Water Management Processes Research Articles

Women and Water Management: A Policy Assessment—A Case Study in An Giang Province, Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Women in developing countries are domestic water managers and therefore can be regarded as the primary beneficiaries of water supply project, particularly domestic water supply services (DWSSs). Globally, women are active in water supply policymaking, planning and implementation. However, women are often excluded from water management activities; this can result in the failure of water projects. Research to date shows that women’s exclusion from water management processes stems from top-down approaches and traditional norms and gender differences. The work described in this research involved an examination of the effectiveness of DWSS policies implemented in rural Vietnamese communities, and was designed to produce an understanding of women’s roles and responsibilities in water management, specifically within the Vinh Phuoc community of the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. The research found that women participation in Vinh Phuoc was greatly restricted in the water management and in the public sphere in general. Also, it sought to reveal whether women are involved in water management activities and the roles they play in achieving final outcomes.

New modeling method to simulate asphaltenes at oil sands process in water management

The study of various structures, physicochemical structures and dynamic characteristics of oil-water interface asphaltenes is an important basis for the large-scale development and efficient clean utilization of oil sands. The molecular dynamics simulations method provides a possibility for revealing the physicochemical structure and dynamic characteristics of oil sands. The emphasis of this paper is to study the physic-chemical structure of tar sands asphaltenes and the changes of their kinetic properties by using molecular dynamics simulations. Molecular dynamics was used to simulate the physicochemical and dynamic characteristics of asphaltenes in water treatment of the oil sands. In this research, the structural and dynamic properties of asphaltenes, such as density distribution, correlation (radial distribution function), root-mean-square deviation (RMSD), and mean azimuth shift (MSD), diffusion coefficient, the radius of gyration, volume viscosity and free energy in water treatment were systematically discussed. The simulation results of asphaltene at the oil-water interface revealed that, in the oil-water interface, oil and water will affect the solubility of asphaltene. The asphaltene molecules have different mobility and the ability to break molecular association, indicating that the structure and dynamic properties of asphaltene in the oil-water interface and the water-water interface are different.

Views from the dock: Warming waters, adaptation, and the future of Maine's lobster fishery.

The ability of resource-dependent communities to adapt to climate change depends in part on their perceptions and prioritization of specific climate-related threats. In the Maine lobster fishery, which is highly vulnerable to warming water associated with climate change, we found a strong majority (84%) of fishers viewed warming water as a threat, but rank its impacts lower than other drivers of change (e.g., pollution). Two-thirds believed they will be personally affected by warming waters, but only half had plans to adapt. Those with adaptation plans demonstrated fundamentally different views of human agency in this system, observing greater anthropogenic threats, but also a greater ability to control thefishery through their own actions on the water and fisheries management processes. Lack of adaptation planning was linked to the view that warming waters result from natural cycles, and the expectation that technological advancements will help buffer the industry from warming waters.

Innovations in Sustainable Agriculture: Case Study of Lis Valley Irrigation District, Portugal

The innovation of agricultural systems management is a determinant factor that guarantees adaptation to a new paradigm of global economy, environmental protection, and social requirements. The conventional concepts of innovation, applicable to new products and processes, do not consider many characteristics of the agricultural sector, such as social innovation and innovation resulting from new or renewed processes. Nevertheless, the overall impact of innovation on yields, competitiveness, and value can be hampered by the limited understanding or misinterpretation of Agriculture Innovation paradigms. For instance, the Rural Development Program (RDP) applies a restrict concept of innovation, being unable to embrace the full range of activities intended to implement new practices within the framework of the Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation System (AKIS). Stimulating innovation in agriculture demands a change in policy innovation of RDP in order to preserve natural resources and combine agricultural priorities and the rural environment with the concepts of innovation. This paper focuses on the different views of the concept of innovation within the Program of Operational Groups (OGs) of the European Innovation Partnership for Agricultural Productivity and Sustainability (EIP-AGRI), analyzing the Portuguese case study of the Lis Valley Irrigation District whose main innovation objective was to achieve and implement new processes of water management aiming at the conservation of natural resources as well as sustainable social and economic agricultural development. The Portuguese experience highlights why the application of innovation in agriculture may not reach the desirable outcomes.

