Transboundary Water Resources Research Articles

Diagnostic and evolutionary models for spatial equilibrium allocation schemes of transboundary water resources

Diagnostic and evolutionary models for spatial equilibrium allocation schemes of transboundary water resources

Surface Water Resources Planning in an Ungauged Transboundary Basin Using Satellite Products and the AHP Method

Global concern over optimizing transboundary water resources for residents is hindered by the lack of observational data, particularly in ungauged basins, mainly due to inaccessibility or security issues. Remote sensing and GIS technology provide a practical solution for monitoring and managing water resources in such basins. This research evaluates surface water resources in the Qaretikan ungauged transboundary basin using satellite products for precipitation, temperature, and evapotranspiration from 2005 to 2014. The accuracy of these datasets was assessed using statistical measures. The water balance components, i.e., precipitation and evaporation, were utilized to calculate runoff over the basin using the Justin method. Downstream environmental flow was estimated using the Lyon method, and available water was determined. This study identified a potential annual storage water of 11.8 MCM in the Qaretikan basin. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) integrated expert opinions to prioritize water usage decisions based on proposed decision options. The results revealed greenhouse cultivation water allocation as the top priority among the identified options, highlighting its importance in sustainable water resource management within the basin.

Transboundary water resources management and food security: An Indonesian perspective

AbstractTransboundary water resource management is one of the key components of ensuring that water is managed appropriately for a number of objectives, including assisting in food production. Inadequate water management may aggravate social conflict in the near future as precipitation patterns change. This study evaluates long‐term government policies, plans, and initiatives based on their responsibility. Strategic environmental assessment is used as an approach to address problems relating to the transboundary flow of water resources. It takes into account the requirements for integrating environmental constraints into government planning and development programs. To make sure that water resources are functioning correctly from upstream to downstream locations, various levels of government are urged to employ spatial planning based on water resource information. This study uses the Cimanuk watershed area in Indonesia to demonstrate this perspective.

Transboundary water resource management and sustainable development in the lancang-mekong river basin: an analysis of international water law

ABSTRACT The Lancang-Mekong River Basin stands as one of the most critical and complex transboundary basins globally, where the utilization and protection of water resources are paramount. This basin, linking China, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam, is characterized by a dense population and rapid industrial and agricultural development, fostering frequent economic and cultural exchanges. Cooperative efforts in water resource utilization and protection among these countries lead to issues such as resource disputes, environmental pollution, and collaboration barriers. Since the six basin countries have not jointly joined any international convention on water resources development or protection, disputes have been resolved and cooperation promoted through existing inter-state cooperation mechanisms for many years. However, these mechanisms often fall short due to the lack of common guiding principles. Achieving sustainable water resource development in the Lancang-Mekong River Basin aligns with the national interests of the six countries. The basin states can establish a transboundary Environmental Impact Assessment system and a dispute settlement mechanism. Constructing a comprehensive Integrated Water Resource Management Cooperation Mechanism, rooted in the fundamental principles of international water law, is crucial for enhancing the level of international cooperation within the basin.

Enhancing Transboundary Freshwater Security: From Online Learning to Global Knowledge Exchange Platform

The management of transboundary water resources presents a complex challenge involving multiple stakeholders and countries. Negotiating a single rule for managing these resources can take years due to various factors, including political, socioeconomic, cultural, and historical backgrounds. To assist transboundary water practitioners worldwide, the GWP and GEF IW:LEARN have developed a free-access educational platform, the Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) on Governance for Transboundary Freshwater Security. The MOOC attracted 3855 learners from 166 countries and included 14 interactive online sessions to facilitate discussions among practitioners. In response to learners’ desire for increased interaction and networking opportunities, the Transboundary Water Knowledge Exchange Hub was established. This global online community enables members to share knowledge and engage in direct peer-to-peer learning through an online knowledge management platform. The effort evolved from online course and interactive sessions into an online community, promoting knowledge sharing and peer-to-peer learning through an online knowledge management platform. Through examining this evolution and analysing key survey results, this paper analyses the role of MOOC and knowledge sharing and peer-to-peer learning for building capacity for improved transboundary water governance.

