Water Conflicts Research Articles

The persistence of long facts: truth and consequence in Costa Rica’s aquifers

ABSTRACT At the center of decades-long water conflicts in northwest Costa Rica, a particular fact has had a contentious status: whether the aquifers supplying the area hold sufficient water for collective life. I refer to this as the sufficiency fact, which has been established, debunked, and reestablished multiple times. To understand this peculiar dynamic, I zoom into discussions among community and business representatives about the future of these aquifers. There, in the density of social life, I show how as place-specific formations, facts are “long” entities that remain tied to their interpretations and, crucially, to their potential consequences. As opposed to the ideal of short facts that characterizes modern science, long facts reveal the rich social life that facticity takes in the twenty-first century. Long facts are always contested, explicitly political, and unable to be separated from their potential consequences. In contrast to scholarship that diagnoses the loss of the value of truth within the contemporary moment, I suggest it is critical to understand the abundance of regimes of facticity that surround us and what they make possible leaving behind assumptions of deficit and lack.

Water Cultures, water knowledge, water conflicts: Rethinking water in the early modern period. Some notes from the Water Cultures Conference

This note will investigate different ways to understand water in the early modern and modern periods, by taking inspiration from the recent conference The Water Cultures of Europe and the Mediterranean, 1500-1900. Held in Venice on the 13th, 14th and 15th September 2023, the conference was organised by the ERC project The Water Cultures of Italy 1500-1900’s team, composed by Principal Investigator David Gentilcore, together with Gaia Bruno, Oscar Schiavone, Rachele Scuro, Salvatore Valenti, and myself. Given the multiplicity of research questions and methodological approaches mobilised by the conference participants, this paper is of course not an exhaustive review of how various strains of historiography have rethought key questions of the early modern period through the lens of water studies, but will rather offer a series of glimpses into macro areas, which have been divided into ‘Water knowledge’, ‘Water Cultures’, ‘Water conflicts’. These macro areas, which correspond to the various panels of the conference, are of course not separated from each other, instead presenting many points of contact, in terms of themes and methodology. Due to constraints in space and the expertise of author of the present note, not all sessions of the three-day conference have been given equal attention, despite being all included in the discussion.

Examine the Role of Indo-Pacific Sea Surface Temperatures in Recent Meteorological Drought in Sudan

Drought poses a serious threat to Sudan, causing water shortages, crop failures, hunger, and conflict. The relationships between Indo-Pacific teleconnections and drought events in Sudan are examined based on the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), anomalies, Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF), correlation, composite analysis, sequential Mann–Kendall test, and MK-trend test during the period of 1993–2022. The results of the SPI-1 values indicate that the extreme drought in Sudan in 2004 was an exceptional case that affected the entire region, with an SPI-1 value of −2 indicating extremely dry conditions. In addition, Sudan experienced moderate to severe drought conditions for several years (1993, 2002, 2008, 2009 and 2015). The Empirical Orthogonal Function showed that the first EOF mode (42.2%) was the dominant variability mode and had positive loading over most of the country, indicating consistent rainfall variation in the central, eastern, and western regions. Correlation analysis showed a strong significant relationship between June–September rainfall and Indian Ocean sea surface temperature (SST) (r ≤ 0.5). Furthermore, a weak positive influence of the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) on JJAS precipitation was observed (r ≤ 0.14). Various time lags in the range of ±12 months were examined, with the highest correlation (0.6) found at 9 month among the time lags of ±12 months. This study contributes to a better understanding of drought dynamics and provides essential information for effective drought management in Sudan. Further research is needed to explore the specific mechanisms driving these interactions and to develop tailored strategies to mitigate the impacts of drought events in the future.

