Water Resource Economics Research Articles

Hydroeconomic Analysis: History, Status, and Possibilities

This paper reviews recent advances in the motivation, conceptualization, development, application, and assessment of hydroeconomic models (HEMs), for which these models are implemented by conducting a hydroeconomic analysis (HEA). It addresses various dimensions of HEA, including problems motivating the need for an HEM, roles of HEA, policy debates informed by HEMs, important uses of HEA, recent achievements in the scientific literature performed by use of HEMs, future improvements desired in HEA, as well as one simple prototype HEM. Supplementary material is included describing some contributions made to HEA, with special attention given to four individual contributors to water resource economics generally, criteria for credibility, and a description of some of the more popular mathematical programming packages used to build an HEM.

Contributions to the International Water Resource Economics Consortium 13th annual meeting

Contributions to the International Water Resource Economics Consortium 13th annual meeting

Desegregation of remote sensing and GIS to characterize fluctuations in the surface water area of Afar Lakes, Ethiopia

Surface water reservoirs in Afar play an imperative role in water resource economics in Ethiopia. Salt mining, fishing, and recreation are the major practices in Afar lakes. However, Ethiopia is prone to seismic, volcanic, and drought hazards due to its geologic setting and geographic location. This study incorporates remote sensing and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to investigate oscillations in the surface water area in Afar lakes during 1998-2016. In this investigation, a GIS density slicer technique is employed to classify the near infrared bands from Landsat 5, 7, and 8, and then a time series of Landsat measurements has been created to monitor the spatio-temporal variations in each lake. Ultimately, the relationship between lake area changes and seismic, magmatic, and climatic records has been examined. Change patterns and rates indicate that all Afar lakes are influenced notably by climate factors and are not affected by local seismic and magmatic activities.

ECONOMETRIC MODEL OF DETERMINANTS OF THE EGYPTIAN WATER RESOURCES

forts to try to overcome all obstacles to water supply in the short and long run. Especially in the light of contemporary changes, especially the construction of the Al-Nahda Dam, and therefore the aim of the research to identify the most important determinants of water resources in Egypt, in preparation for inclusion in a proposed mechanism for the promotion of water resources in Egypt. The research aimed at analyzing the economics of water resources in Egyptian agriculture to identify the most important economic determinants facing the Egyptian water resources sector in general and the water uses in Egyptian agriculture in particular, as well as the most important strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing the Egyptian water sector. The results of the statistical assessment of the econometric model of the Egyptian water resource determinants under the influence of water policies show that the supply of available water resources is increasing by about 210 million cubic meters due to the Egyptian government adopting water policies aimed at rationalizing the use of water in all aspects of life, The repercussions of the construction of the Al-Nahda Dam have been in recent times. The most important of these policies is the reduction of cultivated areas of water crops, the development of plant varieties and varieties of strategic crops with lower water consumption rates, the expansion of the application of wastewater treatment technology, the expansion and adoption of modern irrigation techniques, and the lining and clearing of canals, waterways and other policies. Especially in recent times.

Contributions to the International Water Resource Economics Consortium 12th annual meeting

Contributions to the International Water Resource Economics Consortium 12th annual meeting

Consumer demands and postharvest innovation: the new generation

Consumer demands or traits, whether determined by market organisations and strategies, or the consumer in the home, are critical components of both crop breeding and development of postharvest technologies and practices. Traditional traits such as colour, aroma, taste, texture and appearance have become default properties. Health and nutrition, and food safety have become greater points of focus in recent years, particularly with the upsurge in minimal processing. However, there is a further tranche of market and consumer demands which is increasingly determining consumer preference. These extend beyond product properties into production and processing systems and include traceability and provenance, environmental sustainability, biodiversity, social licence, energy and water resource management, and ethics and economics of food loss and waste. Looking further ahead, there is a rapid increase in genetic and genomic information leading to genetic segregation of consumer populations in terms of health and disease states, as seen in nutritional genomics, and taste and aroma perception. These developments, current and future, will all have multiple impacts on developments in postharvest science and technology, providing challenges as well as opportunities.