Public opinion risk perception of decision makers’ in transboundary watershed emergency water supply

ABSTRACT In recent years, the number of public opinion risks related to sudden transboundary drought events has continued to increase. Research on the perception of public opinion risks has become an indispensable and increasingly important part of emergency management research in transboundary watersheds. Based on relevant literature and interview materials, an exploratory theoretical construction was conducted using the grounded theory research method. The research results indicate that four main categories of public opinion risks, namely, political, economic, ecological and environmental, and socio-cultural, have a significant impact on the perception of public opinion risks among decision-makers in transboundary watershed emergency water supply. The formation mechanisms of decision-makers’ perception of public opinion risks vary in each of these four categories. This research not only enriches the relevant research on the influencing factors of decision-makers’ perception of public opinion risks in theory but also provides decision-making reference and guidance for transboundary watershed water resource management in practice.

Impact of Türkiye’s Dam Construction on the Water Resources of Transboundary Aras River Basin in Iran

Abstract The Aras River Basin, a significant transboundary river basin in the Caucasus region, is shared among four riparian countries, including Türkiye, Armenia, Iran, and Azerbaijan. Although positive measures have been taken to enhance water cooperation in this river basin, the Eastern Anatolia Project (DAP) and the hydraulic mission of Türkiye remain the primary factors that could potentially reverse the cooperative atmosphere of the basin and lead to conflict. In recent decades, Türkiye has utilised transboundary water resources to bolster its economic power, advance political strategies, and establish hydro-hegemony. Despite the significant Mega-Project and hydraulic mission of the upstream in the Aras River Basin, they have not received adequate attention in hydro politics studies. This study employs secondary sources to investigate Türkiye’s actions in the region. It discusses the implications of Türkiye’s projects on downstream riparian states in general and Iran’s water resources, including dam construction.

Tracing water resources flows by complementary use of hydrological and water accounting models

AbstractHistorically, there has been a dispute over water allocation between users and policymakers in Iran's Zayandeh‐Roud Basin (ZRB). In this study, we used the “System of Environmental‐Economic Accounting for Water” (SEEAW) framework in combination with the hydrologic model “Soil and Water Assessment Tool” (SWAT) to achieve the water balance in ZRB. We used SEEAW to combine a wide range of water‐related statistics across stakeholders and SWAT to evaluate the unknown agricultural water use. The SWAT model is calibrated based on the stream flows and crop yields in the basin. The model assess the renewable water of the basin into two components, about 363 and 70 mm as green and blue water, respectively. Also results from the physical water supply and water use tables demonstrates that the agricultural sector uses 78% of the total renewable freshwater, followed by the residential, 16%, and the industrial sector, 6%. The flows of water from source to services in ZRB are traced based on the water supply and water use tables. The flow diagram shows that 8 MCM of industrial reused water was transferred to the agricultural sector, and 137 MCM and 18 MCM of water from the wastewater treatment plants to the agricultural and industrial sectors, respectively. Furthermore, the results show that the index of the basin dependence on groundwater resources is high (61%), the value of water stress is high (0.88) and the dependence of the basin on transboundary water resources is 30%. Therefore, this method is highly beneficial for achieving a conceptual water balance in disputed basins without enough agricultural water uses data.