Climate change adaptation benefits from rejuvenated irrigation systems at Kiwere and Magozi schemes in Tanzania

ABSTRACT We examine whether soil moisture and nutrient monitoring tools and Agricultural Innovation Platforms improve farmers adaptive capacity to climate change in the context of two small-scale irrigation schemes in Tanzania. Analysis of household surveys and farmer field books show that these interventions have significantly increased household income and diversification and reduced water use and conflicts. This has contributed to rejuvenating the schemes and increased the willingness to collaborate. Farmers within these schemes report less COVID-19 impact than farmers within surrounding schemes. We argue that the interventions have increased farmers’, and their communities’, resilience and capacity to adapt to climate change.

Hydro-diplomacy on the Brahmaputra: examining the interplay of water, territorial claims, and infrastructure

ABSTRACT The Brahmaputra is frequently discussed as a location of future water conflict between China and India. This paper shows that the risks of conflict over water are in fact low, because China functionally contributes less to the Brahmaputra’s flow than is often perceived and the river’s water contributes little to India’s water security challenges. However, both countries use water infrastructure as a signal of territorial control. Although opportunities exist for the Brahmaputra to serve as a source of regional cooperation, it will more likely continue to be used by both India and China in competition for regional geopolitical influence.

Graph model for conflict resolution with hybrid information based on prospect theory and PROMETHEE method and its application in water resources conflict

Water resources are crucial for national economic growth, but industrial development has led to severe pollution, sparking conflicts between government and enterprises over their responsibilities. Addressing these water pollution conflicts is urgent. The Graph Model for Conflict Resolution (GMCR) offers a simple and logical approach to analyzing such conflicts with minimal data. However, current models overlook decision makers’ (DMs) heterogeneity, bounded rationality, and the theoretical foundation for preference ranking. To overcome these limitations, this study integrates hybrid information to account for DMs’ diverse knowledge and experience. Prospect theory is employed to capture DMs’ bounded rationality, enhancing the accuracy of decision outcomes. The PROMETHEE method is introduced for preference ranking during GMCR modeling, guided by multi-attribute decision-making (MADM) theory. Additionally, the four basic stability concepts are redefined and proven, expanding GMCR’s theoretical applications. Finally, a case study of the Huangshui River water conflict and the comparative analysis demonstrate the model’s validity and advantages.

An Estimation of Water Deficits considering the Hwanggang Dams on the Imjin River, North Korea

Water resources are essential for sustaining economic activities; therefore, water conflicts between nations and regions are common. The Imjin and Bukhan rivers, which are shared by South and North Korea, have been the sources of several disputes related to water usage and management between both nations. This study is intended to investigate such water deficits and provide elementary data for future responses by quantifying the water deficit in the Imjin River according to current water usage criteria. The researchers collected records on river water usage and flow rates in the Imjin River Basin from 2001 to 2023 and estimated the river maintenance flow. They analyzed eight runoff stations to assess the river maintenance flow and hydrological phenomena to determine the presence of a water deficit. Through a comparative analysis of the flow rates of the Imjin and Hantan rivers, using 2008 as the reference year, they determined the cause of the water deficit to be a North Korean dam. At the ten-year return-period drought, the total water deficit in the Imjin River Basin amounted to 114.5 million cubic meters, with 92.8% of the deficit occurring in the middle reaches of the Imjin River and the remaining 7.2% in the Hantan River.

Water conflict analysis in a changing context: A qualitative systematic review of trends, patterns, and approaches in Iran

Water conflict analysis in a changing context: A qualitative systematic review of trends, patterns, and approaches in Iran

Long-term sustainability of the water-agriculture-energy nexus in Brazil's MATOPIBA region: A case study using system dynamics.

The global demand for agricultural commodities has driven extensive land conversion to agriculture in Brazil, especially in the MATOPIBA region. This area encompasses the Rio Grande Basin, a major tributary of the São Francisco Basin that is known for expanding intensive irrigated agriculture and hydropower generation. However, recent data reveal declining precipitation and aquifer recharge, potentially exacerbating ongoing water and land conflicts. This study investigates the long-term sustainability of agricultural expansion amid the worsening water scarcity using a system dynamics model. Findings suggest that rising costs and decreasing profits due to irrigation water shortages may hinder the expansion of irrigated land. By 2040, the irrigation demand may remain partly unmet, while downstream flow and baseflow could decrease. Additionally, agricultural expansion will significantly raise energy demand, posing a developmental challenge. We suggest that ensuring the sustainability of the Rio Grande Basin depends on improved water management and exploring alternative energy sources to address existing constraints.

