Water Resources Management Policies Research Articles

Assessing Extreme Drought Events and Their Temporal Impact: Before and after the Operation of a Hydropower Plant

The probabilistic analysis of streamflow and drought event durations plays a crucial role in the efficient and sustainable management of existing water resources in the region. This approach involves the collection of historical hydrological data from river gauging stations, the use of statistical and probabilistic models, and the assessment of hydrological projections at different return periods to provide valuable information for society to understand the potential impacts of extreme events. The analysis is carried out on the Sinú River in Colombia, with consideration given to both the presence and absence of the Hydropower Plant Urrá I. The results reveal that, under natural conditions, a higher number of return periods correspond to less extreme drought flows and longer temporal durations. However, when the hydropower plant is operational, the occurrence and duration of drought are influenced by the regulations implemented during energy generation. The results of this analysis can guide water resource management policies, considering the operation of the hydroelectric plant, thereby enabling decisions that enhance the resilience and sustainability of the river’s hydrological conditions and communities that depend on it.

Agriculture Water Management is an Important Approach for Mitigating the Effects of Climate Change in Afghanistan

As climate change continues to impact Afghanistan, effective strategies for mitigating its effects are crucial to ensuring food security and sustainable agricultural practices. Agriculture's water management plays a vital role in adapting to and mitigating the impacts of climate change. This article aims to highlight the significance of agriculture water management as an approach to addressing climate change challenges in Afghanistan. The study involved 29 farmers, and the approach included surveys and field observations. The findings found that the primary challenges in Paktika were a lack of irrigation water, old irrigation methods, a lack of modern irrigation systems, and farmers' lack of understanding about crop water requirements. To improve sustainable water management in irrigated agriculture, capacity building, and farmer education, providing knowledge and techniques for water-saving practices, sustainable irrigation systems such as drip and sprinkler, rainwater harvesting, integrated water resource management, crop diversification, conservation agriculture, and strong policy frameworks and robust institutional support are necessary to promote agriculture water management.

Physical and virtual water transfers in China and their implication for water planetary boundary.

China is an extremely water-scarce country with an uneven distribution of regional water resources. We define two absolute sustainability indicators, using the multi-regional input‒output (MRIO) model to outline the contribution of China's physical and virtual water transfers in mitigating the problem of regional water boundary-exceeding. Although the overall use of freshwater resources is within the safe operation space, 55% of province's water resource development transgresses the local water planetary boundary. Physical and virtual water transfers effectively mitigate the stress of water supply to the water planetary boundary in China's water-scarce regions. Among them, the role of virtual water transfers occupies the main part. The cost of using physical water in water-receiving regions and the situation of virtual water flowing from water-scarce regions to developed water-rich regions cannot be ignored, and a small number of provinces are responsible for most of the virtual water net imports and exports. The obtained results are helpful for the redistribution of water planetary boundary transgressing responsibilities among provinces and the formulation of absolute sustainable water resources management policies.

Water scarcity and local economic activity: Spatial spillovers and the role of irrigation

This paper explores the spatial spillover effects of water scarcity on local economic activity and examines the role of irrigation in modulating these effects. Utilizing a newly assembled global geospatial data set that combines information on seasonal water availability and economic activity measured by nighttime luminosity, I conduct a spatial econometric analysis at the granular level of 0.25°×0.25° grid cells worldwide. My results reveal that agricultural water scarcity in rainfed grid cells has negative spatial spillover effects on economic activity, extending up to 300 kilometers away. However, the presence of irrigation infrastructure effectively mitigates both the direct negative impacts and the negative spatial spillover effects of agricultural water scarcity on economic activity. These results suggest that the benefits of certain climate adaptation measures may not be confined locally, but are observable at a larger scale. This paper emphasizes the importance of considering spatial dynamics and irrigation in understanding the effects of water scarcity on economic activity, providing valuable insights for water resource management policies targeted at promoting climate-resilient development.

