Water Rights Research Articles

Estimating irrigation water use from remotely sensed evapotranspiration data: Accuracy and uncertainties at field, water right, and regional scales

Irrigated agriculture is the dominant user of water globally, but most water withdrawals are not monitored or reported. As a result, it is largely unknown when, where, and how much water is used for irrigation. Here, we evaluated the ability of remotely sensed evapotranspiration (ET) data, integrated with other datasets, to calculate irrigation water withdrawals and applications in an intensively irrigated portion of the United States. We compared irrigation calculations based on an ensemble of satellite-driven ET models from OpenET with reported groundwater withdrawals from hundreds of farmer irrigation application records and a statewide flowmeter database at three spatial scales (field, water right group, and management area). At the field scale, we found that ET-based calculations of irrigation agreed best with reported irrigation when the OpenET ensemble mean was aggregated to the growing season timescale (bias = 1.6–4.9 %, R2 = 0.53–0.74), and agreement between calculated and reported irrigation was better for multi-year averages than for individual years. At the water right group scale, linking pumping wells to specific irrigated fields was the primary source of uncertainty. At the management area scale, calculated irrigation exhibited similar temporal patterns as flowmeter data but tended to be positively biased with more interannual variability. Disagreement between calculated and reported irrigation was strongly correlated with annual precipitation, and calculated and reported irrigation agreed more closely after statistically adjusting for annual precipitation. The selection of an ET model was also an important consideration, as variability across ET models was larger than the potential impacts of conservation measures employed in the region. From these results, we suggest key practices for working with ET-based irrigation data that include accurately accounting for changes in soil moisture, deep percolation, and runoff; careful verification of irrigated area and well-field linkages; and conducting application-specific evaluations of uncertainty.

A framework for seasonal groundwater banking in agricultural regions: A case study

Groundwater banking has been used for demand-oriented management of groundwater resources in semi-arid and arid regions. This paper aims to propose a new framework for seasonal groundwater banking. In this framework, crop production functions are used to estimate users' bid packages representing the price of each unit volume of water in each auction period. The bid packages, along with users' water rights, are considered inputs of an optimization model, which maximizes the profit of users participating in the groundwater bank. The main outputs of the optimization model are the volumes of exchange and storage of water, as well as the water price in the auction periods. The efficiency of the proposed framework has been evaluated by applying it to the Nough region in the Rafsanjan Plain, central Iran. An existing plan for inter-basin water transfer to this region is also considered in the water banking framework. The results illustrate that the total annual profit of all users after the establishment of the bank compared to the status quo has increased up to 43.8 %. The profit of the water-recipient basin has also increased more than 4 times compared to the existing condition. In addition, water banking with a water transfer system increases the economic productivity of water and crop production by 37.32 % and 22.41 %, respectively.

Increases in the Amounts of Agricultural Surfaces and Their Impact on the Sustainability of Groundwater Resources in North-Central Chile

Water is a fundamental resource for Chile’s productive structure, which is more important in arid areas, and especially with agricultural uses. This study was based on two basins (Cogotí and Illapel) located in the Coquimbo Region of north-central Chile. In this region, surface water rights were closed in 2002 and the only current option is the use of groundwater. These basins have high water demands due to the use of surface and groundwater for agricultural purposes, a fact that should influence the sustainability of groundwater reserves over time. The objective of this study was to determine how much agricultural use has affected the availability of groundwater in two basins. Under the previous context, the evolution of agricultural irrigation surfaces was evaluated using Landsat images and forest classifications. Similarly, groundwater reserves were evaluated using the recessive curves of hydrographs associated with the beginning of each hydrological year. The results show an increase in the agricultural area between 1996 and 2016, with a subsequent decrease, while groundwater reserves denoted significant decreases over time. In conclusion, a significant decrease in the volumes of groundwater reserves in both basins was observed, a decrease that is consistent with the increase in irrigated areas.

At Which Overpass Time Do ECOSTRESS Observations Best Align with Crop Health and Water Rights?

Agroecosystems are facing the adverse effects of climate change. This study explored how the ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station (ECOSTRESS) can give new insight into irrigation allocation and plant health. Leveraging the global coverage and 70-m spatial resolution of the Evaporative Stress Index (ESI) from ECOSTRESS, we processed over 200 overpasses and examined patterns over 3 growing seasons across the Maipo River Basin of Central Chile, which faces exacerbated water stress. We found that ECOSTRESS ESI varies substantially based on the overpass time, with ESI values being systematically higher in the morning and lower in the afternoon. We also compared variations in ESI against spatial patterns in the environment. To that end, we analyzed the vegetation greenness sensed from Landsat 8 and compiled the referential irrigation allocation from Chilean water regulators. Consistently, we found stronger correlations between these variables and ESI in the morning time (than in the afternoon). Based on our findings, we discussed new insights and potential applications of ECOSTRESS ESI in support of improved agricultural monitoring and sustainable water management.

