Sustainable Management Of Freshwater Resources Research Articles

Sustainable management of freshwater resources in Ghana: an analysis of the perspectives of local residents

Sustainable management of freshwater resources in Ghana: an analysis of the perspectives of local residents

Changes of terrestrial water storage during 1981–2020 over China based on dynamic-machine learning model

A reliable estimation of long-term change in terrestrial water storage (TWS) is critical for a sustainable management of freshwater resources and infrastructures. Although the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites provide unprecedented accurate TWS anomaly (TWSA) observation since 2002, the limited time span and the gaps between the GRACE and GRACE-Follow On datasets hinder their climatological applications. Here we apply LightGBM, a more accurate and efficient machine learning model, to merge the land surface model simulation, human activities, land properties, and establish a dynamic-machine learning model that can reasonably depict the impacts of climate variation and human interventions on TWSA. We apply the hybrid model to reconstruct the historical TWSA during 1981–2020 over China, which shows reliable results and is consistent with other independent datasets including drought index, TWS change based on water balance, and water withdrawal dataset. The reconstructed TWSA shows significant drier (wetter) trend in North (South) China during the past 40 years, while the TWS variability has increased over 60% regions. We find the change of TWSA is mainly attributed to the climate variation in humid regions, but the human interventions dominate the decline of TWSA in arid and semiarid areas, such as the Yellow and Hai river basins (contributing about 70%). Our findings imply the potential of using artificial intelligence to represent human interventions, which is still uncertain in physical models. Our physical-machine learning model can be applied in long-term prediction and projection of TWSA and its components as well.

Future water security under climate change: a perspective of the Grand River Watershed

Abstract Climate change poses a threat to the water security of the Grand River Watershed (GRW) by altering the precipitation patterns and other weather variables, which affect streamflow and freshwater availability. Therefore, in this study, a Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model for the GRW, Ontario, Canada, was used to assess the blue and green water scarcity for future periods for future sustainable management of freshwater resources in the region. The ensemble results predicted a warmer and wetter future for the GRW. The ensemble model result, when considering both emission scenarios and future periods, showed that blue water (BW) is projected to increase by 23–40% while green water storage (GWS) is projected to experience an overall decrease (2–8%). The results suggested that BW may become more scarce compared to green water in the future. The scarcity of BW is primarily due to the projected increase in population growth and water demand in the watershed. Green water scarcity in some regions indicated that changes in irrigation might be needed in the future in some parts of the watershed. The results indicate that the careful planning is essential for future water management in GRW.

Assessing water security in Central Asia through a Delphi method and a clustering analysis

The accessibility to freshwater sources and even allocation among different uses has become one of the most challenging sustainability aspects, especially in developing and transition economies, where a rapid increase in water consumption and poor management practices are more frequent. Water security has been adopted as a relatively new concept to encompass the relevant dimensions for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. Still, water security remains a rather abstract notion without well-established and measurable indicators. Central Asia (CA) is a region where water security was prioritized after the Soviet dissolution in 1991; however, several socio-economic, environmental, and transboundary aspects hinder establishing a common understanding. In this study, we have attempted to synopsize the concept of water security in CA as perceived by the views of water professionals with experience and expertise in the region. We applied a Delphi method and analyzed its outcome with clustering and regression analysis to better comprehend the agreement rate among water professionals on critical aspects of water security in the CA region. Our devised methodology can quantify the general agreement rate among professionals and assess the behavioural trends for iterative Delphi rounds. The findings suggest that the economic dimension of water security in CA is the ultimate priority for nearly all water professionals, while the national priorities for each CA county are not identical. The study anticipates identifying the elements needed for a commonly agreed water security framework in CA and offering methodological insights for the assessment of socio-ecological challenges.