Globalizing capitalism’s raggedy fringes: thinking through Jakarta

ABSTRACTThinking through Jakarta, this paper explores the possibility of decentring understandings of conditions of possibility for economic transformation across the post-colony by shifting the optic away from European-style Capitalism. Colonialism, racism and slavery enabled the hegemony of European-style Capitalism, characterized by nation-states and the rule of law. The bulk of the theorizing within geographical political economy elides alternative possibilities because it views the world from this perspective. Conceptualizing capitalism’s raggedy fringes (informality, state actions and the more-than-human world) as more-than-Capitalist practices with the capacity to unravel Capitalist norms, positional conjunctural analysis can provide the methodological space to think beyond the North Atlantic, creating space for envisioning alternatives. Operationalizing these claims, this paper argues that Indonesia’s political economy exceeds variegated European-style capitalism, and that urban land transformations within Jakarta are deeply shaped by its raggedy fringes of elite and grassroots informality and more-than-human hydrological processes of flooding and water management.

Quantifying stakeholder understanding of an ecosystem service trade-off

Sustainable management of global natural resources is challenged by social and environmental drivers, adding pressure to ecosystem service provision in many regions of the world where there are competing demands on environmental resources. Understanding trade-offs between ecosystem services and how they are valued by different stakeholder groups is therefore critical to maximise benefits and avoid conflict between competing uses. In this study we developed a novel participatory trade-off experiment to elicit the perception of 43 participants, from across four key stakeholder groups, working in land and water management (Environmental Regulators, Farming Advisors, Water Industry Staff and Catchment Scientists). Using the Production Possibility Frontier (PPF) concept, we quantified stakeholder assessment of both the shape and the uncertainty around the PPF in a trade-off between agricultural intensity and the ecological health of freshwater systems. The majority of stakeholder groups selected threshold and logistic decay trade-off curves to describe the relationship of the trade-off, and estimated the uncertainty around the curves to be intermediate or large. The views of the four stakeholder groups differed significantly regarding how they estimated stakeholder trade-off prioritisation; the largest difference in perspectives was identified between Environmental Regulators and Farm Advisors. The methodology considered the cultural, socio-economic and institutional specificities of an ecosystem service interaction and identified potential sources of conflict but also possible solutions for win-win opportunities to explore and share understanding between stakeholders. Valuing stakeholder knowledge as a form of expert data and integrating this into participatory decision-making processes for land and water management thus contributes considerable value beyond traditional approaches to ecosystem service assessments.

Development of SWAT-Paddy for Simulating Lowland Paddy Fields

The recent increase in global consumption of rice has led to increased demand for sustainable water management in paddy cultivation. In this study, we propose an enhanced paddy simulation module to be introduced to Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to evaluate the sustainability of paddy cultivation. The enhancements added to SWAT include: (1) modification of water balance calculation for impounded fields, (2) addition of an irrigation management option for paddy fields that are characterized by flood irrigation with target water depth, and (3) addition of a puddling operation that influences the water quality and infiltration rate of the top soil layer. In a case study, the enhanced model, entitled SWAT-Paddy, was applied to an agricultural watershed in Japan. The results showed that the SWAT-Paddy successfully represented paddy cultivation, water management, and discharge processes. Simulated daily discharge rates with SWAT-Paddy (R2 = 0.8) were superior to the SWAT result (R2 = 0.002). SWAT-Paddy allows the simulation of paddy management processes realistically, and thus can enhance model accuracy in paddy-dominant agricultural watersheds.

Changing the retention properties of catchments and their influence on runoff under climate change

Many studies on drought consider precipitation and potential evapotranspiration (PET) impacts. However, catchment water retention is a factor affecting the interception of precipitation and slowing down runoff which also plays a critical role in determining the risks of hydrological drought. The Budyko framework links retention to the partitioning of precipitation into runoff or evapotranspiration. Applied worldwide, we demonstrate that retention changes are the dominant contribution to measured runoff changes in 21 of 33 major catchments. Similarly, assessing climate simulations for the historical period suggests that models substantially underestimate observed runoff changes due to unrepresented water management processes. Climate models show that water retention (without direct water management) generally decreases by the end of the 21st century, except in dry central Asia and northwestern China. Such decreases raise runoff, mainly driven by precipitation intensity increases (RCP4.5 scenario) and additionally by CO2-induced stomata closure (RCP8.5). This mitigates runoff deficits (generally from raised PET under warming) by increasing global mean runoff from −2.77 mm yr−1 to +3.81 mm yr−1 (RCP4.5), and −6.98 mm yr−1 to +5.11 mm yr−1 (RCP8.5).