Seawater intrusion assessment in the Bir Guendouz-Boulanoire coastal transboundary aquifers of Morocco and Mauritania

The Bir Guendouz region, situated in Southern Morocco, is affected by saltwater intrusion. The transboundary aquifer is shared by Morocco and Mauritania, and it serves as the primary source of freshwater in this arid region. To differentiate between freshwater and saltwater areas, 750 non-invasive vertical electrical soundings (VES) were utilized along 42 perpendiculars to the coast. Dar-Zarrouk parameters—transverse resistance (Tr), longitudinal conductance (S), and longitudinal resistivity (ρl)— were determined using VES. These techniques remove uncertainties in resistivity interpretation that may arise due to the overlap between freshwater and saline aquifers during the process of suppression and equivalence. The results indicate a significant marine intrusion in the Bir Guendouz-Boulanoire aquifer, with varying degrees of salinization observed in different zones. Freshwater zones are identified by a transverse resistance of over 4450 Ω m2, a longitudinal conductance below 41.7 mho, and a longitudinal resistivity greater than 8.7 Ω m. These characteristics can be used to prevent saltwater intrusion and ensure the sustainable use of groundwater resources. Furthermore, they will aid in improving resource management between the two nations. The study's consequences also involve safeguarding the ecosystem and ensuring the longevity of these transboundary water resources. Therefore, for researchers, professionals, and decision-makers involved in sustainable management of transboundary groundwater, this study serves as a crucial reference.

International Experience in the Use of Transboundary Water Resources and Issues of its Regulation

The article analyzes the ecological problems of regulating the use of transboundary waters and its protection. The contents of the documents accepted by the international community were studied. At the same time, the state environmental policy of the Republic of Uzbekistan regarding transboundary waters and the tasks it has set for itself have been studied, and suggestions for their improvement have been given. The methods used in this research were interviews and surveys where interviews were conducted with key stakeholders, including government officials, local activists, and the general public in Uzbekistan. Use surveys to collect quantitative data about public perception and awareness regarding changing views about the value of water. In summary, effective international cooperation, clear legal regulations, the establishment of a monitoring commission, and comprehensive protection measures are essential for the sustainable management of transboundary water resources in Central Asia.

Environmental Radioactivity, Ecotoxicology (238U, 232Th and 40K) and Potentially Toxic Elements in Water and Sediments from North Africa Dams

The natural radioactivity of 238U, 232Th and 40K was measured in water and sediment samples collected from Sidi Salem dam (Tunisia) and Aïn Dalia dam (Algeria) in the Tuniso-Algerian transboundary basin. The samples were measured using a TERRA detector of gamma, beta, and alpha rays, and atomic absorption and gamma-ray spectrometry were used to analyze the levels of radionuclides and toxic elements, respectively. Potentially toxic elements (Fe, Pb, Zn, Ni, Cr, Cu and Cd) and associated health risks in surface water and sediment of dams were investigated in this present study. The concentrations of Fe, Pb, Zn, Ni, Cr, Cu and Cd in surface water ranged from 5.430 to 9.700 mg·L−1, 0.022 to 0.168, 0.018 to 0.142, 0.065 to 0.366, BDL to 0.0351, BDL to 0.071 and BDL to 0.048 mg·L−1, respectively. In the sediments, the concentrations of Fe, Pb, Zn, Cu, Ni, Cd and Cr were of the order of 136.7, 3.41, 3.22, 0.213, 0.182, 0.15 mg·L−1 and BDL, respectively. The mean radioactivity rates in the water samples were 1.72, 0.068 and 94.6 Bq·L−1 for 238U, 232Th and 40K, respectively (Tunisia dam), and were 1.9, 0.09 and 131.43 Bq·L−1 for 238U, 232Th and 40K, respectively (Algeria dam). The mean 238U, 232Th and 40K radioactivity concentrations measured in the sediment samples were 2.67, 0.18 and 197.87 Bq·kg−1, respectively (Tunisian dam), and were 4.34, 0.27 and 287.61 Bq·kg−1, respectively (Algeria dam). The activity concentration of 40K was higher than that of 238U and 232Th for the water and sediment samples. The activity concentrations follow the order 40K > 238U > 232Th. The cumulative impact of these radio-geochemical elements can cause immediate serious problems in the ecosystem due to their high potential toxicity to the environment and human health in this study area and can be transposable to any other similar region. A good knowledge of monitoring quality and quantity for transboundary water resources and international collaborations are essential to safeguard human health (women’s breast cancer, thyroid cancer, neurological impact) and avoid conflicts, especially during climatic upheavals of drought.