An Improved 21st Century Judicial System with Environmental Science Expertise is Needed for Resolving Interstate Water Conflicts.

As stresses on groundwater resources increase due to growing population and climate change, water litigation, such as the recently decided Mississippi (MS) vs Tennessee (TN) lawsuit, will become more common. In the United States, lawsuits between states can be heard only by the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). These lawsuits are expensive and lengthy, often requiring highly specialized technical expertise. In the MS vs TN case, the Court unanimously held that an interstate aquifer is subject to equitable apportionment. Although this appears to be a sound resolution, a careful examination of the SCOTUS hearing transcript revealed that the Justices had several egregious misconceptions about the groundwater system. These misconceptions arose in part due to the failure of technical experts to communicate groundwater concepts in understandable terms and in part due to the Justices' lack of expertise in groundwater science. To address these issues, we first explore methods for improving scientific communication in courtrooms. Second, we propose ideas for reforming the legal system and provide compelling arguments for using the lower courts to hear such cases. We also explore the possibility of creating specialized federal water courts to resolve water disputes.

What does valuing water mean in practice? A case study from the Ewaso Ng’iro River Basin, Kenya

ABSTRACT Valuing water is receiving increasing attention within the global water policy agenda as a new water management paradigm. However, it is not yet clear how it can be operationalized in local water management contexts. We apply the Value Landscapes Approach as a conceptual framework to show how water-related preferences are informed by underlying assigned/water values and governance-related values and how these values may explain three different visions for water management among professional respondents in a Northern Kenyan case study. Through making shared and conflicting values explicit, these insights may serve as a foundation for addressing water conflicts in practice.

Hydrological modelling using SWAT for the assessment of streamflow dynamics in the Ganga River basin.

Growing concerns over water availability arise from the problems of population growth, rapid industrialization, and human interferences, necessitating accurate streamflow estimation at the river basin scale. It is extremely challenging to access stream flow data of a transboundary river at a spatio-temporal scale due to data unavailability caused by water conflicts for assessing the water availability.Primarily, this estimation is done using rainfall-runoff models. The present study addresses this challenge by applying the soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) for hydrological modelling, utilizing high-resolution geospatial inputs. Hydrological modelling using remote sensing and GIS (Geographic Information System) through this model is initiated to assess the water availability in the Ganga River basin at different locations. The outputs are calibrated and validated using the observed station data from Global Runoff Data Centre (GRDC). To check the performance of the model, Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), percent bias (PBIAS), coefficient of determination (R2), and RSR efficacy measures are initiated in ten stations using the observed and simulated stream flow data. The R2 values of eight stations range from 0.82 to 0.93, reflecting the efficacy of the model in rainfall-runoff modelling. Moreover, the results obtained from this hydrological modelling can serve as valuable resources for water resource planners and geographers for future reference.

Gendered perspective on water security, rights and conflicts in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review

The 2017 Global Risk Report ranked water crisis third among the top six global risks that greatly impact society. While the water crisis is disproportionately distributed worldwide, sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has more people (most of whom are women) who face water problems compared to other regions worldwide. Through the application of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol version 2020, a systematic review examining the connection between gender and water security, rights, and water conflicts in SSA was done. A total of 24 out of 229 articles made it into the final analysis. Previous research studies on gender politics in the water sector have done so in a fragmented way, focusing on specific water security parameters. The emerging findings show that 14 years after the adoption of an enforceable human right to water and about 6 years prior to the cut-off date for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, matters of gender and water in SSA are far from being addressed. Rural people, especially women, still face multiple water-related challenges and conflicts, including discriminatory practices upholding male hegemony in water governance. It is recommended that actors in the water sector precede the implementation of water projects by understanding contextual settings that influence gendered water security. Furthermore, the implementation of the water Sustainable Development Goal (SGD 6) should be done in the context of SDG 5 (Gender Equity) and the prioritization of procedural water justice and governance, access to technical skills, and water conveyance technologies.Systematic review registrationhttps://www.prisma-statement.org/.