The Role of ICT in Improving Sequential Decisions for Water Management in Agriculture

Numerous Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) applications have been developed in irrigated agriculture. While there are studies focusing on ICTs impacts at the farm level, no research deals with this issue at the Water Authority (WA) level where ICTs can support strategic decisions on land and water allocation. The present study aims to design a theoretical model to estimate economic benefits from the ICT-informed decision process of water management in agriculture. Specifically, the study analyzes the motivations driving a case study WA using ICTs to support strategic management decisions involving risky choices. Results show that the WA under investigation has potentialities to save water and to implement adaptation strategies to climate change. Higher benefits from ICTs are attainable in areas with limited water availability and where the WA can effectively manage land allocation and control water delivery volumes. The study concludes that ICTs might have a disruptive potential in fulfilling WA’s specific information needs, but there is still a need to improve their accuracy due to the risk surrounding the decisions at stake.

A Transnational Urban Political Ecology of Water Infrastructures: Global Water Policies and Water Management in Hanoi

Using the lens of a transnational urban political ecology of water infrastructures in Vietnam, this article contributes to the understanding of the intersections between urbanization patterns, socioecological problems, financial schemes, and the power relations embedded in Hanoi’s urban water supply through politics of scale that aim to ensure safe drinking water. With the analysis of global water policies and their implications in the Southeast-Asian context, the objectives of this work are to (a) reveal the scalar nature of Hanoi’s water infrastructures by situating water management processes in a broader context of developmental issues, and (b) review lessons and prospects of past and future global targets of access to safe drinking water. The evidence of multilevel water governance processes and cross-sectoral challenges of safe water provision emphasizes the need for global networks of cooperation to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 6 and contribute to other sectors aiming to “transform our world.”

La gestión de las cuencas hidrográficas en España: avances y carencias del segundo ciclo de planificación

El presente artículo tiene como objetivo analizar la situación en la que se encuentra el proceso de revisión de los planes hidrológicos, identificar cuáles han sido los logros alcanzados, qué mejoras deben abordase y cuales otras cuestiones deberán incorporarse al continuo proceso de planificación hidrológica para avanzar hacia el logro de los objetivos fijados en la legislación nacional y comunitaria.Para ello se estudia fundamentalmente la evolución de la disponibilidad del recurso agua, las demandas y algunas de las consecuencias ambientales más notables de la política hidrológica.España tiene 25 demarcaciones hidrográficas, de las cuales 18 tienen ya aprobado su plan hidrológico para el segundo ciclo de planificación. Los planes hidrológicos consisten en un conjunto de documentos que incluye un número variable de apéndices y anexos. Sin embargo, sigue existiendo falta de información referente a las presiones, la relación entre las medidas y los objetivos, sobre la eficacia de los programas de medidas, los resultados de los estudios llevados a cabo en la valoración del estado por elementos de calidad o del análisis coste-eficacia.Por lo tanto, sigue siendo necesario progresar en la política de aguas española, incluyendo el análisis pormenorizado de los factores políticos, sociales, económicos y administrativos que provocan la falta de gobernanza y el aumento de las presiones e impactos sobre las masas de agua.

Ecosystemic Assessment of Surface Water Quality in the Virilla River: Towards Sanitation Processes in Costa Rica

Water quality information is essential supporting decision making in water management processes. The lack of information restricts, at some point, the implementation of adequate sanitation, which is still scarce in developing countries. In this study, an ecosystemic water quality assessment was conducted in the Virilla river in Costa Rica, in a section of particular interest for future sanitation development. It included the monitoring of physical, chemical, microbiological and benthic macroinvertebrate parameters from 2014 to 2016. Mutivariate statistics and water quality indexes were used for data interpretation. Results indicated that water quality decreased downstream towards more urbanised areas. Particularly, extreme values of phosphorous, nitrogen and E. coli were found. Sample sites were grouped in two clusters, which were consistent with land use. Benthic macroinverterbrates diversity was predominantly represented by Baetidae, Chironomidae, Leptohyphidae, Hydropsychidae, Simuliidae and Physidae. They were mostly influenced by water temperature, nitrite, ammonium, soluble reactive phosphorous, total solids, alkalinity, nitrate and total suspended solids. Three water quality indexes consistently showed the poor condition of the water body. The overall results indicate that the main sources of pollution in the river are likely to be wastewater discharges. Thus, special efforts should be undertaken regarding its regulation in the country.