Bah Bolon River 1980-2023: The History of Pollution and River Used

The existence of the Bah Bolon River is related to the surrounding community. This study was diachronic research on the history and dynamics of the Bah Bolon River from 1980-2023. Bah Bolon River is related to environmental, social and economic changes in terms of river pollution. This study aimed to invent information on the condition of the Bah Bolon River in Pematang Siantar City, North Sumatra in 1980-2023 with a focus on pollution of the Bah Bolon River and its use for the surrounding community. The method used was a historical method which consists of four stages, namely heuristics, criticism, interpretation, and historiography. Data collection was carried out through a literature review and in-depth interviews. Literature data was taken from official documents and articles regarding the Bah Bolon River from 1980-2023. In-depth interviews were conducted with informants who met the criteria of (1) full enculturation; (2) direct involvement; (3) unfamiliar cultural atmosphere; (4) sufficient time; and (5) non-analytic. The chronological analysis carried out includes the transformation of river flows, the use of water resources, and their impact on the lives of local communities. The results showed that there were changes in land use, social structure, and community economy over time. These findings contribute to a deep understanding of the dynamics of the Bah Bolon River in the 1980s, creating a foundation for evaluating the impact of environmental change on human life. The results of this research contribute to the understanding of environmental history, social change, and community adaptation to ecological change. The implications of this research can be used as a basis for future environmental conservation and water resource management policies while exploring the historical and heritage value of the Bah Bolon River.

The role of state institutions of Kyrgyzstan in the formation of water resources management policy

This article explores the importance of the activities of government agencies in the development and implementation of water resources management strategies. Analyzing the functions and powers of government institutions, the authors discuss their influence on the formation of legislation, the development of water resources management strategies and monitoring their implementation. The article also examines current problems and challenges faced by government institutions in this area, and also suggests ways to solve them to ensure sustainable management of water resources in Kyrgyzstan. Particular attention is paid to the role of government institutions in regulating access to water resources, as well as in developing strategies to ensure sustainable use of water resources in a changing climate. The results of the study may be useful for forming recommendations for improving water resources management policies in Kyrgyzstan.

Інституційне середовище посилення стійкості водогосподарської сфери в умовах зовнішніх ризиків і загроз

The article considers the importance of the functional influence of the institutional environment on strengthening the sustainability of the water management sector and the overall increase in its efficiency in the context of the growing destructive impact of external risks and threats. The key aspects related to the formation of effective institutional mechanisms aimed at ensuring sustainable development of water resources and reducing the vulnerability of the water sector to external influences are identified. The importance of creating an effective regulatory framework that would comprehensively contribute to ensuring the sustainability of the water management sector in the long term is analyzed, taking into account the variety of external risks, such as climate change, environmental pollution, as well as the destructive impact of military operations. The issues of implementation of institutional innovations in the system of regulation of the water management sector in Ukraine are considered, in particular, such as the introduction of the latest technologies for water resources management, development of a system of interaction with non-governmental public and environmental institutions in the decision-making process, as well as promoting their participation in the formation of water resources management policy. The necessity of increasing attention to the institutional aspects of water resources management is substantiated, this will contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of water resources in the face of growing external risks and threats. It is proved that effective management of water resources requires an integrated approach, which should take into account not only technical aspects, but also socioeconomic and institutional factors. It is determined that the presence of stable institutional structures contributes to the creation of appropriate conditions for the development of the water management sector, as well as its functional adaptation to changes in the external environment. Institutional models of water resources management have been studied, based on which key principles and approaches that can be used to generally increase the sustainability of the water management sector in the context of external risks and threats have been identified.

Trend Analysis of Seasonal Drought in Northern Karnataka, India

Trend analysis of climatic data is often carried out in water resources management studies to understand its distribution over a given region. This paper presents an analysis of trends in meteorological drought in 12 districts in the northern part of Karnataka state, India over the period 1991–2020. Trends in the 3-month timescale standardized precipitation index (SPI-3) were analyzed using the Mann-Kendall (MK) trend test and Sen’s slope estimator for the Kharif season. The results of analysis showed an increasing trend of droughts in four districts however, the trend in most of the districts was not statistically significant. The findings were validated with the trend of the declared area under drought (AUD) by the state government for the study area. The findings of this work might be useful for a better understanding of regional drought trends and also for establishing effective water resources management policies.

Different policies constrained agricultural non-point pollutants emission trading management for water system under interval, fuzzy, and stochastic information

Formulating suitable policies is essential for resources and environmental management. In this study, an agricultural pollutants emission trading management model driven by water resources and pollutants control is developed to search reasonable policies for agricultural water resources allocation under multiple uncertainties. Random-fuzzy and interval information in water resources system that have directly impact on the effectiveness of management schemes is reflected through interval two-stage stochastic fuzzy-probability programming. The model was root from regional agricultural water resources system in Jining City, China under considering the relationship among effective precipitation, crop water demand, and pollutants emission. Two types policies (water consumption-control and pollutants emission-control) are designed for searching the related interaction on water resources management and water quality improvement. The results indicated that water resources policies would be of water and environmental double benefits, and a large rainfall would reduce irrigation amount from water sources and lead to a larger pollutants emission trading. The results will help for defining scientific and effective water resources protection and management policies and analyzing the related interacted effects on water consumption, pollutants control and system benefit.

