Sustainable Water Management Policies Research Articles

An analytical review on the integrated management of river resources through Namami Gange

ABSTRACT The Ganga basin is witnessing accelerated deterioration of agricultural fields, with severe soil erosion leading to nutrients leaching into the river, wreaking havoc on the river's ecosystems. Many Ganga River management plans have been implemented in the past, but a more coordinated and integrated effort that tries to implement basin management strategies with technology preparedness considered critical for the preservation of agricultural regions had been lacking. The Namami Gange Program (NGP) is a first of its kind integrated conservation mission pillared on sustainable water management policies and practices, launched in 2014. Unfortunately, scientific literature on its overall functioning and progress is almost non-existent. This review presents its overall functioning, critically analyses its associated components, and presents case studies, pilot studies, along with analytical critiques. An objective analytical evaluation of the NGP has been provided concluding with sectoral interventions. We have concluded that the ambitions for boosting energy production, irrigation, manufacturing, and expanding the river as an inland waterway interfere with the Ganga cleanup because they are both part of the growth strategy pushed by the administration.

Factors impacting water quality and quantity in rapidly expanding urban areas based on the DPSIR model: experiences and challenges from Addis Ababa City, Ethiopia.

Due to the increasing pressures of global change, such as urbanization, climate change, population growth, and socioeconomic changes, cities around the world are facing significant water challenges, both in terms of supply and quality. This emphasizes the need for concerted effort to manage water supplies effectively for sustainable development. The driver, pressure, state, impact, and response (DPSIR) model was applied in this study to determine the underlying causes of Addis Ababa's water supply and quality issues. Field observations, key informant interviews, and previously published reports were used to identify these variables, impacts, and coping mechanisms. The model suggests that issues with urban water are caused by inadequate waste management, fast urbanization, climate change, sociodemographic shifts, economic challenges, changes in land use and land cover, and institutional pressures. As a result, aquatic ecosystems endure damage and there is also an increase in water-related diseases and unmet water demand. Some of the responses to these effects include using bottled water, digging boreholes, harvesting rainwater, planting trees, and soliciting funds. The study concludes by recommending an integrated approach to managing the risks of declining water quality and shortage. This study will advance the important empirical understanding of how urban water supply and quality are impacted by environmental stresses on a global scale. It will also positively impact the development of sustainable water management policies and practices.

Flood susceptibility mapping using Sentinel 1 and frequency ratio technique in Jinjiram River watershed, India.

Assam is one of the most flood-prone states in India, and the state frequently experiences catastrophic floods that cause significant damage in terms of loss of life and property. Flood susceptibility is considered the most essential and crucial input for managing floodplains and fostering local and regional development. This study focuses on the generation of flood susceptibility maps using the Frequency Ratio (FR) technique and microwave remote sensing inputs in the Jinjiram watershed which experienced disastrous flooding in 2020. The study has been carried out by taking into consideration of different morphological, lithological, and hydrological factors. In this study the flood inventory map was created by extracting the time series SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) Sentinel 1 GRD (Ground Range Detected) images of flooded areas for the past 5years, from 2016 to 2020. A total of 72 inventory samples were identified of which 70% of total flooded samples were chosen for training and 30% for model testing at random basis. Applying these FR methods, the study determines a range of flood susceptibility which was then divided into five classes, from very low to very high. The Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) analysis was used to evaluate the accuracy of flood susceptibility maps generated using FR models. The AUC of ROC in flood susceptibility mapping is 0.81167 achieved, corresponding to a prediction accuracy of 81.17%. The findings can be used to calculate risk, develop flood control measures and infrastructural policies, and formulate sustainable water management policies for the watershed.

INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO UTILIZING WATER INFRASTRUCTURE IN RESORT ECONOMY

Topicality. The article is dedicated to the analysis of existing international experience in developing business activities utilizing water infrastructure. It explores the resort economy of Israel in comparison with Ukraine, using the city of Odesa as an example. The focus is on the similarities in demand for recreation and experiences, as well as disparities in water infrastructure provision between the two.Aim and tasks. The aim of the article is to analyze and incorporate the best world practices in resort economy to align with global trends and a competitive environment. The tasks of the article include identifying the infrastructure components for water supply in the resort economy, identifying disparities in the water management system of the Odessa region, and outlining strategies to overcome these disparities.Materials and Methods. The theoretical framework of the research was formed through the method of analysis and clarification of concepts. To identify key disparities in the water infrastructure that supports the functioning of the resort economy, statistical and comparative methods were employed.Research results. The article establishes that ensuring the population of the Odessa region with drinking water is one of the most crucial issues that must be addressed to preserve health, improve living conditions, and enhance the quality of life for the region's residents. The development of the Odessa region as a resort area is impossible without providing quality services for the supply of safe drinking water and access to modern wastewater systems. A key aspect of improving water resource management is the experience of Israel in implementing a self-financing system in the water sector, covering not only the supply of drinking water to urban populations but also servicing all participants in the water cycle.Conclusion. Water resource management is a key factor in the development of the resort economy. Innovative solutions such as wastewater treatment, desalination processes, and sustainable water management policies will enable meeting the growing demand for water while conserving limited natural resources. By combining institutional reforms with pricing mechanisms based on full cost recovery, promoting operational efficiency and implementing practical public-private partnerships, whereby direct budgetary subsidies in the resort economy sector can be phased out and self-financing of the water sector achieved.

Effect of land use change on climate elasticity of water quality at multiple spatial scales

Abstract Investigating the influence of land use change on climate elasticity of water quality (CEWQ) at multiple spatial scales is very critical for sustainable water management policies. The current research work investigated land use change–water–climate nexus through the lens of 32 water quality monitoring sites located at major rivers of Pakistan. The novelty of the current research work is the assessment of the instability consequences of precipitation and temperature CEWQ indicators owing to land use dynamics (2001–2019) at both sub-watershed and buffer scales. Precipitation elasticity values are lower and spatially homogeneous in comparison with temperature elasticity. Majority CEWQ-land use correlation coefficients have not shown any temporal trend with land use change except a few CEWQ indicators, namely pH, CO3, F, Ca, SiO2, silt, and clay. Temperature CEWQ developed many linear models with land use in comparison with precipitation CEWQ. A small number of land use classes cause instability consequences at the buffer scale in comparison with the sub-watershed scale. Savanna, shrublands, and ice and snow decline instability consequences of CEWQ indicators at both spatial scales. The identified land use classes that bring stability in CEWQ indicators are recommended to be incorporated in watershed management policies to bring sustainability in the aquatic environment.

Are Fresh Water and Reclaimed Water Safe for Vegetable Irrigation? Empirical Evidence from Lebanon

The use of polluted water to irrigate is an increasing problem in the developing world. Lebanon is a case in point, with heavily polluted irrigation waters, particularly in the Litani River Basin. This study evaluated the potential health risks of irrigating vegetables (radishes, parsley, onions, and lettuce) using three water sources (groundwater, river water, and treated wastewater) and three irrigation methods (drip, sprinkler, and surface) over two growing seasons in 2019 and 2020. Water, crop, and soil samples were analyzed for physicochemical parameters, pathogens, and metals (Cu, Cd, Ni, Cr, and Zn). In addition, the bioaccumulation factor, estimated dietary intakes, health risk index, and target hazard quotients were calculated to assess the health risk associated with metal contamination. The study showed that, for water with less than 2 log E. coli CFU/100 mL, no pathogens (Escherichia coli, salmonella, parasite eggs) were detected in irrigated vegetables, irrespective of the irrigation method. With over 2 log E. coli CFU/100 mL in the water, 8.33% of the sprinkler-and surface-irrigated vegetables, and 2.78% of the drip-irrigated root crops (radishes and onions), showed some degree of parasitic contamination. E. coli appeared only on root crops when irrigated with water having over 3 log CFU/100 mL. The concentrations of most metals were significantly lower than the safe limits of the FAO/WHO of the Food Standards Programme Codex, except for zinc and chromium. The trends in the bioaccumulation factor and the estimated dietary intakes of metals were in the order of Cu < Cd < Ni < Cr < Zn. The target hazard quotient values for all metals were lower than 1.0. Under trial conditions, the adoption of drip irrigation with water with less than 3 log E. coli CFU/100 mL proved to be safe, even for vegetables consumed raw, except for root crops such as onions and radishes that should not be irrigated with water having over 2 log E. coli CFU/100 mL. Treated wastewater had no adverse effect on vegetable quality compared to vegetables irrigated with other water sources. These results support efforts to update the Lebanese standards for water reuse in agriculture; standards proposed in 2011 by the FAO, and currently being reviewed by the Lebanese Institution of Standards. This research will inform a sustainable water management policy aimed at protecting the Litani River watershed by monitoring water quality.