A Comparative Analysis of Urban Drinking Water Management and Distribution Processes; a Case Study of Guma Valley Drinking Water Treatment Company in Freetown, Sierra Leone and Wuxi Drinking Waterwork

A Comparative Analysis of Urban Drinking Water Management and Distribution Processes; a Case Study of Guma Valley Drinking Water Treatment Company in Freetown, Sierra Leone and Wuxi Drinking Waterwork

Exploring the Role of Relational Practices in Water Governance Using a Game-Based Approach

The growing complexity and interdependence of water management processes requires the involvement of multiple stakeholders in water governance. Multi-party collaboration is increasingly vital at both the strategy development and implementation levels. Multi-party collaboration involves a process of joint decision-making among key stakeholders in a problem domain directed towards the future of that domain. However, the common goal is not present from the beginning; rather, the common goal emerges during the process of collaboration. Unfortunately, when the conflicting interests of different actors are at stake, the large majority of environmental multi-party efforts often do not reliably deliver sustainable improvements to policy and/or practice. One of the reasons for this, which has been long established by many case studies, is that social learning with a focus on relational practices is missing. The purpose of this paper is to present the design and initial results of a pilot study that utilized a game-based approach to explore the effects of relational practices on the effectiveness of water governance. This paper verifies the methods used by addressing the following question: are game mechanisms, protocols for facilitation and observation, the recording of decisions and results, and participant surveys adequate to reliably test hypotheses about behavioral decisions related to water governance? We used the “Lords of the Valley” (LOV) game, which focuses on the local-level management of a hypothetical river valley involving many stakeholders. We used an observation protocol to collect data on the quality of relational practices and compared this data with the quantitative outcomes achieved by participants in the game. In this pilot study, we ran the game three times with different groups of participants, and here we provide the outcomes within the context of verifying and improving the methods.

Application of Time-series Model to Predict Groundwater Quality Parameters for Agriculture: (Plain Mehran Case Study)

Underground water is regarded as considerable water source which is mainly available in arid and semi arid with deficient surface water source. Forecasting of hydrological variables are suitable tools in water resources management. On the other hand, time series concepts is considered efficient means in forecasting process of water management. In this study the data including qualitative parameters (electrical conductivity and sodium adsorption ratio) of 17 underground water wells in Mehran Plain has been used to model the trend of parameters change over time. Using determined model, the qualitative parameters of groundwater is predicted for the next seven years. Data from 2003 to 2016 has been collected and were fitted by AR, MA, ARMA, ARIMA and SARIMA models. Afterward, the best model is determined using information criterion or Akaike (AIC) and correlation coefficient. After modeling parameters, the map of agricultural land use in 2016 and 2023 were generated and the changes between these years were studied. Based on the results, the average of predicted SAR (Sodium Adsorption Rate) in all wells in the year 2023 will increase compared to 2016. EC (Electrical Conductivity) average in the ninth and fifteenth holes and decreases in other wells will be increased. The results indicate that the quality of groundwater for Agriculture Plain Mehran will decline in seven years.

Participatory Approach on Water Scarcity Solutions in Pranburi Basin, Thailand

Water scarcity is the main problems of water management and various socio-economic development activities of Thailand. Expert opinion and scientific knowledge are always convenient to be used to solve problems. To some extent, this approach may not be applicable since it is not accepted by local communities. To reduce this conflict, participatory approach may provide local cooperation and assist developing better water management strategies. Pranburi Basin is an important headwater that supports both agricultural land and municipality which includes Hua-Hin, a famous tourist place. The aims of this study were to assess water scarcity and to apply stakeholder participation into decision making processes for water management. Water stress index and criticality ratio were used to assess water scarcity. A Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework was used to describe water scarcity and contributing factors. Based on DPSIR analysis, the stakeholders proposed and then prioritized for the most appropriate responses by ordinary weighing technique. The results indicated that the four most preferable measures for this basin include controlling agricultural area, controlling crop types, reforestation and establishing local water user association.