Frontiers of (Pareto) Optimal and Sustainable Water Management for Hydropower and Ecology

River regulation alters the natural flow regime of streams with consequent impacts on terrestrial and aquatic habitats of the riparian zone. The severity of such impacts can be modulated by changing the redistribution rules at water intakes and reservoirs. Contrary to minimal-flow policies, non-proportional and proportional redistribution policies result in variable environmental flow releases, namely Dynamic Environmental Flows (DEFs), which improve the global (i.e., ecological and economic) efficiency of water use practice, e.g., for energy production. DEF assessment is based on different indicators. However, the choice and aggregation method of different hydrological and fish habitat indicators affects the assessment of the global power plant performance, i.e., the Frontier of efficient solutions (sensu Pareto). This study investigates DEF assessment, and shows the extent to which the choice and method of aggregation of different indicators impacts the Frontier of Pareto-efficient solutions. The findings are supported by six case studies of hydropower practice that differ in terms of river morphology, energy production amount and technique. The relative importance of several types of indicators is examined as is their influence on optimal and sustainable water allocation solutions that lie on the Pareto Frontier. The analysis shows that DEFs arising from either proportional or non-proportional redistribution rules can positively impact strategies of sustainable management of freshwater resources.

Emergy Analysis and Ecological Spillover as Tools to Quantify Ecological Compensation in Xuchang City, Qingyi River Basin, China

As an effective means to coordinate cost–benefit allocation of ecological protection between upstream and downstream cities, ecological compensation is often used to improve collaborative basin-wide freshwater resources management. Yet, due to the complex relationships between upstream and downstream ecosystem services, calculating eco-compensation is not an easy task. We used ecological spillover (the amount of local ecosystem services not used in the region and thus flows to downstream areas) and emergy analysis to determine the amount of eco-compensation that the city of Xuchang should pay to the upstream city of Xinzheng (Qingyi River Basin, China) from 2010 to 2014. Eco-compensation was determined by deducting the emergy of the local, self-supplied ecosystem services of Xuchang City, calculated using an ecological-water-footprint-based analysis, from the emergy of the total ecosystem services used in Xuchang, and monetized accordingly. The results showed that the self-supplied ecosystem services decreased from 2010 to 2014 and, thus, Xuchang relied more on the ecological spillover services flowing from Xinzheng. As a result, eco-compensation increased from 990 million Chinese Yuan (¥) in 2010 to ¥509 billion in 2014, mostly due to increased demands for water purification and reduced precipitation around Xuchang. This method can be further enhanced by introducing larger datasets and can be replicated elsewhere to accurately determine ecological compensation, ensuring basin-wide collaboration towards the sustainable management of freshwater resources.

Hydro-Geochemical Mechanisms of Brackish Shallow Groundwater Development- Coastal Greater Accra Region, Ghana

This study investigated the processes influencing the chemistry of surface and shallow groundwater in tropical coastal environments - south east of greater Accra region of Ghana using GIS models and combination of geological and hydro geochemical techniques for sustainable management of freshwater resources and abundantly available brackish water resources. A total of 37 shallow groundwater and 11 surface water samples were collected and analysed for their physico-chemical constituents.
 The samples were adjusted to room temperature after which the hydrogen ion concentration (pH), Total Dissolve Solids (TDS) and Electrical Conductivity were measured with a precision of 0.01 for both parameters using a La Motte, USA in unfiltered samples. The analysis of major and minor ions were performed using ion chromatography (DIONEX-ICS-1000 Series). The geographical locations of the samples were recorded with the aid of a handheld Global Position System (GPS).
 The analysed shallow groundwater indicates minimum salinity values of 70.2 psu/ppm, maximum salinity of 4398.3 psu/ppm with an average of 1571.4 psu/ppm whilst surface water has minimum salinity of 33.8 psu/ppm, maximum of 43574 psu/ppm with an average of 4972.6 psu/ppm therefore highly saline. The total minimum dissolved solid (TDS) concentrations is 87.5 ppm, maximum of 5160 ppm with an average of 1911.96 ppm for shallow groundwater and for surface water minimum of 38.4 ppm, maximum of 27100 ppm and average 3938.12 ppm.

