on increasing water demand. The modelling results showed that the existing reservoirs—the main sources to recharge the groundwater (accounting for 56.92% in 2018 and 65.59% in 2030)—play a critical role in enhancing water supply resilience in the island, particularly during the dry season. In addition, future water shortages can be solved by investment in water supply infrastructures in combination with the use of alternative water sources, such as rainwater and desalinated seawater. The findings further indicate that while the local actors have a high awareness of the role of natural resources, they seem to neglect climate change. To meet the future water demands, we argue that upgrading and constructing new reservoirs, mobilizing resources for freshwater alternatives and investing in water supply facilities are among the most suitable roadmaps for the island. In addition, strengthening adaptive capacity, raising awareness and building professional capacity for both local people and officials are strongly recommended. The research concludes with a roadmap that envisages the integration of social capacity to address the complex interaction and co-evolution of the human–water system to foster water-supply resilience in the study area.

How can socio-hydrology contribute to natural disaster risk reduction?

ABSTRACT Despite scientific progress and international efforts, records of natural disasters and their losses are increasing. Natural disasters are constituted by the mutual interactions between social and environmental factors over time and space. Hence, the challenges of this dramatic scenario demand that we understand the interwoven social and environmental processes. Against this background, a perspective that understands humans and nature as a coupled system, like the socio-hydrological approach, can be a key to disaster risk reduction. We conducted exploratory research to demonstrate the potential of socio-hydrology to contribute to natural disaster risk reduction according to two central arguments: (i) developing an understanding of bidirectional interactions between social and environmental factors; and (ii) supporting integrated water resources and disaster risk management. As a result, we propose an integrative framework based on internal interactions between social and natural sciences, and also external interactions between the scientific community and society.

Water stress & water salience: implications for water supply planning

ABSTRACT Water stress prompts a durable reduction in water demand under some circumstances. This demand reduction has the potential to alter the benefits and costs of demand- and supply-side alternatives in water supply planning. This paper takes a socio-hydrological approach to assess the implications of this feedback, in the context of Las Vegas, Nevada. This application demonstrates feasibility first by developing and testing a novel model of water salience as a function of proximity to water supply thresholds, and then linking modules to account for feedback between subsystems. Lastly, by comparing this model to a water use scenario model to assess system performance under a range of future conditions and potential responses, this work illustrates the trade-offs between scenarios and the socio-hydrological approach. This model, while specific to Las Vegas, demonstrates a prototypical modeling framework capable of examining water supply–demand interactions by incorporating water stress-driven conservation.

Exploring socio-hydrological determinants of crop yield in under-performing irrigation schemes: pathways for sustainable intensification

ABSTRACTUnderstanding the human–water–food–climate nexus is central to achieving sustainable intensification (SI) in agriculture. This research uses a socio-hydrological approach to understand the underpinning for implementing SI in the Gezira Irrigation Scheme, Sudan, by integrating vegetation indices derived from remote sensing, ancillary, gridded soil and precipitation data, supplemented by interviews with 393 farmers. The productivity gap was estimated as the difference between the potential and actual productivities. Based upon data on farmers’ socio-economic status and field practices, a regression tree model was built to determine the factors that control the sorghum yield. The model revealed that the financial status of farmers and access to water are the most influential factors on sorghum yield. A conceptual framework that elucidates SI and its bi-directional feedback to the environment, society and the economy is proposed. Implementing SI in the scheme has implications on water and food security in Sudan and beyond its borders.

Social Acceptability of Flood Management Strategies under Climate Change Using Contingent Valuation Method (CVM)

Floods are natural hazards with serious impact on many aspects of human life. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reported that climate change already has significant impact on magnitude and frequency of flood events worldwide. Thus, it is suggested to adopt strategies to manage damage impacts of climate change. For this, involving the local community in the decision-making process, as well as experts and decision-makers, is essential. We focused on assessing the social acceptability of flood management strategies under climate change through a socio-hydrological approach using the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM). For this purpose as well, hydro-climate modelling and the Analytical Network Process (ANP) were used. Among twelve investigated flood management strategies, “river restoration”, “agricultural management and planning”, and “watershed management” were the publicly most accepted strategies. Assessment of the social acceptability of these three strategies was carried out by use of the CVM and Willingness to Pay (WTP) methodology. Generally, 50%, 38%, and 18% were willing to pay and 44%, 48%, and 52% were willing to contribute flood management strategy in zones 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Overall, peoples’ WTP for flood management strategies decreased with increasing distance from the river. Among different investigated dependent variables, household income had the highest influence on WTP.

The role of external and emergent drivers of water use change in Las Vegas

ABSTRACTOver the past twenty-five years, per capita water use has declined in many US cities. Technological and policy changes partially explain this decline, but variables beyond the control of water managers also influence water use including external (e.g. drought) and emergent (e.g. public attention) changes. Importantly, these variables interact and the relationships between these variables and water use are non-stationary. However, many models assume fixed relationships between water use and its drivers, and limited interaction between variables. Here we present a flexible socio-hydrological approach to model how conservation strategies, and external and emergent changes, interact to influence per capita water use. We apply this approach to Las Vegas and find that marginal water rates, code changes coupled with population growth, and conservation response to water stress are the key drivers of the observed decline. Critically, modeling these strategies in absence of their connections to population growth and water stress cannot fully account for observed changes.