Smart Technologies for Sustainable Water Management: An Urban Analysis

As projections highlight that half of the global population will be living in regions facing severe water scarcity by 2050, sustainable water management policies and practices are more imperative than ever. Following the Sustainable Development Goals for equitable water access and prudent use of natural resources, emerging digital technologies may foster efficient monitoring, control, optimization, and forecasting of freshwater consumption and pollution. Indicatively, the use of sensors, Internet of Things, machine learning, and big data analytics has been catalyzing smart water management. With two-thirds of the global population to be living in urban areas by 2050, this research focuses on the impact of digitization on sustainable urban water management. More specifically, existing scientific literature studies were explored for providing meaningful insights on smart water technologies implemented in urban contexts, emphasizing supply and distribution networks. The review analysis outcomes were classified according to three main pillars identified: (i) level of analysis (i.e., municipal or residential/industrial); (ii) technology used (e.g., sensors, algorithms); and (iii) research scope/focus (e.g., monitoring, optimization), with the use of a systematic approach. Overall, this study is expected to act as a methodological tool and guiding map of the most pertinent state-of-the-art research efforts to integrate digitalization in the field of water stewardship and improve urban sustainability.

Assessment of river health based on a novel multidimensional similarity cloud model in the Lhasa River, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Rivers provide the basis for sustainable socio-economic development, but increasingly intense human activities poses a threat to river health. To comprehensively investigate the river health in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China, the Lhasa River is selected as study area, and a comprehensive indicator system incorporating ecosystem integrity (physical habitat, water quantity and quality, aquatic life) and non-ecological performance (social services) is constructed. The random impacts of sampling methods and environmental factors on the accuracy of monitoring data are effectively reduced by the wavelet noise reduction. Combined weights of river health indicators are calculated using the minimum deviation principle. A novel multidimensional similarity cloud model (MSCM) is then developed for assessing river health with fuzzy monitoring data. Results show that the upper reaches of Lhasa River is healthy in terms of ecosystem integrity and non-ecological performance. And the health level exhibits significant spatial variability influenced by urban construction and water conservancy projects, with decreasing health level from upper to lower reaches. 52% of the sampling sites are at excellent or healthy levels, 40% are subhealthy, and 8% are unhealthy in the Lhasa River. Accordingly, recommendations and measures are proposed to improve river health level and explore sustainable water-management policies in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, China.

Multiple drivers of hydrological alteration in the transboundary Srepok River Basin of the Lower Mekong Region

Human-induced changes in land and water resources adversely affect global hydrological regimes. Hydrological alteration of the natural flow regime is considered to have a significant damaging and widespread impact on river ecosystems and livelihoods. Therefore, understanding the hydrological alteration of rivers and the potential driving factors affecting such alterations are crucial to effective water resources management. This study analyses the impact of changes in land use, climate, and hydropower development on the hydrological regime of the Srepok River Basin in the Lower Mekong Region. The Lower Mekong Basin (LMB) in Southeast Asia is known for its agriculture, forests, fisheries, wildlife, and diverse natural ecosystems. Historical land use and climate change are quantified (utilising European Space Agency land cover and observed meteorological data) and correlated with the hydrological indicators using the Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration (IHA) software. Moreover, pre and post impacts on the hydrological regime by hydropower development are quantified using the Range of Variability Approach (RAV) in IHA software. The results reveal that land use, rainfall, and temperature affect different aspects of the hydrological regime, with corroborating evidence to support variation among the most correlated IHA and environmental flow component (EFC) parameters with the three drivers. The highest and lowest correlations among the IHA and EFC parameters under each driver are against land use (0.85, −0.83), rainfall (0.78, −0.54), and minimum and max temperatures (0.42, −0.47). Among the parameters, the fall rate has the most significant effect on hydrological alteration of all drivers. Hydropower development in the basin mostly affects the fall rate and reversal. Identifying the connection between these multiple drivers and hydrological alteration could help decision-makers to design more efficient and sustainable water management policies.

