Water Resources Management Model Research Articles

A Group Decision Making Model of Water Resources Management Based on Supporting Degrees of Experts

A group decision making model based on supporting degrees of experts is proposed for selecting the best potential solution to the degradation of the Shiyang river basin. In order to balance the expectations of each expert, a weighted arithematic average based PROMETHEE method is employed to aggregate the opinions from different departments. The weights of experts are calculated by using the corresponding supporting degrees after experts presented their rankings of the alternatives instead of assigning them a priori weight subjectively.

Dynamic modelling of integrated water resources quality management

Basin-scale water resources decisions need to have a decision support system (DSS) that models all water quantity and quality elements. Common integrated water resources management (IWRM) models such as Weap and Modsim can quantitatively model a water system well. However, although certain insertions to such software have been incorporated to simulate quality parameters in rivers, none of these can model such parameters in reservoirs. To solve this issue, researchers have coupled IWRM models with water quality models of reservoirs (WQMRs). WQMRs such as Cequal-W2 usually require voluminous and various input and output information. They are not user friendly and have a high running time. Because of these shortcomings, coupled IWRM and WQMR models cannot be considered as a DSS to assess a variety of scenarios. This paper represents an attempt to introduce a DSS based on the system dynamics approach to utilise in basin-scale integrated water resources quantitative and qualitative management. The proposed model uses a one-dimensional water quality approach for the reservoir to overcome the quality modelling disadvantages of IWRM models. The final results of the proposed model for different scenarios are compared with Modsim and Cequal-W2.

An inexact two-stage stochastic programming model for water resources management in Nansihu Lake Basin, China

In this study, an inexact two-stage water resources management model was developed for multi-regional water resources planning in the Nansihu lake Basin, China. Four planning districts, four water users, and five water sources were considered in the optimization model, with net system benefit, recourse cost, water supply cost, and wastewater treatment cost being analyzed. Methods of interval-parameter programming (IPP) and two-stage stochastic programming (TSP) were incorporated into the model to tackle uncertainties described by both interval values and probability distributions. A number of scenarios corresponding to different river inflow levels were examined, and the results indicated that different inflow levels could lead to different water allocation schemes with varied system benefit and system-failure risk. In general, the developed model can provide an effective linkage between economic benefits and the associated penalties attributed to the violation of predefined policies. The modeling results were valuable for supporting the adjustment or justification of the existing water allocation schemes within a complicated water resources system under uncertainty.

Community participation and implementation of water management instruments in watersheds

O modelo atual de gestão dos recursos hídricos no Brasil é descentralizado, participativo e integrado, e tem como unidade de planejamento a bacia hidrográfica. Baseia-se na atuação de comitês de bacia, sendo que cada comitê possui composição e regras de funcionamento próprias, regidas por seu estatuto, os quais apresentam semelhanças básicas. Os princípios básicos desta gestão foram ditados pela Constituição Brasileira de 1988 e detalhados pela Política Nacional de Recursos Hídricos em 1997. Em nível estadual, São Paulo promulgou sua Política Estadual de Recursos Hídricos em 1991. Este artigo faz análise do processo de participação nos comitês de bacia do Estado de São Paulo e suas implicações na implementação dos instrumentos de gestão de recursos hídricos, por meio de um estudo de caso no Comitê da Bacia Hidrográfica do Tietê - Jacaré, adotando como metodologia a aplicação de questionários aos seus membros titulares da gestão 2009-2011. Observou-se engajamento e integração entre seus diversos integrantes. Mesmo assim, os resultados encontrados apontam para a necessidade de revisão do estatuto deste comitê, sendo evidenciadas distorções causadas pelas divergências entre a legislação estadual e a federal, principalmente quanto aos segmentos participantes e atores envolvidos. Mostraram também a necessidade de uma maior divulgação das questões de recursos hídricos nesta bacia e no Estado de São Paulo, como um todo. Ao mesmo tempo, recomenda-se colocar esforços para ampliar o exercício da representatividade das instituições no comitê e fortalecer os resultados dos trabalhos desenvolvidos nas câmaras técnicas no espaço de tomada de decisão do comitê de bacia hidrográfica.