Legal bases of the Water Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan

The relevance of the research topic is due to the fact that water security in recent years has been included in the list of global risks of modernity, which requires effective water resources management. In particular, in the Republic of Kazakhstan, this issue has been one of the most acute recently. To date, there are a number of unresolved issues at the inter-national level of water resources management in the republic, as almost all freshwater resources of the country are transboundary in nature, and almost half of them are formed on the territory of neighbouring states. The purpose of this study is to analyse the existing problems in transnational water resources management in the Republic of Kazakhstan and to develop directions for their solution. The research methods include normative-legal method, expert, factual method, content analysis, comparison, generalisation, classification, synthesis and analysis. The article presents the state of water resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan at the present stage of development, including those of transboundary nature. The management of water resources of the republic, including at the inter-national level, is characterised, and problems in this area are revealed. Thus, the main problems to date have been attributed to: dependence on transboundary flows from the territories of neighbouring countries, primarily China and Russia, in recent years increasingly polluting rivers and increasing the volume of water withdrawal, significant wear and tear of infrastructure, low level of automation and digitalisation of management, low efficiency of control over the implementation of measures for the rational use of water resources. To solve the problems, recommendations have been proposed and promising directions for the development of transnational water resources management have been considered, which will contribute to improving the efficiency of transboundary water resources use.

The effectiveness of probation as a probationary period following sentencing for criminal offences in the management of transboundary water resources

The article is devoted to the theoretical and practical significance of issues related to the application of probation as a probationary period after the application of punishment for criminal offenses that encroach on the normal functioning of the management of trans boundary water resources. The legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan has the task of protecting the legitimate interests of individuals and legal entities, society and the state in the context of the application of probation as a probationary period after the application of punishment for criminal offenses that encroach on the use of geo-information technologies in water management and irrigation. Encroaching on the use of geo-information technologies in water management and irrigation

Mekong River

This paper offers an examination of the complex dynamics within the Mekong River Basin, a region historically intertwined with the Mekong River’s abundance but now marked by a shift towards hydroelectric power as a resource.1 Focusing on the reluctance of China—a key player in the basin—to join the Mekong Agreement, this paper uncovers the environmental and social consequences of this non-cooperation. It discusses the historical context of international environmental law related to transboundary water resources, emphasizing how China’s actions challenge established principles and responsible resource management norms. Highlighting the significance of transboundary collaboration underscores the essential role it plays in ensuring the sustainable governance of shared water resources in the Mekong River Basin.

Is there public desire for a federal takeover of water resource management in Australia?

Multi-jurisdictional water governance issues remain an ongoing challenge in transboundary and other water resource areas. Achieving coordinated and effective governance at the local, state, federal and international levels remains critical for good water governance. Under Australia's 1901 Constitution, states have the power to allocate water resources. To date, water resources in numerous areas have been overallocated to consumptive use, causing increasing environmental sustainability challenges. This is particularly prevalent in Australia's Murray-Darling Basin (MDB), which spans four states and one territory, posing significant governance challenges. Due to the difficulties of changing and coordinating water management across multiple states, a growing number of Australians are calling for a complete Federal takeover of water resources through constitutional amendment. To change the Constitution, a double majority vote would be required, namely from both the Australian public nationally and from a majority of voters in a majority of the states. This study investigates the Australian public's desire for a Commonwealth takeover of water resources, focussing specifically on the MDB. It finds only lukewarm support for a Commonwealth takeover of water resources, with less than four in ten participants supporting the proposal. Overall, the ACT and South Australia are the only areas with a slight majority in favour of the takeover. One of the strongest predictors of support was location (such as living in a MDB state, and especially South Australia), but other significant factors included age, education, children, home ownership and trust in the Federal government and university researchers. We conclude that a complete water resource takeover by Federal government is highly unlikely to occur, but offer insights into other areas where increasing Federal intervention is warranted.