A decision support model to improve water resources management in agriculture: evaluation of the drip irrigation efficiency in the Ait Ben Yacoub region, East of Morocco

Globally, climate change is projected to exacerbate water scarcity and increase the recurrence and intensity of droughts. These circumstances call for methodologies that can support the design of sustainable water management policies. Improved irrigation efficiency has been cited as an important way to adapt to climate change. This paper illustrates the potential of hydro-economic modeling for integrating the multiple dimensions of water resources, becoming a valuable tool in the empowerment of sustainable water management policies. The modelling framework is used also to analyze the impacts of climate change-induced drought on water uses in the Ait Ben Yacoub region (the East of Morocco). The evaluation of the conversion process from flurrow irrigation systems into drip irrigation by using the model showed that this policy has some positive effects on the agricultural gross margin and contributes to slightly moderating the impact of climate change on farmer’s incomes. Moreover, aoptimal efficiency of drip irrigation will inevitably result in a decrease in the volume of infiltrated water and therefore a very likely drawdown of the groundwater level. This result demonstrates the limitation of this policy and the necessity to accompany this irrigation system by measures of improvement of water supply. It concerns rainwater storage basins that should be covered by the polyethylene geo-membrane as example of promising measures.

Climate change fingerprints in lower Euphrates basin: climate and flow data trend analysis

It is expected that climate change will affect the global weather, snow coverage and ice melting, sea level rise, hydrological cycle, agriculture and forests, ecosystems and health. One of the most affected areas of climate change is hydrology and water resources. In addition to adverse impact of climate change, increasing uncontrolled abstractions from the upper basins is likely to worsen the situation in the lower basins. Euphrates River, the longest in Western Asia, originates from the Armenian highlands and flows through Turkey, Syria and Iraq. The lower Euphrates River basin is predominantly in Iraq and likely to be affected by climate change. Owing to constant rise of water demands, to achieve a sustainable water management policy it is necessary to assess the impacts of climate change in the region. To assess trends of precipitation, temperature and streamflow to determine whether climate change impacts have already started in the lower Euphrates basin, two popular non-parametric trend analysis methods, Mann-Kendall and Spearman's rho tests, were applied in this study. Based on the time series data, a significant rising trend in temperature and a significant decreasing trend in streamflow were observed, which would be an important perception for policy making pertaining to water resources management in the lower Euphrates basin.

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as an integrated toxicological tool to assess water quality and pollution

Determination of water quality status in rivers is critical to establish a sustainable water management policy. For this reason, over the last decades it has been recommended to perform integrated water assessments that include water quantities and physicochemical, ecological and toxicological tests. However, sometimes resources are limited and it is not possible to perform large-scale chemical determinations of pollutants or conduct numerous ecotoxicological tests. To overcome this problem we use and measure the growth, as a response parameter, of the soil nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to assess water quality in rivers. The C. elegans is a ubiquitous organism that has emerged as an important model organism in aquatic and soil toxicology research. The Tunuyán River Basin (Province of Mendoza, Argentina) has been selected as a representative traditional water monitoring system to test the applicability of the C. elegans toxicological bioassay to generate an integrated water quality evaluation. Jointly with the C. elegans toxic assays, physicochemical and bacteriological parameters were determined for each monitoring site. C. elegans bioassays help to identify different water qualities in the river basin. Multivariate statistical analysis (PCA and linear regression models) has allowed us to confirm that traditional water quality studies do not predict potential toxic effects on living organisms. On the contrary, physicochemical and bacteriological analyzes explain <62% of the C. elegans growth response variability, showing that ecotoxicological bioassays are important to obtain a realistic scenario of water quality threats. Our results confirm that the C. elegans bioassay is a sensible and suitable tool to assess toxicity and should be implemented in routine water quality monitoring.