A Conversation with Emery Neal Castle

This article presents the transcript of an interview with the eminent economist, Emery Neal Castle. Emery discusses his youth in rural Kansas and how it shaped him and his career. After several years in the US Army Air Force during World War II, Emery returned to Kansas State University for his undergraduate studies and then completed his PhD at Iowa State University. He eventually landed at Oregon State University (OSU) in the mid-1950s, where he taught farm management and developed early courses in water resource economics. Emery and colleagues nurtured what became a world-renowned resource economics program at OSU. Emery also spent a decade running the nonprofit public policy research organization Resources for the Future in Washington, DC. Throughout his long career, Emery made significant contributions to three subfields of applied economics: farm management, resource economics, and rural studies. Emery has received numerous awards for his impact on the profession and the agricultural economy.

Economics of alternative water resources with an emphasis on aquifer storage and recovery

Abstract This paper demonstrates a comprehensive methodology for assessing the comparison of unit water production cost (UWPC) between alternative water resources including desalination, freshwater reservoirs, single-purpose dams, underground dams and two indirect water in take technologies – riverbank filtration and aquifer storage and recovery (ASR). This study considers the Monte Carlo simulation as the only viable solution to tackle this critical question, which can be used to evaluate the economics of diverse water supply schemes incorporating those alternatives and prepare long-term water supply planning. Built upon actual and conceptual cost data for each alternative, total project cost and operation and management cost estimation models for each alternative were developed and used for generating mean UWPC information using the Monte Carlo simulation approach. The mean UWPC differences between alternative water supply schemes were found to be statistically significant and the simulation results revealed that ASR is the lowest-cost option to provide drinkable water for both cases when a conventional water treatment plant (WTP) and advanced WTP were used as a connected post-treatment process.

Environmental Nanoremediation under Changing Climate

Many global problems threaten our life on the Planet including climate changes, environmental pollution, food and soil security, energy crisis, etc. This environmental pollution has not only mainly serious risks and stress involving the human health and the entire ecosystem safety but also the quantity and quality of crop productivity worldwide. Due to the great gap between the global food production and the global consumption, there is a crucial need to cultivate these contaminated lands sooner or later. Therefore, the removing of pollutants from soils and waters should be performed in frame of sustainable remediation and sustainable energy production. Depending on many factors (source and kind of pollutants, land use and the economics of water and soil resources, etc) many strategies should be addressed for the sustainable and integrated management of polluted lands. Nanoremediation is a promising strategy in controlling pollution and management. Three major applications of nanoremediation could be characterized including detection of pollution using nanosensors, prevention of pollution, purification and remediation of contamination. Further studies also concerning the impact of changing climate on the nanoremediation process in the agroecosystems should be considered. Thus, this review will focus on the evaluation of environmental nanoremediation and its strategy in polluted lands under climate changes. Using of nanotechnology in pollution control as well as the environmental pollution and its sustainable management also will be highlighted.

Book Review: “Water Resource Economics: The Analysis of Scarcity, Policy and Projects (Second Edition)”

Book Review: “Water Resource Economics: The Analysis of Scarcity, Policy and Projects (Second Edition)”

Comparative evaluation of the cost of water in northern Malawi: from rural water wells to science education

ABSTRACTWorldwide, improved sources of drinking water are still lacking for 663 million people. With Malawi as a case study, we aim to address the scarcity of data available to understand the full cost and options of drinking water at a regional level covering both urban and rural areas. We studied options in the northern region of Malawi under the following thematic areas: urban piped water, water wells, handpump spare part supply networks, household point-of-use water treatment, the cost of entering a water business and capacity building in science education. Primary locally sourced data were collected as well as secondary publically available data. Additionally, local markets were surveyed for spare part networks. This research has shown that when looking at water resource economics in northern Malawi, it is not a monopoly and options are available at a range of costs. The data challenge policy-makers to reach the last 10% of the population still lacking improved drinking water. This will require a combination of expansion of urban piped water infrastructure, new boreholes in rural areas, increased handpump functionality rates, scale-up of household drinking water point-of-use treatment and growth of local universities to train local experts within the sector.