Water Security in the Context of Sustainable Management of Transboundary Water Resources in the Caspian Region

The paper examines water security in the Caspian region and the management of transboundary rivers for sustainable development. It analyzes the potential impacts of building dams on upper river courses on the region's water resources, particularly addressing concerns about environmental implications due to pollution from sources like sewage and agricultural fertilizers.It further investigates planned dam projects and their potential climate and ecological effects on the Caspian Sea and surrounding regions. The paper discusses the idea of desalination as a means to tackle water shortages but underscores its limitations in the closed hydrological system of the Caspian Sea.The primary focus lies in establishing effective management strategies for shared water resources. It introduces a novel perspective by considering these rivers and the Caspian Sea as an integrated water system, emphasizing the far-reaching consequences that excessive dam construction could pose to the overall hydrological balance. Collaboration and international agreements are crucial to navigate this challenge.The paper's significance lies in its innovative approach to water management, addressing the complex interplay between water, energy, food, and the environment in the region.

Роль водохранилищ в формировании гидроэкологической ситуации центрально-азиатского региона

As you know, the basins of more than 260 of the world's rivers are divided between two or more countries. River basins are home to about 40% of the world's population, occupy approximately half of the land surface, and account for about 60% of the globe's fresh water. Therefore, in modern times, one of the important regional and international problems is the establishment of friendly relations between the countries of transboundary river basins, the rational use of transboundary water resources, the correct distribution of water between countries, the resolution of conflicts in the use of transboundary water resources and other similar issues. The Aral Sea basin has two large transboundary rivers that are used by all countries in the region. Thus, this article examines the role of reservoirs in the regulation of water resources and their effective use in the process of climate change. In particular, this article analyzes the role of the Tajik Sea reservoir in regulating river flow, sedimentation of pollutants in river water and a decrease in the degree of salinity, as well as the impact on the formation of the climate of adjacent areas and use in various industries.

Transboundary water resource allocation under drought emergencies: A multistage bilevel programming model considering decision-makers’ risk perception

Transboundary water resource allocation under drought emergencies: A multistage bilevel programming model considering decision-makers’ risk perception

Urgent call for protection and use of transboundary watercourses. Some legal reflections

AbstractThe use of transboundary water resources has received special international attention in recent years. Although riparian countries recognize the benefits of cross‐border rivers and enter into agreements with countries sharing the transboundary rivers by means of legal rules, treaties, and principles, they have done excessive riverine exploitation activities to maximize their socio‐economic benefits, causing the imbalance in the ecosystems and peace. This study aims to conduct a secondary analysis of primary qualitative data to research the common legal frameworks on international water law such as Helsinki Rules, UN Watercourses Conventions, and UNECE Water Convention, together with a case study on the Mekong River Agreement. Bilateral, multilateral, international treaties and principles are currently not enforceable enough to compel riparian countries strictly to comply with these legal rules and principles on equitable and sustainable water coordination and development. Besides, there are still internal conflicts among the upper and lower riparian countries over the equitable and reasonable use of transboundary river watercourses due to lack of punitive sanctions. There is an urgent need to establish a specialized international water management commission designated by all nations with the utmost power to regulate human‐related activities concerning transboundary watercourses to govern equitable and sustainable management and development of the transboundary water use. Besides, current international law principles have to be revised to fill the gap of disagreement and potential conflicts between upstream, middle stream and downstream countries.

Putting diplomacy at the forefront of Water Diplomacy

Water diplomacy is a recent term that has been used to analyse hydropoltiical dynamics and issues that may arise when discussing transboundary water governance. In fact, the shared nature of transboundary water resources may lead to tension over their allocation and use which can in turn aggravate or harm interstate relations and cooperation. This is important as most freshwater resource systems cross jurisdictional borders, with 153 countries sharing transboundary rivers, lakes, and aquifers. Thus, a coordinated and sustainable management of these resources through water diplomacy is vital. While the concept of water diplomacy has been defined in several ways, we stress the need to emphasise diplomacy and the goals beyond the water field when considering this concept.