Comparative analysis of integrated water resources management models and instruments in South America: case studies in Brazil and Colombia

Brazil and Colombia are rich in terms of water supply, ranking as world leaders in the supply of water resources. Despite this, both countries have problems of relative scarcity of this vital liquid in highly populated areas with much economic activity. Establishing policies and legal environmental standards has long tradition in both countries. However, although there are provisions and instruments for water management at the water basin level, these do not necessarily follow the conceptual development of integrated water resources management (IWRM). As a result, the two countries have partially implemented IWRM elements but with different characteristics both in its structure and instrumentality. In Colombia the State Government, through the Regional Environmental Corporations, implements IWRM (concessions, fee for water use, pollution rate, basin plans, etc), with no formal involvement of civil society management. In Brazil, however, IWRM management structure and tools are decentralized and participatory, as are the Water Basin Committees, entities where the State Government, municipalities and users participate, those with the greatest weight in water management. In Brazil, however, this model is not yet implemented in all watersheds. Thus, the aim of this paper is to compare the institutional and legal aspects of water management models in Brazil and Colombia with regard to the integrated water management concept. For the latter, we worked with a case study for each country regarding Nima River watershed (Colombia) and Tiete Jacare (Brazil).

Simulating High-Elevation Hydropower with Regional Climate Warming in the West Slope, Sierra Nevada

Water systems in snowmelt-dominated hydroregions such as California's Sierra Nevada mountains are sensitive to regional climate change, hydropower systems in particular. In this study, a water resources management model was developed for the upper west slope Sierra Nevada to understand the potential effects of regional climate warming on hydropower at the watershed scale, a scale that has been largely neglected but is important for hydroregional planning. The model is developed with the Water Evaluation and Planning system (WEAP) and includes most water management infrastructure in the study region. Hydropower is simulated assuming historical long-term electricity demand and a spill minimization rule. The method is suitable for simulating generation for most of the main watersheds in the region. To assess the potential effect of climate warming, uniform air temperature increases of 0°C, 2°C, 4°C, and 6°C were considered, with no change in precipitation, to approximate regional warming through 2100. The highly productive northern Sierra Nevada sees large re- ductions in hydropower generation with decreases in annual runoff. The central watersheds see less reduction in annual runoff and can adapt better to changes in runoff timing. Generation in southern watersheds, which are less productive, decreases. Results from this study can help identify which watersheds might easily adapt to climate change, where hydropower is likely to conflict with other uses, and where more detailed operational studies are needed. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)WR.1943-5452.0000373. © 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers.

Human needs and environmental rights to water: a biocultural systems approach to hydrodevelopment and management

Large‐scale hydrodevelopment involves synergistic processes and generates cumulative effects that include the degradation of rivers and the complex human environmental systems they support. To avert impending crises in water scarcity and food security many nations are reshaping the priorities, regimes, and praxis of fresh water resource management to explicitly recognize and address diverse human and ecological needs. A recent United Nations sponsored study documenting the linkages between water, cultural diversity, and global environmental change argues that a coupled bio/social systems approach to watershed management prioritizing biocultural health over other concerns is needed to achieve sustainability goals, address the complex and protracted conflicts that characterize river basin management, and halt biocultural degeneration. Praxis implications include (1) the need for greater respect for and recognition of the rights, values, and contributions of culturally diverse peoples in the management and use of river systems, (2) expansion of the integrated water resource management model to include prioritized allocation of water to meet environmentalandcultural flows.