Application of the Hybrid Artificial Neural Network Coupled with Rolling Mechanism and Grey Model Algorithms for Streamflow Forecasting Over Multiple Time Horizons

Streamflow forecasting is paramount process in water and flood management, determination of river water flow potentials, environmental flow analysis, agricultural practices and hydro-power generation. However, the dynamicity, stochasticity and inherent complexities present in the temporal evolution of streamflow could hinder the accurate and reliable forecasting of this important hydrological parameter. In this study, the uncertainty and nonstationary characteristics of streamflow data has been treated using a set of coupled data pre-processing methods before being considered as input for an artificial neural network algorithm namely; rolling mechanism (RM) and grey models (GM). The rolling mechanism method is applied to smooth out the dataset based on the antecedent values of the model inputs before being applied to the GM algorithm. The optimization of the input datasets selection was performed using auto-correlation (ACF) and partial auto-correlation (PACF) functions. The pre-processed data was then integrated with two artificial neural network models, the back propagation (RMGM-BP) and Elman Recurrent Neural Network (RMGM-ERNN). The development, training, testing and evaluation of the proposed hybrid models were undertaken using streamflow data for two tropical hydrological basins (Johor and Kelantan Rivers). The hybrid RMGM-ERNN was found to provide better results than the hybrid RMGM-BP model. Relatively good performance of the proposed hybrid models with a data pre-processing approach provides a successful alternative to achieve better accuracy in streamflow forecasting compared to the traditional artificial neural network approach without a data pre-processing scheme.

Novel approaches for large-scale two-dimensional hydrodynamic modelling of rivers

For decades, the decision-making process for water management in the Netherlands makes full utilisation of state of the art models. For rivers, two-dimensional hydrodynamic models are considered essential for a wide range of questions. Every five years, there is a major model revision that includes software updates, improved physical processes, new modelling strategy, and a new calibration. 2017 marked the setup and calibration of the first river model in the sixth generation of these models. In this paper, we discuss the most recent developments in two-dimensional hydrodynamic modelling of rivers. We give an overview of the process followed to agree on the functional design of the model and address the use of the recently developed Delft3D Flexible Mesh suite. We address, in some details: i) a mesh independent approach for model setup; ii) the utilisation of a new calibration technique, which is automated using data assimilation and includes spatial and discharge dependencies; and iii) the use of a novel operational module to control hydraulic structures. The first river model within the 6th generation of models is that of the Meuse River, where the new approaches are being successfully applied. In conclusion: the mesh independent modelling approach offers great flexibility and facilitates that the same data set can be used for multiple versions of the model (e.g. different grid resolution; or different model extent). The automated calibration approach makes it possible to utilise a comprehensive calibration data set for a large-scale model in a reproducible way. The increased complexity of modelling has become possible over the last decade due to the availability of large datasets and increased computational power. This paper is particularly relevant for modellers and decision makers alike.

GIS-Based Sub-Basin Scale Identification of Dominant Runoff Processes for Soil and Water Management in Anambra Area of Nigeria

AbstractIdentifying landscapes having comparable hydrological characteristics is valuable for the determination of dominant runoff process (DRP) and prediction of flood. Several approaches used for DRP-mapping vary in relation to data and time requirement. Manual approaches which are based on field investigation and expert knowledge are time demanding and difficult to implement at regional scale. Automatic GIS-based approach on the other hand require simplification of data but is easier to implement and it is applicable on a regional scale.In this study, GIS-based automated approach was used to identify the DRPs in Anambra area. The result showed that Hortonian overland flow (HOF) has the highest coverage of 1508.3 km2(33.5%) followed by deep percolation (DP) with coverage of 1455.3 km2(32.3%). Subsurface flow (SSF) is the third dominant runoff process covering 920.6 km2(20.4%) while saturated overland flow (SOF) covers the least area of 618.4 km2(13.7%) of the study area. The result reveal that considerable amount of precipitated water would be infiltrated into the subsurface through deep percolation process contributing to groundwater recharge in the study area. However, it is envisaged that HOF and SOF will continue to increase due to the continuous expansion of built-up area. With the expected increase in HOF and SOF, and the change in rainfall pattern associated with perpetual problem of climate change, it is paramount that groundwater conservation practices should be considered to ensure continued sustainable utilization of groundwater in the study area.

Propuesta metodológica de gestión de cuenca para el sanemiento, el caso de la microcuenca de El Muerto.

El arroyo El Muerto, estado de México, presenta contaminación generada por las actividades humanas dentro de su microcuenca. La atención del problema de contaminación puede desarrollarse a través de las particularidades del manejo del líquido. Ante esta situación, se planteó el estudio del proceso de manejo del agua para comprenderlo a partir del análisis de cinco núcleos: biofísico, sociocultural, económico, tecnológico y político-administrativo, con la finalidad de encontrar una alternativa a las visiones simples del aprovechamiento del recurso y lograr una propuesta metodológica de gestión.