Analysis of physicochemical water quality parameters for streams under agricultural, urban and forest land-use types: in the case of gilgel Gibe catchment, Southwest Ethiopia

Streams draining to Gilgel Gibe catchment cross agricultural and urban land uses receiving a different pollutant that challenges water quality. A total of 21 sampling sites were selected from seven streams of agricultural (n = 3), urban (n = 3) and forest (n = 1) land-use types. Composite samples were collected from upstream, middle and downstream of all land-use types. Twenty-three physicochemical parameters were measured from each sampling site. Temperature, DO, pH, EC, turbidity, width, depth, current velocity and discharge were measured onsite. Two milliliters of unfiltered water samples was collected from every site for laboratory analysis. Mean of NO3-N was highest in agricultural streams than forested and urban streams. In contrast, mean of SRP, NH4-N and COD and BOD5 concentration was greater in urban streams followed by agricultural streams, whereas forest streams are lowest. Concentrations of nutrients, EC and turbidity were recorded in increasing manner across land-use gradient from forested to agricultural and urban streams. The analysis of one-way ANOVA showed that all physicochemical parameters were significantly different among all sites with different land-use types (P < 0.05), except for water temperature (one-way ANOVA: F = 0.987, P = 0.494). NMDS and cluster analyses have discriminated the sites into three groups of land-use types. Then, we conclude that water quality of urban stream is highly impaired than agricultural streams, whereas forested streams have better water quality. Therefore, stream restoration projects, reforestation, conservation of riparian vegetation appropriate waste disposal need to be encouraged in the study area for sustainable management of freshwater resources.

Using machine learning algorithms to map the groundwater recharge potential zones

Groundwater recharge is indispensable for the sustainable management of freshwater resources, especially in the arid regions. Here we address some of the important aspects of groundwater recharge through machine learning algorithms (MLAs). Three MLAs including, SVM, MARS, and RF were validated for higher prediction accuracies in generating groundwater recharge potential maps (GRPMs). Accordingly, soil permeability samples were prepared and are arbitrarily grouped into training (70%) and validation (30%) samples. The GRPMs are generated using sixteen effective factors, such as elevation (denoted using a digital elevation model; DEM), aspect, slope angle, TWI (topographic wetness index), fault density, MRVBF (multiresolution index of valley bottom flatness), rainfall, lithology, land use, drainage density, distance from rivers, distance from faults, annual ETP (evapo-transpiration), minimum temperature, maximum temperature, and rainfall 24-hr. Subsequently, the VI (variables importance) is assessed based on the LASSO algorithm. The GRPMs of three MLAs were validated using the ROC-AUC (receiver operating characteristic-area under curve) and various techniques including true positive rate (TPR), false positive rate (FPR), F-measures, fallout, sensitivity, specificity, true skill statistics (TSS), and corrected classified instances (CCI). Based on the validation, the RF algorithm performed better (AUC = 0.987) than the SVM (AUC = 0.963) and the MARS algorithm (AUC = 0.962). Furthermore, the accuracy of these MLAs are included in excellent class, based on the ROC curve threshold. Our case study shows that the GRPMs are potential guidelines for decision-makers in drafting policies related to the sustainable management of the groundwater resources.

Benchmark decadal forecast skill for terrestrial water storage estimated by an elasticity framework

A reliable decadal prediction of terrestrial water storage (TWS) is critical for a sustainable management of freshwater resources and infrastructures. However, the dependence of TWS forecast skill on the accuracy of initial hydrological conditions and decadal climate forecasts is not clear, and the baseline skill remains unknown. Here we use decadal climate hindcasts and perform hydrological ensemble simulations to estimate a benchmark decadal forecast skill for TWS over global major river basins with an elasticity framework that considers varying skill of initial conditions and climate forecasts. The initial condition skill elasticity is higher than climate forecast skill elasticity over many river basins at 1–4 years lead, suggesting the dominance of initial conditions at short leads. However, our benchmark skill for TWS is significantly higher than initial conditions-based forecast skill over 25 and 31% basins for the leads of 1–4 and 3–6 years, and incorporating climate prediction can significantly increase TWS prediction skill over half of the river basins at long leads, especially over mid- and high-latitudes. Our findings imply the possibility of improving decadal TWS forecasts by using dynamical climate prediction information, and the necessity of using the new benchmark skill for verifying the success of decadal hydrological forecasts.