An Interval-Parameter Fuzzy Linear Programming with Stochastic Vertices Model for Water Resources Management under Uncertainty

An interval-parameter fuzzy linear programming with stochastic vertices (IFLPSV) method is developed for water resources management under uncertainty by coupling interval-parameter fuzzy linear programming (IFLP) with stochastic programming (SP). As an extension of existing interval parameter fuzzy linear programming, the developed IFLPSV approach has advantages in dealing with dual uncertainty optimization problems, which uncertainty presents as interval parameter with stochastic vertices in both of the objective functions and constraints. The developed IFLPSV method improves upon the IFLP method by allowing dual uncertainty parameters to be incorporated into the optimization processes. A hybrid intelligent algorithm based on genetic algorithm and artificial neural network is used to solve the developed model. The developed method is then applied to water resources allocation in Beijing city of China in 2020, where water resources shortage is a challenging issue. The results indicate that reasonable solutions have been obtained, which are helpful and useful for decision makers. Although the amount of water supply from Guanting and Miyun reservoirs is declining with rainfall reduction, water supply from the South-to-North Water Transfer project will have important impact on water supply structure of Beijing city, particularly in dry year and extraordinary dry year.

¿«De arriba hacia abajo» o «de abajo hacia arriba»? : participación social, agricultura y minería en la gestión integrada de la cuenca Chancay-Lambayeque

The article assesses the institutionalization of social participation under the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) model being implemented at the Chancay-Lambayeque watershed. First, it describes the bio-physical and social conditions at the basin; then, the evolution of national and local water institutions, from the Agrarian Reform to further decentralization and economic liberalization. Emphasizing the influence of the agricultural and mining sectors in these processes, four participatory mechanisms of the IWRM model are studied. The conclusions highlight: 1) the limited capacity of the central state to integrate a management in which the agricultural use is widely prevailing, and 2) the political challenge of promoting social participation in a context of conflict with the mining sector over the quality of the resource.

A Fuzzy Inference System for the Conjunctive Use of Surface and Subsurface Water

This study develops the water resources management model for conjunctive use of surface and subsurface water using a fuzzy inference system (FIS). The study applies the FIS to allocate the demands of surface and subsurface water. Subsequently, water allocations in the surface water system are simulated by using linear programming techniques, and the responses of subsurface water system with respect to pumping are forecasted by using artificial neural networks. The operating rule for the water systems is that the more abundant water system supplies more water. By using the fuzzy rule, the FIS conjunctive use model easily incorporates expert knowledge and operational polices into water resources management. The result indicates that the FIS model is more effective and efficient when compared with the decoupled conjunctive use and simulation-optimization models. Furthermore, the FIS model is an alternative way to obtain the conjunctive use policies between surface and subsurface water.

A Conceptual Rainfall-Runoff Model Using the Auto Calibrated NAM Models in the Sarisoo River

This paper describes the application of a conceptual rainfall runoff model to investigate the peak and monthly flows at the Sarisoo River Basin on the North West of Iran. The model was calibrated using measured stream flow data and then validated for three years. Calculations of level and time of peak flows are vital for designing structures downstream in the catchment areas. The simulated peak flows were occurring in the months of February in 2003, 2006 and 2007 with approximate values of 6.32, 9.35 and 6.13 m3s-1 respectively. After calibrating 9 NAM parameters using record data of daily rainfall, monthly evaporation and daily discharge in the period of 1th October 2003 to 31th March 2006 and validating the model daily discharges were calculated for 12 years. The outputs of the calibrated model are able to be used in the assessment of water resources management models like Mike Basin, WEAP… because they normally work based on monthly flows with a large time horizon. The results show that monthly averages of mean, maximum and minimum flows are about 10%, 2% and 33% less than daily computed Nash–Sutcliffe coefficients, all calculated over a period of 12 years. The optimum values of the 9 NAM parameters obtained during the calibration procedure are presented. The reliability of MIKE11 NAM was evaluated based on the Nash–Sutcliffe coefficient (R2), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), peak flow (RMSE) and low flow (RMSE). The R2 obtained during this study is 0.74.

Effects of Climate Change on the Surface-Water Management of the South Saskatchewan River Basin

AbstractThe Modified Interaction Soil Biosphere Atmosphere (MISBA) model, the Water Resources Management Model (WRMM) of Alberta Environment, and the Irrigation District Model (IDM) of Alberta Agriculture Food and Rural Development were used to assess the future outlook of water resource management of the South Saskatchewan River Basin (SSRB) of Alberta under the potential impacts of climate change. Using the SSRB hydrometeorological base data from 1928–1995, potential effects of climate change on the SSRB for 2010–2039, 2040–2069, and 2070–2099 were simulated by MISBA, IDM, and WRMM with the climate scenarios projected by four general circulation models forced by emissions reported by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Under these climate projections, MISBA simulated a significant decrease in the mean annual average and mean annual maximum streamflows over selected nodes within the SSRB; the irrigation water demand projected by IDM is expected to increase progressively over the 21st century; ...