Projected impacts of climate change on water availability indicators in a semi-arid region of central Mexico

In many arid and semi-arid regions of the world, the scarcity of water resources, increasing population and the experience of recent droughts are exerting great pressures on water resources. Climate change is anticipated to exacerbate the vulnerability of water resources, which clearly highlights the need for developing sustainable water management policies and appropriate adaptation strategies. In this paper, the likely impact of climate change on water availability indicators in a semiarid region is explored through a case study in a developing country. Queretaro River Basin (QRB) in Central Mexico, is presented as an example of a semi-arid region that is facing growing pressures on the availability of water resources to sustainably meet social, economic and ecological needs. The output of seven downscaled Global Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere General Circulation Models (AOGCMs) for the B1 and A1B greenhouse gas emissions scenarios (GHGES) were used to investigate the likely impacts of climate change on water resources in the QRB. The computed future scenarios of climate change predict that increases in mean annual temperature ranging from 0.8 °C to 4.8 °C and decreases in mean annual precipitation ranging from 17% to 22% could result in a decline of up to 9.16% in the available water for groundwater recharge and runoff by the end of the 21st century. Results also suggest that for the future, both dry and wet events will become more severe and frequent, increasing the vulnerability of water resources and compromising sustainability. Therefore, it is advisable that water management planning considers flexible adaptation strategies in order to allow for adjustment under different scenarios of water availability, if the implementation of unbiased, efficient and economical water resources strategies is to enhance sustainability and resilience to climate change in the long-term.

WATERSTORY ILE

Background: Sustainable management of the municipal water supply is a priority issue in the policy agenda of Maui County, Hawaii. The Maui Economic Development Board launched the WaterStory initiative to educate residents about the determinants and history of Maui’s water resource development. A System Dynamics model was developed and coupled with a user interface to create WATERSTORY, an interactive learning environment (ILE). Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the benefits of WATERSTORY for the identification and assessment of sustainable water management policies in Maui. Method: WATERSTORY is a System Dynamics-based ILE that shows the cross-sectoral impacts of users’ decisions. Both, the simulation model and the ILE resulted from group modeling and ILE testing sessions. Results: The development of the WATERSTORY ILE facilitated the involvement of local communities in the discussion of water management problems and identification of possible solutions. Conclusions: The study suggests that developing a simple ILE is essential in raising the interest of a wide audience involved in sustainable development policy making. After stakeholders gain confidence in the benefit of the ILE, it becomes easier to integrate simulation exercises into planning processes at national, regional and local levels.

Modeling water scarcity and droughts for policy adaptation to climate change in arid and semiarid regions

• A hydro-economic model is developed for policy adaptation to climate change. • Policies based on stakeholders’ cooperation and water markets are evaluated. • Pure water market shows modest gains compared to the current institutional setting. Growing water extractions combined with emerging demands for environment protection increase competition for scarce water resources worldwide, especially in arid and semiarid regions. In those regions, climate change is projected to exacerbate water scarcity and increase the recurrence and intensity of droughts. These circumstances call for methodologies that can support the design of sustainable water management. This paper presents a hydro-economic model that links a reduced form hydrological component, with economic and environmental components. The model is applied to an arid and semiarid basin in Southeastern Spain to analyze the effects of droughts and to assess alternative adaptation policies. Results indicate that drought events have large impacts on social welfare, with the main adjustments sustained by irrigation and the environment. The water market policy seems to be a suitable option to overcome the negative economic effects of droughts, although the environmental effects may weaken its advantages for society. The environmental water market policy, where water is acquired for the environment, is an appealing policy to reap the private benefits of markets while protecting ecosystems. The current water management approach in Spain, based on stakeholders’ cooperation, achieves almost the same economic outcomes and better environmental outcomes compared to a pure water market. These findings call for a reconsideration of the current management in arid and semiarid basins around the world. The paper illustrates the potential of hydro-economic modeling for integrating the multiple dimensions of water resources, becoming a valuable tool in the advancement of sustainable water management policies.