Water Pollution and Decoupling Status in the Yangtze River Economic Belt

Monitoring and reducing Water pollution is critical for the sustainable and green development of socio-economy. This paper combined the concept of Grey Water Footprint and Decoupling theory to evaluate the water pollution status in Yangtze River and the related Economic Belt from 2003 to 2018. By understanding the pollution status, a clearer insight into whether Yangtze River achieved decoupling and where to further improve water quality could be found. According to the result, although some regions, such as Yunnan and Jiangxi, did not display a descending pattern during the period, Yangtze River Economic Belt as a whole showcased a steady decline in total GWF since 2010. In regarding to the economic development, every region within Yangtze River Economic Belt significantly increased their GDP throughout the period. Therefore, according to Tapios decoupling model, it was always decoupling status for Yangtze River Economy from 2003 to 2018, and it has been strong decoupling status for 7 years. This paper provides some information and references for the formulation of water resources management policies, and finally promotes the green development of the areas in the Yangtze River Economic Belt.

Environmental Flows Assessment Based on the Coupling of Water Level and Salinity Requirements for Maintaining Biodiversity: A Case Study from the Ouémé delta in West Africa.

The present study carried out on the Ouémé delta in West Africa, addresses the implementation of the BBM approach for the determination e-flows in a context of high data limitation. It also highlights the potential challenges for the implementation of the recommended e-flows in West Africa countries. To do this, we first established the current ecological status of the delta based on data collection, measurements and scientists' observations. Then, we formulated ecological objectives for e-flows based on the environmental management vision for the delta. And finally, we determined the water requirements for the sustainability of the biodiversity and ecosystem services using a simple 2D hydrodynamic model. The results indicate that 100 and 50% of the average natural flows are required respectively in low-water and high-water periods (3.4 billion m3 per year) to maintain the Ouémé Delta in its current environmental management class. This recommendation for e-flows allocation is in direct competition with the water requirements for the economic development of the delta, which is estimated to be over 3.0 billion m3 per year in the Master Plan for Water Development and Management. While it is clear that the establishment of e-flows recommendations must be accompanied by measures to limit the degradation of ecological habitats, it is even more clear that the economic development remained the main concern of policymakers. The integration of environmental flows into water resources management policies in developing countries requires linking water needs for economic development with water needs for the ecological sustainability of rivers and their associated ecosystems.

Spatial Pattern of Plant Transpiration Over China Constrained by Observations

AbstractPlant transpiration is a key flux of surface water loss to the atmosphere, determining the available surface water for ecosystem and human use. However, over China, the magnitude of transpiration and its spatial pattern remain poorly understood due to a lack of constraints from in situ observations. Here we compile 34 plot‐scale annual transpiration measurements across China to evaluate the performance of four transpiration products, and then produce a new constrained transpiration map for China. The transpiration map reveals an annual value of 209.0 mm yr−1, while the four transpiration products have a large spread of values (173.4–307.9 mm yr−1), especially in the wet southeastern regions. Land surface models exhibit large biases in modeled transpiration (−62.8% to 49.1%) compared to our constrained transpiration, and tend to underestimate transpiration in wet regions while overestimating it in dry regions. This behavior introduces bias in runoff projections which has ramifications for regional water resource management policies.

Analysis of the Potential for Reusing Sanitary Effluents in the Hydrographic Basin of the Ipojuca River

Objective: This study aims to present an assessment of the potential for reusing effluents from domestic sewage treatment plants in the Hydrographic Basin of the Ipojuca River. Theoretical Framework: In regions facing water scarcity, effluent reuse emerges as an alternative to alleviate pressures and reduce contamination of water sources. In this regard, the choice of the Ipojuca River Watershed is justified due to the susceptibility of its constituent municipalities to water scarcity and pollution, as well as the fact that the Ipojuca River has been classified as the third most polluted in the country. Methodology: The methodology involved basin characterization, data collection from the sanitation services provider to perform quantitative and qualitative evaluation of reclaimed water supply, identification of demands based on consumptive uses (industry and irrigation), existing water use permits, and the provider's customer database. Additionally, georeferenced maps were generated for spatial analysis of the water balance. Results and Conclusion: Twelve Sewage Treatment Plants were identified, four of which are still under construction, with nominal treatment capacities exceeding the identified irrigation and industrial demands, except for two of them. In terms of quality, for the analyzed parameters, the treatment plants demonstrated satisfactory performance, suggesting that the effluent could be utilized for restricted purposes without the need for further treatment. Lastly, geospatially, the demands are located within a radius of 10km from the analyzed plants, in most cases. Research Implications: It can be inferred that the basin holds a significant reuse potential to be explored as an alternative for enhancing water availability and reducing effluent discharge into the Ipojuca River. Originality/Value: The results obtained through this unprecedented analysis in the watershed serve as a reference for policymakers and implementers of water resources management policies, as well as an encouragement for potential producers and consumers of reclaimed water.