Integrated Planning of Land Use and Water Allocation on a Watershed Scale Considering Social and Water Quality Issues

AbstractSustainable development in river basins depends on sound management of land use and water allocation policies. Integrated water resources management (IWRM) is considered a path to bring many elements within the development schemes together toward a unified land-water planning and management process. In this study, an integrated water resources management model is developed to connect three groups of decision makers in pollution control, agricultural planning, and water resources allocation with economic, environmental, and social objectives. A genetic algorithm–based optimization model is developed for providing desirable water quality and quantity while maximizing agricultural production in the upstream region, mitigating the unemployment (social) impacts of land use changes, and providing reliable water supply to the downstream region. The upstream region is divided into subbasins, and a fuzzy-based multiobjective optimization model is used to determine the optimal land uses in each subbasin and...

The Effect of Groundwater Allocation on Economic Welfare Loss

Water scarcity has become a constraint for regional economic development in many cities and regions. Water rationing serves as one instrument to constrain water consumption to persuade users to save water and to moderate their consumption. When the supply of water is unable to satisfy demand, a loss of welfare for the water users will usually occur. This paper conducts an empirical case study on a Chicago suburban county, McHenry County, to evaluate effective water allocation strategies under possible water scarcity scenarios, by specifically taking into consideration of the economic welfare loss under water rationing. It points out the inefficiency of equal rationing and tests a more effective optimal rationing regime which could significantly lower the overall welfare loss for McHenry County. Instead of a conventional watershed-based approach that would provide little advantage for an area that mostly relies on groundwater, this study adopts regional planning/political boundaries as its spatial analytical units. The outcomes suggest that municipality-level water resources management models, powered under economic welfare objective functions, are both possible and practical. The planning strategy drawn under such optimization models suggests a variety of promising approaches to manage groundwater resources at county scales.

A simulation-based two-stage interval-stochastic pro-gramming model for water resources management in Kaidu-Konqi watershed, China

This study presented a simulation-based two-stage interval-stochastic programming (STIP) model to support water resources management in the Kaidu-Konqi watershed in Northwest China. The modeling system coupled a distributed hydrological model with an interval two-stage stochastic programing (ITSP). The distributed hydrological model was used for establishing a rainfall-runoff forecast system, while random parameters were provided by the statistical analysis of simulation outcomes. The developed STIP model was applied to a real case of water resources management planning in Kaidu-Konqi watershed, where three scenarios with different water resources management policies were analyzed. The results indicated that water shortage mainly occurred in agriculture, ecology and forestry sectors. In comparison, the water demand from municipality, industry and stockbreeding sectors can be satisfied due to their lower consumptions and higher economic values. Different policies for ecological water allocation can result in varied system benefits, and can help to identify desired water allocation plans with a maximum economic benefit and a minimum risk of system disruption under uncertainty.

A multistage simulation-based optimization model for water resources management in Tarim River Basin, China

In this study, a multistage simulation-based optimization model is developed for supporting water resources management under uncertainty. The system couples a lumped rainfall-runoff model with an inexact multistage stochastic program, where its random parameter is provided by the statistical analysis of simulation outcomes. Moreover, penalties are exercised with recourse against any infeasibility, which permits in-depth analyses of various policy scenarios that are associated with different levels of economic consequences when the promised water-allocation targets are violated. The developed model can also reflect dynamic features of the system conditions through transactions at discrete points in time over a multistage context. The developed model is applied to a real case of planning water resources management in Tarim River Basin, which is one of the most serious water-shortage regions of China. A variety of policies associated with different water-allocation targets are analyzed. The results are helpful for decision makers identifying optimal water-allocation plans for mitigating the conflict among ecological protection, economic development, and regional sustainability.