Sustainable management of freshwater resources: Linking international water law and the Sustainable Development Goals

Ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water for all by 2030 is one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted in 2015. Sustainable management of freshwater resources happens to be a purpose of international water law as well. This paper explains how the legal compliance mechanism of international water law and the extralegal compliance mechanism of the SDGs can be jointly harnessed to more compellingly encourage all states in the world to manage their freshwater resources in a sustainable way.This paper demonstrates how the extralegal compliance mechanism of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular as it is applied to sustainable freshwater management (SDG 6, 12, and 15), complements the legal compliance mechanism of international water law, thereby contributing to the resolution of one of the most pressing environmental problems in today’s world: the sustainable management of freshwater resources. The SDG targets, commitments, progress indicators, and reporting obligations relating to the sustainable management of freshwater resources are paired with provisions from the Law of the Non-navigational Uses of International Watercourses (UNWC) and the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes (UNECE Convention). The main idea is that the above-mentioned treaties and the SDGs can strengthen each other’s compliance pull when paired in this way. The paper zooms in on the SDG targets and international water law provisions relating to 1. the sustainable management of freshwater resources, 2. the prevention of freshwater pollution, and 3. the protection and restoration of freshwater ecosystems.

Assessing the Water Footprint of Pets: the Case of Small Breed Dogs

© Copyright 2017, AIDIC Servizi S.r.l. Although humans are not the only species that leave their footprint on the environment, they alone have the ability to reduce their environmental impact in contrast to animals. In this regard, pet owners should also go green on behalf of their beloved companions. At the same time, as pet food production constitutes the major hotspot of a pet's ecological footprint, pet food manufacturers should be aware of the environmental profile of their products and thus act towards adopting sustainable practices. However, while a public discussion on the ecological footprint of pets in terms of biologically productive land or greenhouse gas emissions has been launched, a lack of research concerning the impact of food manufacturing and home caring of pets on freshwater resources is evident. In this study, we provide a first-effort conceptual framework for assessing the footprint related to the basic everyday life activities of pets from a pet products' manufacturer (indirect use) and a pet owner (direct use) perspective. More specifically, the paper focuses on the consumptive and degradative use during the production of packaged pet food and other pet products, the preparation of homemade pet food, as well as the watering and washing of pets. As a next step, based on the proposed framework, we present a real-word case study on the assessment of the average annual pet footprint, or else water pawprint, of a small breed dog, including the main typical activities of the dog's life. The obtained results highlight that indirect use associated with pet food production is responsible for almost the whole annual footprint of the dog, while direct use intended for home caring activities is minimal. Finally, this research is anticipated to provide value-added insights for both industry and society with respect to the sustainable management of freshwater resources appropriated for pets.

Analyzing the hydrological impact of afforestation and tree species in two catchments with contrasting soil properties using the spatially distributed model MIKE SHE SWET

Groundwater depletion occurs at a global scale but requires regional strategies for sustainable management of freshwater resources. In Denmark the groundwater quantity and quality is under pressure, and forested areas are considered to protect groundwater reservoirs. However, little is known on how afforestation or forest conversion impacts the water resource at the catchment scale. We hypothesize that the groundwater formation and streamflow is increased when water consuming conifers are replaced with the less consumptive broadleaf tree species. To test this a distributed hydrological model with an energy-based description of evaporation and transpiration processes (MIKE SHE SWET) was used. Large scale hydrological models were established for two geologically (sandy/clayey) contrasting catchments in Denmark; Skjern and Lejre catchments. Land use scenarios were defined with forest vegetation (conifer/broadleaf) and agricultural crops (grass, maize, wheat and barley) in different areal combinations. Initially, the SWET component was calibrated against plot scale field data from two forest sites to obtain vegetation parameter estimates for conifers and broadleaves. Subsequently, the catchment models were run for 10 years with predefined land use scenarios. MIKE SHE SWET simulated canopy interception and throughfall for conifers and broadleaf forests satisfactorily. The catchment simulations showed that replacing current conifer forests with broadleaves, resulted in a significant increase in groundwater recharge and groundwater level, especially in the Skjern catchment with predominantly sandy soils. Also, doubling the forest area, as intended by national legislations, using only broadleaves did not negatively affect the groundwater generation or minimum stream discharge compared to current conditions at Skjern. However, because the shallow geology in the Lejre catchment are dominated by clayey glacial moraine deposits with low hydraulic conductivity, increased net precipitation in areas covered by broadleaf forests would primarily discharge as overland flow or drainage flow rather than contributing to groundwater formation.