Legal Protection for Groundwater-Dependent Ecosystems

This Note concerns the legal protection of groundwater-dependent ecosystems in the United States and abroad. By first describing the science and ecology of ecosystems that are dependent on groundwater and then surveying the current American legal system that fails to adequately protect groundwater-dependent ecosystems (GDEs), this Note proposes legal reforms that could vastly improve groundwater management systems. State protection of GDEs is sparse and often only operates indirectly as a result of states’ water policies focused on water quantity upkeep for consumptive purposes. Part I provides an overview of GDEs. Part II discusses state legal protection, including indirect state protection measures and the public trust doctrine. Part III gives an assessment of the federal government’s ability to protect GDEs. The federal government may explicitly reserve federal water rights to protect GDEs through the Winters Doctrine, which has successfully protected some at-risk ecosystems by ensuring adequate groundwater resources within federally reserved lands. Additionally, the federal government, like the states, can also indirectly protect GDEs. As highlighted in this Note, such federal actions include attempts to influence state policies through education concerning the hydrological connectivity of surface and ground waters, and thus the necessity to sustainably manage water sources, as well as threats regarding federal funding which effectively forced states to adopt those sustainable water management policies. The Endangered Species Act has unsurprisingly had considerable success in protecting GDEs, but this success is necessarily restricted to situations in which a threatened or endangered species is present. This Note also includes an analysis of the Sporhase Doctrine, which involves the protection of GDEs by requiring the open trade of groundwater resources through the Dormant Commerce Clause. But in practice, this doctrine has been generally ineffective.

Reclaimed Water System Stretches Resources

The reclaimed water system developed by Cary, N.C., can serve as a guide to other communities looking to build and maintain reclaimed water systems as part of sustainable water management policies.

Stormwater management: can we learn from others?

While there is considerable amount of literature examining how and why American federal and state governments look for information and ideas, there is considerably less knowledge of how these processes operate at the local level. This is particularly true in the case of how ideas related to sustainable water management policies are found and used by local governments. This article attempts to open this area by examining where, how and to what purpose local agents engage in the transfer of low-impact development policies and techniques. This article is organised around four questions: (1) Is there a basic agreement about the pioneers in stormwater management; (2) Where did agents gather information; (3) Did this involve complex understanding; and (4) What emerged as key obstacles to the transfer and learning processes amongst the local authorities involved in this study?

CSR and water management in the sport sector: a research agenda

Water management and the sport industry’s responsibilities surrounding it have not yet received any attention in the sport management scholarly literature. This research aims to address this oversight by identifying the key issues of corporate social responsibility inherent in water management in the sport sector and suggesting a research agenda. This research paper will present a model of water use in sport in the Australian context, and suggest research methods to further develop an understanding of sustainable water management policy, governance, and stakeholder management in the sport industry.

Agricultural water-saving and sustainable groundwater management in Shijiazhuang Irrigation District, North China Plain

Summary North China Plain (NCP) is one of the most important agricultural production regions in China. A severe water shortage, due to intensive irrigation, exists in the plain. In NCP, crop water-use accounts for 70% of total groundwater use in the floodplains and over 87% in the piedmont regions. Surface water in the plain is limited and restricted for urban water supply. Agricultural production therefore heavily relies on groundwater irrigation; the main driver of groundwater depletion in the region. To address the water shortage issue, a flexible and sustainable water management method is proposed. The method integrates crop-growth and groundwater model, and ensures groundwater recovery via agricultural water-saving. The method is successfully tested for the 4763 km 2 Shijiazhuang Irrigation District in the piedmont region of Mount Taihang. The model results show that 29.2% or 135.7 mm reduction in irrigation could stop groundwater drawdown in the plain. An additional 10% reduction in irrigation pumping (i.e., a total of 39.2% or 182.1 mm) would induce groundwater recovery and restoration to the pre-development hydrologic conditions of 1956 in about 74 years. The farmers’ current irrigation practices are inefficient and wasteful of the limited water resources. Under appropriate irrigation schemes therefore, grain yield loss as a result of the 39.2% agricultural water-saving is less than 10%. This minimal agronomic loss is economically acceptable, giving the ecological and environmental benefits of groundwater recovery in the study area. However, successful agricultural water-saving requires not only practical feasibility of models, but also sufficient political commitment, promotion of water-saving incentives and efficient water-saving technologies, and enforcement of sustainable water management policies.