Socio-hydrological assessment of water security in canal irrigation systems: A conjoint quantitative analysis of equity and reliability

This paper offers a socio-hydrological assessment of water security that compares canal irrigation entitlements with water deliveries using a conjoint analysis of system reliability and equity. We develop a set of definitions and metrics to quantitatively characterize reliability and equity using newly available datasets of 10-daily canal deliveries from 2007–2017 in the Punjab canal command areas in the Indus Basin Irrigation System of Pakistan, where emphasis has shifted from distributing historically-defined volumetric supplies to improving irrigation efficiencies and crop yields in order to achieve greater aggregate water and food security. Our analysis reveals stagnation and oscillation over time in system-level equity and reliability. We reflect on the potential to positively affect canal irrigation performance and water security through a socio-hydrological approach.

Socio-Hydrological Approach to the Evaluation of Global Fertilizer Substitution by Sustainable Struvite Precipitants from Wastewater

Abstract. Despite Africa controlling the vast majority of the global phosphate it also faces the greatest food shortages – partially due to a lack of access to the fertilizer market. A more accessible source of phosphorus comes from wastewater flows, which is currently lost through the discharge to open surface waters. Analysing the potential phosphorus production of urban and livestock wastewater in meeting partial agricultural demand for phosphorus can improve food security, reduce consumption of unrenewable phosphorus, reduce pollution, and aid the transitioning to a circular economy. In this study, a global overview is provided where a selection of P-production and P-consumption sites have been determined using global spatial data. Distances, investment costs and associated carbon footprints are then considered in modelling a simple, alternative trade network of struvite phosphorus flows. The network reveals potential for increasing the phosphorus security through phosphorus recycling in particularly the South Africa, Lake Victoria and Nigeria regions. Given Africa's rapid urbanization, phosphorus recovery from wastewater will prove an important step in creating sustainable communities, protecting the environment while improving food security, and so contributing to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Situating Green Infrastructure in Context: A Framework for Adaptive Socio-Hydrology in Cities.

Management of urban hydrologic processes using green infrastructure (GI) has largely focused on stormwater management. Thus, design and implementation of GI usually rely on physical site characteristics and local rainfall patterns, and do not typically account for human or social dimensions. This traditional approach leads to highly centralized stormwater management in a disconnected urban landscape, and can deemphasize additional benefits that GI offers, such as increased property value, greenspace aesthetics, heat island amelioration, carbon sequestration, and habitat for biodiversity. We propose a Framework for Adaptive Socio-Hydrology (FrASH) in which GI planning and implementation moves from a purely hydrology-driven perspective to an integrated socio-hydrological approach. This allows for an iterative, multifaceted decision-making process that would enable a network of stakeholders to collaboratively set a dynamic, context-guided project plan for the installation of GI, rather than a 'one-size-fits-all' installation. We explain how different sectors (e.g., governance, non-governmental organizations, academia, and industry) can create a connected network of organizations that work towards a common goal. Through a graphical Chambered Nautilus model, FrASH is experimentally applied to contrasting GI case studies and shows that this multi-stakeholder, connected, de-centralized network with a co-evolving decision-making project plan results in enhanced multi-functionality, potentially allowing for the management of resilience in urban systems at multiple scales.

A socio-hydrological approach for incorporating gender into biophysical models and implications for water resources research

Men and women interact with water resources and landscapes in different ways, and there are frequent criticisms that little research is undertaken across disciplines to address this issue. Biophysical scientists in particular struggle with how to integrate “gendered” water uses into models that are necessarily based on prevailing laws and equations that describe the movement of water through the hydrological cycle, independent of social constructs. We explore the challenges faced in developing interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research approaches and then present a simple yet innovative socio-hydrological approach using participatory three-dimensional maps. As a case study, we describe undertaking this process in Ethiopia where two three-dimensional maps (men's and women's) were separately generated to represent the same 20 km2 landscape. Mapping results indicated important distinctions in how men and women view landscapes with regard to the number and types of ecosystem services identified. For example, only women identified holy water sites along streams, while men identified twice as many sacred trees on the landscape. There was a clear focus and detailed knowledge about soils among participants in both groups. Maps developed as part of this exercise were successfully used as the principal land use input for the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and results indicate that this is a valid strategy that enhances scientific knowledge and understanding of overall landscapes and ultimately adds value to research for development questions.

Irrigation and Development in the Upper Indus Basin: Characteristics and Recent Changes of a Socio-hydrological System in Central Ladakh, India

Abstract This article deals with the development of irrigated agriculture in the Upper Indus Basin of Central Ladakh in Northern India. Artificial irrigation, fed by meltwater from glaciers and snow cover, forms the backbone of regional food production in this semiarid Trans-Himalayan environment. Following an integrated socio-hydrological approach, we present 2 local case studies on the village level and an overview of Central Ladakh based on multi-temporal remote sensing analyses, qualitative interviews, and regional background information. The remote sensing analyses reveal both persistence and change of land use structures over the past 4 decades. In order to understand the characteristics and variations of this land use system, the role and influence of different stakeholders are analyzed. We show how land use dynamics reflect the interplay of local practices and external interventions in mountain development.