Ecological Water Requirement of Vegetation and Water Stress Assessment in the Middle Reaches of the Keriya River Basin

Desert oases are vital for maintaining the ecological balance in arid regions’ inland river basins. However, fine-grained assessments of water stress in desert oasis ecosystems are limited. In our study, we aimed to evaluate the water stress in desert oasis ecosystems in the middle reaches of the Keriya River Basin, with a specific focus on their ecological functions and optimizing water resource management. We hypothesized that evapotranspiration has significant effects on ecological water consumption. First, we estimated the actual evapotranspiration (ET) and potential evapotranspiration (PET) based on the SEBS (surface energy balance system) model and remote sensing downscaling model. Then, the ecological water requirement (EWR) and ecological water stress (EWS) index were constructed to evaluate the ecological water resource utilization. Finally, we explored the influencing factors and proposed coping strategies. It was found that regions with higher ET values were mainly concentrated along the Keriya River and its adjacent farmland areas, while the lower values were observed in bare land or grassland areas. The total EWR exhibited the sequence of grassland > cropland > forest, while the EWR per unit area followed the opposite order. The grassland’s EWS showed a distinct seasonal response, with severe, moderate, and mild water shortages and water plenitude corresponding to spring, summer, autumn, and winter, respectively. In contrast, the land use types with the lowest EWS were water areas that remained in a state of water plentitude grade (0.08–0.20) throughout the year. Temperature and vegetation index were identified as the primary influencing factors. Overall, this study provides a reliable method for evaluating the EWR and EWS values of basin scale vegetation, which can serve as a scientific basis for formulating water resource management and regulation policies in the region.

Quantification of Spatiotemporal Variability of Evapotranspiration (ET) and the Contribution of Influencing Factors for Different Land Cover Types in the Yunnan Province

Evapotranspiration (ET) is an important component of terrestrial ecosystems and is sensitive to climate and land-use change due to its obvious link to ecohydrological processes. Therefore, understanding the spatiotemporal variability of evapotranspiration and its drivers under different land cover types plays an important role in estimating the impact of environmental change on the regional water cycle. In this study, we first estimated the spatiotemporal variations of ET for different land cover types in the Yunnan Province from 2001 to 2020 using the MODIS-Terra ET product (MOD16A2.06) and meteorological datasets, and quantified the contribution of six factors: namely, temperature (TEMP), precipitation (PRCP), relative humidity (RH), wind speed (WDSP), soil moisture (SLME), NDVI, elevation, and slope, to the ET under different land cover types by using a ridge regression model. We then discussed the main reasons for the differences in ET in the Yunnan Province under different land cover types. The conclusions are as follows: during the study period, the annual mean ET ranged from 27 to 1183 mm, and there was a large spatial heterogeneity in its spatial distribution, with the smallest increasing trend of 2.1 mm/year in agricultural land and the largest increasing trend of 4.7 mm/year in grassland. Except for cropland, the sum of the relative contributions of the three influence factors, precipitation (PRCP), NDVI, and elevation, to all land cover types exceeded 40%, making them the most dominant factors influencing ET changes in the Yunnan Province. This study provides a comprehensive assessment of the impacts of climate, vegetation, topography, and soils on ET, and contributes to the development of appropriate water resource management policies for different subsurface types in the context of climate warming and revegetation programs.

Policy evaluation of economic – environmental tradeoffs in regulating industrial water use: An agent-based model

Water resource shortage and water pollution are prominent and urgent resource and environment problems. Industrial water consumption and sewage discharges account for a large proportion of the total sewage discharge of China. Therefore, scientifically regulating the water consumption and sewage discharge of industrial enterprises can effectively alleviate water scarcity and pollution problems. By establishing a multi-agent model, this study simulates the water use behavior of industrial enterprises, exploring the responses of industrial enterprises to a different type of scenarios for water management that can coordinate economic and environmental benefits. The purpose is to reduce the water consumption and pollutant emissions of industrial enterprises while achieving economic benefits, so as to provide policy references for water authorities. The results show that: 1) The three policies of water price, water resource tax and emission reduction subsidy can effectively regulate the water consumption and sewage discharge of enterprises. 2) Water price and water resource tax rate need to be controlled within a reasonable range. Appropriate water price and water resource tax rate can encourage enterprises to increase R&D investment. On this basis, it is suggested to emphasize the two-way influence of the government and enterprises, continue to implement water resources management policies such as water resources tax, so as to promote the balance between ecology and economy.