Food System Governance in the Cambodian Mekong Delta: Food Production, Food Security, Migration, and Indebtedness

Despite the government’s active promotion of rice production, a significant portion of the population still faces food insecurity. While existing literature often highlights the success of achieving rice surplus, few studies delve into the connections between rice surplus and food security, and critically analyze why food security is persistent. In addressing this issue, the study investigates the underlying causes of food insecurity amidst the government’s efforts to increase rice production. The study entails a comprehensive review of existing literature and an examination of food security in three provinces in the Cambodian Mekong Delta. It concludes that while rice intensification has led to increased rice production available for consumption, challenges persist in terms of access to and utilization of rice for food consumption. These challenges are attributed to increased production costs with minimal profit margins, indebtedness, migration, land grabs, water conflicts, and lack of institutional integration in food systems, compounded by the effects of climate change and environmental degradation. As a result, a farming household with one hectare of farmland cannot produce enough rice for food consumption. Consequently, young people opt to sell off their land to settle debts and seek employment opportunities in urban and overseas areas.

Urban water security in multidisciplinary practices: A case of Lamphun Municipality, Thailand

Urban water security is a multi-faceted water, socioeconomic, and governance challenge. The complexity of translating the holistic approach into policies is an important need for improving water resource management to achieve prosperity, equity, sustainability, and good governance. The city of Lamphun is an example of the practice, which faced drought and major challenges in efficiently distributing water to industrial partners and downstream residents. The purpose of this study was to monitor urban water security and formulate a water management-based urban land use policy for Lamphun Municipality to mitigate water conflicts and ensure access to water for all residents. Therefore, the study examined urban water security using 4 indices: urban water resources, access, risks, and governance. A careful urban land use plan responsible for water security was proposed based on potential surface analysis techniques and public participation. The result of this research would not only guarantee water security, but also promote public participation and sustainable communities.

Development of a method to assess synergy and competition for water use among water-energy-food nexus in the Yellow River basin: Water quantity-quality dimensions

Water, as an indispensable component of the water-energy-food (WEF) nexus, plays a pivotal role in shaping its stability and safety. The competition for water between the food and energy systems is accentuated in the concept of the nexus. However, existing quantitative frameworks and assessment mechanisms have limitations as they often neglect to consider water quality in water competition within the WEF nexus. Therefore, a WEF nexus synergy and competition assessment method was proposed by coupling water footprint theory and the Lotka-Volterra model in this paper. This method establishes two scenarios based on the water footprint perspective, namely, water quantity and water quality-quantity. It effectively addresses the deficiencies in quantitative analysis of WEF system trade-offs and synergies. To illustrate the application of the method, this study conducted a case study in the Yellow River Basin (YRB) of China, evaluating the complex competitive and synergistic mechanisms of water use in the energy and food industries. Compared to the water quantity scenario, the results reveals that the inclusion of gray water footprint intensifies the competition for water in the food and energy industries in the YRB from 2000 to 2020, particularly in resource-based and economically developed cities. The spatial distribution characteristics of water resource competition and synergy in the YRB’s WEF system align with WEF endowment and economic technology levels. To address water conflicts in the WEF nexus and enhance nexus security, this study proposes a regulatory pathway for WEF system synergistic security based on two aspects (water competition and synergy characteristics and resource endowment). It contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of water competition and synergy in the WEF nexus and provides valuable insights for resource management.