Special issue – Contributions to the International Water Resource Economics Consortium 11th Annual Meeting

Special issue – Contributions to the International Water Resource Economics Consortium 11th Annual Meeting

The Price of Water: Studies in Water Resource Economics and Management

Bringing together 14 papers previously published in refereed journals, The Price of Water provides information that many readers would not otherwise have access to through their professional and academic libraries. The basic disciplines of the articles are economics and philosophy, built upon by discussion of hydrology, civil engineering, water law and water resource planning. The scope of the book is broad, dealing with a diverse range of subjects such as regional and catchment planning and integrated water resources management. Topics considered include: The Price of Water aims to link up economics with the other dominant water resource disciplines, establishing an economics of the real world, rather than an academic abstraction - the hydrosocial balance. In providing a new and practicable basis for planning outsream water investments, as well as understanding the baseline situation, the development and use of the hydrosocial balance to modelling water resources supply and use at the regional (or river basin) scale delivers this link. Key Features Provides a full and clear account of the use of the hydrosocial balance in water resource planning. Offers a practical approach to managing water quantity and water quality issues alongside each other. The first book to propose the use of water pricing as an instrument of drought management. Gives an original account of the global 21st Century challenges that water resource planners will have to address. ISBN: 9781843390817 (Print) ISBN: 9781780402857 (eBook)

Special Issue—10th Annual Meeting International Water Resource Economics Consortium

Special Issue—10th Annual Meeting International Water Resource Economics Consortium

The Origins and Ideals of Water Resource Economics in the United States

An abbreviated history of water resource economics is reported within the context of coevolving water issues and the emerging institutions of the United States' past two centuries. Notable principles of water economics and their US origins are discussed. Some of the long-standing wisdom of the field is recalled. Landmarks for the founding doctrines of water marketing and efficient water pricing are identified.

Real Options in Resource Economics

In the real options approach to capital budgeting, plans that allow for flexibility in the design or timing of an investment or economic action are valuable. Real options naturally arise in decisions to develop, extract, or harvest natural resources. We (a) review the existing literature in the economics of forestry, fishery, water, and nonrenewable resources; (b) illustrate the real options approach in resource economics through a series of simple models; and (c) suggest open questions and new areas of application when taking a real options approach to the development and management of natural resources.

Review: Innovation in Local Economies: Germany in Comparative Context, Soil, Not Oil: Climate Change, Peak Oil and Food Insecurity, Economics of Water Resources

Review: Innovation in Local Economies: Germany in Comparative Context, Soil, Not Oil: Climate Change, Peak Oil and Food Insecurity, Economics of Water Resources

Editorial: Building on the legacy of Water Resources Research

For 45 years, the ideas from the pages of WRR have been pivotal in the advancement of the science and management of the water resources. During this period, hydrologic science has become increasingly multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary. The hydrologic cycle is now conceptualized as the circulatory system of our planet coupling both abiotic and biotic pathways of flow that transport dissolved and suspended constituents. Humans are now recognized as active agents of change in the hydrologic cycle. Water constraints on energy development, biofuels production and carbon sequestration are emerging areas of concern. Climate change is increasingly recognized as inducing change in the hydrologic cycle, water supply, crop production and human health. The integration of science, policy and management to achieve sustainable development remains a critical challenge.

Water Resource Economics: The Analysis of Scarcity Policies and Projects ‐ by Ronald C. Griffin

The article reviews the book Water Resource Economics: The Analysis of Scarcity Policies and Projects, by Ronald C. Griffin.

The economics of water resources for the generation of electricity and other uses

An optimal control approach is used to analyze the tradeoff between the use of water resources for electricity generation versus other economic uses (irrigation, industry, etc.). For that purpose, a dynamic model is presented which establishes relationships between economic growth, water resources management, and energy policy in the context of the aforementioned tradeoff, in an economy whose energy matrix is heavily dependent upon hydroelectric power. Among other results, the analysis establishes that in the market, the price of water for non-energy uses should be twice the price of the energy goods, indicating the necessity of substituting other sources of energy for hydroelectric power.