Development of a web-based decision support system for supporting integrated water resources management in Daegu city, South Korea

Demands on fresh water by human beings have been continuously increasing due to population growth, living standard improvement, and economic development. At the same time, many regions are suffering greatly from floods and droughts. Those are the results of ineffective management of water resources due to the associated complexities. In this study, a decision support system (DSS) was developed for supporting integrated water resources management in Daegu city, Republic of Korea. The developed DSS contained four subsystems including database, modelbase, and knowledgebase, as well as general user interface (GUI). It was then connected with the National Water Management Information System (WAMIS). A flow prediction could be conducted through the incorporated HEC-HMS Version 3.0.1. Also, an urban water demand forecasting model was developed using an artificial neural network (ANN) based model. At the same time, a water resources management model based on genetic algorithm (GA) was developed in the DSS, facilitating efficient allocation of water resources among different regions within a city. The result indicated that the developed DSS is very useful to deal with complex water resources management problems and could be further applied to similar cities in South Korea.

Management of Water Resources in a Hyper-Arid Area: Strategy and Issues (Case of Oued-Souf Valley-South Eastern of Algeria)

Rising Groundwater in Oued-Souf valley is result to errors committed by human in their interventions on the ecosystems and the mismanagement of this resource, witch principally marked in overexploitation of depth groundwater and the used sewerage system, leading the region to a truly dramatic and almost desperate, palms were turned into sort of marshes, where reeds take the place of dead palm trees. This situation lead us to search a model of water resources management, according to sustainability criteria taking into account the socio-economic (social, agricultural, industrial, tourism ) and ecosystem aspects (environmental and territorial). This by adapting and implementing the Integrated Management of Water Resources (IMWR) in this unit of water resources, so as to guide and mobilize progressively human, informational, financial and material resources, as well as the various sectors private and public to research concrete and measurable results, for water and ecosystems those are associated and that people wanted to see protected and restored.

Linking a Land-Use Cellular Automata with a Water Allocation Model to Simulate Land Development Constrained by Water Availability in the Elbow River Watershed in Southern Alberta

The availability of water resources in southern Alberta is under pressure, now and most likely even more so in the remainder of the 21st century if forecasts on climate change, economic development and associated population growth come true. Alberta Environment is mandated by the provincial Water Act to regulate most use of water through a system of water licenses. This department is currently using a water resource management model (WRMM) to support its planning, but wishes to expand the reach of its decision support tools by including additional factors such as the land-use dynamics. This paper presents the coupling of the WRMM and a land-use cellular automata (CA) model to constrain land development based on water availability in the Elbow River watershed in southern Alberta. Simulations were run with a calibrated CA model using a land-use map of 2006 as the starting year up to the year 2031, at a five-year interval and at a spatial resolution of 60 m. Two scenarios were tested: the business as usual scenario, which is a simple extrapolation of observed historical land development, expressed as the number of built-up cells, and a second scenario in which land development is constrained based on the WRMM water availability output. Results indicate that land development varies in terms of growth and spatial distribution when comparing the two scenarios. The potential benefits and limitations of the two models are discussed and further improvement needed to increase their usefulness in guiding water resource management is highlighted.

An inventory-theory-based interval-parameter two-stage stochastic programming model for water resources management

In this study, an inventory-theory-based interval-parameter two-stage stochastic programming (IB-ITSP) model is proposed through integrating inventory theory into an interval-parameter two-stage stochastic optimization framework. This method can not only address system uncertainties with complex presentation but also reflect transferring batch (the transferring quantity at once) and period (the corresponding cycle time) in decision making problems. A case of water allocation problems in water resources management planning is studied to demonstrate the applicability of this method. Under different flow levels, different transferring measures are generated by this method when the promised water cannot be met. Moreover, interval solutions associated with different transferring costs also have been provided. They can be used for generating decision alternatives and thus help water resources managers to identify desired policies. Compared with the ITSP method, the IB-ITSP model can provide a positive measure for solving water shortage problems and afford useful information for decision makers under uncertainty.