On philosophical foundations of ecohydrology: the challenge of bridging natural and social science

AbstractThe introduction of a sustainable management of freshwater resources to biological and hydrological processes of ecohydrology research by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's International Hydrologic Programme and the Man and Biosphere Programme calls for multiple and overarching philosophical explanations in ecohydrology. This paper reviews philosophical theories underpinning research in natural sciences (hydrology and biology) and social sciences, with special emphasis on studying causes and effects of ecohydrological extremes such as water stress and drought. The ontology, epistemology and methodology of theories such as Empiricism, Realism and Structurations have been considered. Specifically, the application of the hypothetico‐deductive method of Empiricism was first reviewed in guiding empirical modelling of a river basin. Then, the Retroduction method of transcendental realism was also reviewed for the guidance of distributed models. Critical realism was reviewed as a philosophy of local knowledge identification of causes and effects of ecohydrological extremes. Finally, an ambitious attempt was made in proposing Anthony Giddens' concepts of resources and human agency to bridge the gap between the natural and the social science philosophies. This suggests that there can be a common grand theory for both the natural and the social sciences, and the latter can be used to validate the theoretical foundations of the former and vice versa. The study will be useful for post graduates students, especially PhD candidates, who are normally required to review and justify the philosophical foundations of their studies. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

An assessment of effectiveness of the Lunyangwa River catchment co-management model in Mzuzu City, Northern Malawi

An assessment of the effectiveness of Lunyangwa River catchment co-management model in Mzuzu City, Northern Malawi has been carried out. This study was aimed at assessing the effectiveness of the approach in boosting Northern Region Water Board’s (NRWB) water production capacities and simultaneously addressing water quality challenges facing NRWB. A questionnaire survey was carried out to elicit information pertaining to formation and implementation of the approach. The results of the survey were analysed to assess the strengths and weaknesses of management policies and programs, from the perspective of catchment co-management. Literature was reviewed to form a conceptual framework for the investigation of the effectiveness of catchment co-management. Direct observations were also done to collect data on the physical attributes of the catchment area. Water samples were collected from 54 sites using standard sampling procedures and analysed for pH, EC, TDS, turbidity and faecal coliform count using standard methods. The study revealed that there was a quest to empower and improve the capacity of grass-root level community members to participate effectively in co-management decision making. However, it was observed that regardless of season, the population-poverty-environment nexus is negatively affecting the implementation of the co-management approach. The nexus has led to degradation of trees for community livelihoods, which results in increased levels of silt loads that increases turbidity in Lunyangwa River catchment and Gulliver dam (turbidity range=130–225 NTU). The high turbidity levels led to increase in the amount of coagulant dose used to treat raw water. Raw water of turbidity levels higher than 200 NTU used a coagulant dose of about 7.5mg/ℓ, which is higher than a 0.5mg/ℓ coagulant dose that was being used before high turbidity problems. In addition, inadequate sanitary facilities for human settlements, particularly those established in upper Lunyangwa River catchment area also contributed to the deterioration of the microbial quality of water in Lunyangwa River catchment and dam (faecal coliform>1000counts/mℓ). The water from Lunyangwa River could be classified as freshwater (TDS<1000mg/ℓ) which registered a uniformly fair water quality rating (WQI range=33.12–35.03%). The water levels in Gulliver dam were also observed to have been going down. A collaborative and systems approach is suggested for sustainable management of freshwater resources in Lunyangwa River catchment area since co-management is a novel approach and might require more effort to be understood by grass-root level community and stakeholders.