Blooming activism in a drying land: Water justice movements along river Tigris in Iraq

This paper explores water justice struggles in the understudied region of Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan through a focus on two water justice movements, one civil society campaign, and a related event. While most of the relevant literature in geography and cognate fields has thoroughly dissected inter-State hydropolitical quarrels, discussed water justice from a legal perspective, and analysed water conflicts, less attention has been paid to bottom-up movements, to their visions and actions within a materially and socially challenging environment, and to their engagement with the state. Relying on published material as well as primary research, we show how Iraqi water activists seek to strike a balance between engaging institutions and moving beyond them, across ethno-religious divides and advocacy registers, in their quest to re-signify and re-common waterscapes. We argue that it is not despite all odds, but rather because of all odds, that Iraqi activists showcase such a developed awareness of their role and transformative potential along the rugged path of democratisation.

Impact of climate change on water crisis and conflicts: Farmers’ perceptions at the ZayandehRud Basin in Iran

Study regionThe study was conducted in the ZayandehRud Basin in Iran. Study focusConflicts over water resources have increasingly occurred on different geographic scales, linked to various human activities and environmental factors, including climate change and the water crisis. This paper examines farmers’ perceptions regarding their vulnerability to climate change, the impact of climate change on the water crisis, and water crisis-induced conflicts. The research uses meteorological data and a survey with 301 randomly selected farmers New hydrological insights for the regionFarmers confirm the significant trends and fluctuations of climatic factors by the meteorological records. Their perceptions are different within and between the upstream and downstream areas of the basin. Farmers also highlight that climate change has damaged water resources, threatened water supply, and exacerbated the water crisis. This intensifies their vulnerability, injustice, and conflicts between farmers in different sub-basins and with industry, environment, and municipal sectors. Moreover, different farmers’ perceptions regarding climate change incidence, climate change-induced water crisis, and water crisis-induced conflicts are likely to produce even greater risks of local and regional disputes among different stakeholders, unless other mechanisms for reducing water insecurity are identified and implemented. Future policies should enhance farmers’ knowledge, reduce misunderstandings and perception gaps regarding climate change and its impact on the water crisis, and manage conflicts among stakeholders and between different sub-basins through social learning platforms.

Unlikely Alliances in Action: Balancing Alignment and Autonomy in Rural-Urban Water Conflicts

Environmentalists, ranchers, and Indigenous nations are increasingly coming together on environmental issues in what have been called “unlikely alliances,” offering important insights into the role of collaboration and collective action in environmental governance. We examine two cases of unlikely alliances that formed in response to large rural-to-urban water transfer projects in the western United States, drawing on narrative analysis of interviews and focus groups with diverse participants. We highlight several key insights about unlikely alliances in action, finding that they 1) can take many different forms, often shifting over time; 2) require a delicate balance between alignment and autonomy, particularly when involving sovereign Indigenous nations; 3) can involve divergent understandings and expectations in regard to what it means to ally, with a notable distinction between issue-oriented and relationship-oriented approaches, and 4) are valued by participants even as they grapple with these challenges, particularly in the context of growing political polarization.

Emotionality in Transboundary Water: A Case Study of Helmand River.

While a substantial body of literature perceives rationality as the only path for negotiations over the use of the transboundary shared watercourse, recent scholarship has unveiled the role of emotion in decision-making processes over the use of the shared water. This research aims to challenge the conventional approach-rationality-by exploring affective dynamics of the riparian nations of the Helmand River (shared between upstream Afghanistan and downstream Iran) and how decisions over the use of the shared Helmand River are ingrained in the emotional dispositions of the riparian nations. Taking an integrated approach combining emotional political ecology and neoclassical realism, this research unravels the intricate emotional dynamics of the riparian nations to the flow of the Helmand River. The staggering increase in water withdrawal-both surface and groundwater resources- coupled with the population growth, and adverse effects of climate changes has stimulated the negative emotional dispositions of the borderland communities- the sufferings of farming communities due to lack of access to water-resulting in water conflict escalation in the Helmand River Basin. Finally, it is asserted that negotiations over the use of Helmand River are considered to be ill-equipped unless emotionality and rationality-a pluralistic approach- are equally weighed or gauged in water allocation and utilization by the co-riparian nations.