A CA–Markov-Based Simulation and Prediction of LULC Changes over the Nyabarongo River Basin, Rwanda

Over the past few decades, the growth of population and the development of the economy have had a significant impact on the way land is used and covered (LULC) in the Nile Nyabarongo River basin. However, there is limited knowledge about the patterns of land use and the mechanisms that drive changes in these patterns because of human activities. Therefore, it is crucial to examine how land use and cover are shifting in this area, identify the factors responsible for these changes, and forecast future patterns. This study sought (1) to evaluate the changes in LULC from 1990 to 2020 and (2) to predict future fluctuations until 2060. By analyzing the LULC data for the years 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2020, this study simulated the future LULC patterns of the area for the next 30 years using the LULC transition matrix and the Markov chain model. The study classified the LULC into five categories: forestland, grassland, cropland, settlement, and water. The results revealed that there will be significant changes in the LULC of the study area from 2030 to 2060. The forest area is projected to decrease by 801.7 km, 771.6 km, and 508.2 km, while the cropland area will expand by 6307.2 km, 6249.2 km, and 6420.6 km during this period. The grassland area will experience a small increase of 761.1 km, 802.4 km, and 859.1 km, and the settlement area will also grow by 355.2 km, 407.4 km, and 453.2 km. In contrast, the water area will decrease by 55.9 km, 50.5 km, and 40 km. The ongoing pattern of LULCC is expected to persist over the next three decades, with an increase in cropland area and grassland. This study’s findings can provide valuable insights for land use planners and water resource managers in developing fair land use and water resource management policies for the entire region, enabling them to make well-informed decisions.

Evaluating the strictest water resources management policy in China based on the S-CAD method

Abstract The strictest water resources management (SWRM) policy is an important policy to promote the rational use of water resources and sustainable water development in China. An evaluation of the SWRM policy is conducive to the SWRM's optimization and water governance. The S-CAD (Subjectivity – Consistency, Adequacy, Dependency) method is used to assess the implementation effect and formulation of the SWRM policy. The results show that the SWRM policy has a clear logic, goals, and strategy; the goals reflect the government's policy stands and the policy goals can be fully realized through the implementation process. In addition, the SWRM policy's effect is high, which helps solve the challenges of maintaining water resources, the water environment, and water security in China, and has a positive impact on water use efficiency. This study enriches the knowledge body of water policy evaluation and water governance both in China and across the world

Group Identities, Value Orientations, and Public Preferences for Energy and Water Resource Management Policy Approaches in the American West

Earlier research suggests social identity’s association with environmental attitudes and behaviors and identifies several social-identity-based strategies that can potentially foster pro-environment behaviors. This paper examines whether and how social identities are associated with support for pro-environment policies. Using our survey of 1,804 randomly selected respondents, we seek to analyze how group identities are associated with demographic characteristics and value orientations of citizens in the American West, and how these group identities are associated with support for policies aimed at resource development (supply expansion) versus conservation (demand reduction) of energy and water resources. Findings from cluster analysis and binary logistic regression models indicate a significant association between social identity and policy preferences. Respondents who strongly identify themselves as environmentalists, conservationists, and wildlife advocates are more likely to support conservation policies and less likely to support resource development policies compared to those who strongly identify as hunters, fishers, and property rights activists.

Spatial-temporal evolution of water resources utilization efficiency in Jiangsu Province

Abstract Improving water resource utilization efficiency is essential in alleviating the crisis of water resource shortage and promoting the sustainable development of the social economy. Based on the data envelopment analysis (DEA) and Malmquist index, the agricultural, industrial, and domestic water resource utilization efficiency of Jiangsu Province from 2011 to 2020 are evaluated, respectively. The results show that the DEA efficiency of agriculture and industrial water use is greater than that of domestic while the improvement of agricultural and domestic water efficiency is larger than that of industrial. Temporally, the water use efficiency was on an increasing trend from 2011 to 2020, and technological progress is the main factor in improving the water resource utilization efficiency. Spatially, the water use efficiency of southern cities in Jiangsu Province is higher than that of northern and central cities, but the difference between cities is gradually narrowing. To improve the efficiency of water resource efficiency, the government should formulate water resource management policies according to local conditions.