The microbial diversity of inland waters

The conservation and sustainable use of freshwater resources is of global importance. Microorganisms are not only the most abundant organisms in natural freshwater systems, but are also key players in ecological processes controlling water quality. Detailed knowledge of the diversity and function of microorganisms dwelling in freshwater habitats is an essential prerequisite for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. Freshwater systems are inhabited by microbial communities that are indigenous to this habitat type and usually do not occur in marine systems, saline inland waters and terrestrial habitats. Despite recent advances in the characterization of the diversity of freshwater microorganisms, knowledge essential for a holistic understanding of their ecological roles is still lacking.

Knowledge-intensive networks for development: the case of the Global Water Partnership

The Global Water Partnership (GWP) is a “reinforced network” of organisations interested in the sustainable management of freshwater resources in developing countries. It was established in 1996 in response to the worsening water shortage in large parts of the developing world and to the perceived lack of international leadership in water. It is modelled on the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) as a virtual organisation with a minimum of formal structure. It aims to establish principles of sustainable water resources management, identify gaps and stimulate its partners to meet critical needs, support action that follows principles of sustainable water resources management, help match needs to available resources, and strengthen mechanisms for sharing information and experiences. It promotes an integrated approach to water resources management that recognises that water is a limited resource subject to multiple uses and increasing demand. GWP is co-sponsored by the World Bank, UNDP and Sida and supported by several bilateral aid donors. Its secretariat is hosted by Sida in Stockholm.

Freshwater management policies in New Zealand

1. This paper examines the effectiveness of New Zealand's Resource Management Act in managing freshwater resources. 2. A distinctive feature of the New Zealand situation is the extent to which Parliament has delegated the sustainable management of freshwater resources to catchment based regional councils. Regional councils exercise a pivotal role in water resource planning but without much guidance or technical assistance from central government. 3. Contrary to New Zealand's ‘clean green’ image, water pollution is alarmingly high in relation to its small population size. The Act puts particular emphasis on improving water quality by empowering regional councils to address this concern in policy statements and plans. 4. Water allocation policies in New Zealand are dominated by a supply-oriented biophysical perspective based on prescribing minimum flows and maximum extraction thresholds to safeguard the life-supporting capacity of ecosystems. Despite persistent attempts by central government to encourage regional councils to adopt competitive tendering and tradable permits for allocating water, most regional councils favour allocation procedures based on community consultation and political compromise. 5. Water Conservation Orders are a special provision in the Act for protecting outstanding amenity or intrinsic values of waters in their natural state. However, no new applications have been made under the RMA since 1991. 6. The RMA has brought about significant procedural improvements in water resource planning, by means of a cooperative, consultative approach. However, limited attention has been given to issues of water allocation to promote the sustainable use of increasingly scarce resources. The policies and rules in recently notified plans now regulate point source as well as non-point source discharges. Nevertheless, central government may need to reassess its role if it wishes to achieve a significant improvement in water quality and there needs to be greater coordination of water resource monitoring systems operated by regional councils to provide a national overview. ©1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Swedish study acquits detergent phosphates

second half of a study assessing sodium tripolyphosphate builders for laundry detergents has just been published. A prelaunch copy obtained by C&EN goes one step further than the findings of The Phosphate Report, published in January 1994: Not only does it say that phosphate builders are as green as other builders, it explicitly recommends that European countries that have banned or restricted use of detergent phosphates reconsider their positions. new study, The Swedish Phosphate Report by London-based Landbank Environmental Research & Consultancy, examines the environmental impact of detergent builders in the Nordic countries. It also assesses the implications for the sustainable management of freshwater resources in Europe. As in the earlier study, a panel of water scientists was used. But whereas the first study looked at performance of detergent builder systems in the U.K., this study sought to determine if the earlier conclusions hold under general European conditions, particularly u...