Different Pacta or Different Servanda? Grey-Zone Lawfare and Law of the Sea-Based Passage and Operational Rights

This article examines the vulnerability of the law of the sea to grey-zone lawfare based on the maxim pacta sunt servanda, arguing that this rule can readily be employed as a means of lawfare. Through the broad lenses of (1) passage and operational rights in sovereign waters and (2) exclusive economic zone (EEZ) operational rights, the susceptibility to grey-zone lawfare stratagems and tactics based on both “different pacta” and “different servanda” claims are examined. To this end, the specific issues leveraged to illustrate these uses of the different available pacta strategies in grey-zone lawfare at sea are archipelagic sea lanes passage through neutral archipelagic waters, and due regard in respect of third state operational rights in the EEZ. The analysis of each of these contexts then facilitates assessment of the methodology and rule-source tactics that can be exploited when employing pacta sunt servanda as a means of lawfare in respect of grey-zone operations at sea.

Water Insecurity and Rights Erosion: A Comprehensive Analysis of Rohingya Refugee Camps in New Delhi

This study presents a comprehensive analysis of the critical issue of water insecurity and its multifaceted impact on and relationship to the human rights and environmental justice conditions within Rohingya refugee camps located in New Delhi, India. A comprehensive mixed-methods approach was employed to investigate water-related challenges within a refugee camp in Madanpur Khadar, region in Delhi. Qualitative methods including focused group discussions and one-on-one household interviews were conducted to allow residents’ perceptions from diverse groups and examine their experiences. Structured surveys were administered to gather quantitative data on water access, sanitation, health, and socio-economic factors. Additionally,, literature surveys and document archival research provided contextual insights. This study underscores the pressing water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH) challenges faced by Rohingya refugees in the area, revealing irregular water supply, impacting residents’ daily lives and hygiene practices. The majority of families in the camp, with an average of 6 members in each family, can only collect 30–40 L of water to meet all their needs, from consumption to personal hygiene, which is significantly insufficient. This situation has resulted in severe health consequences for the camp residents. Alarmingly, over 90% of the female respondents reported experiencing issues such as urinary infections. This paper gives a comprehensive analysis of the multidimensionality of rights that intersect with and are affected by WaSH issues. The poor WaSH conditions in the camp directly hinder the fulfillment of fundamental human rights. It not only disrupts the basic sanitation need but has negative economic repercussions and causes mental distress. This study concludes by targeted recommendations aimed at improving the conditions prevailing within the camp.

Water rights and firm productivity: evidence from the water rights trading policy in China

ABSTRACT Industrial firms are significant consumers of freshwater globally, but the impact of water management policies, particularly water rights trading, on their performance is not well understood. This study investigates the impact of the water rights trading policy on firm productivity in China. Employing the difference-in-differences approach and using data from Chinese listed firms during 2009–2019, we find that on average, the water rights trading policy increased the total factor productivity of firms by 6%. This productivity effect is confirmed through several robustness checks. We validate the enhancement of water utilization under the water rights trading policy and find that the productivity improvement effects of the water rights trading policy are mainly through alleviating resource misallocation, stimulating innovation activities and easing financial constraints. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that private firms, firms located in regions with abundant water resources, firms located in areas with more improved water infrastructure and firms operating in high water consumption industries benefit more from the policy. This study emphasizes the importance of water rights trading for industrial firms, demonstrating its effectiveness beyond the agricultural sector.

Closing Loopholes in Water Rights Systems to Save Water: The Colorado River Basin

AbstractAround the world, water rights systems govern the allocation of water to a multitude of users. Such systems primarily come into play during times of drought, when some users have to be shorted. Yet their management during times of excess can have implications for subsequent drought impacts. This is evident in the State of Colorado, where under “free river conditions” in which there is sufficient water to satisfy all water rights, anyone—including individuals lacking water rights—can divert as much as they want, unconstrained by the limit of their water right. Here, we estimate the amount of excess water used under such conditions within Division five of the Upper Colorado River Basin in the State of Colorado. Comparing the daily water withdrawals of diversion structures along the Colorado River and its tributaries with their (daily) water rights, we find that in 2017, 339 structures report days with excess withdrawals, amounting to 108 million cubic meters (87,577 acer feet). While such excess withdrawal is legal in Colorado, we argue that the free river condition is an antiquated rule that will make much needed reform of water allocation within the water‐stressed Colorado River Basin more difficult. We offer policy suggestions to address it.

Can Agricultural Managed Aquifer Recharge (Ag‐MAR) Recover Return Flows Under Prior Appropriation in a Warming Climate?

AbstractGroundwater return flow to streams is important for maintaining aquatic habitat and providing water to downstream users, particularly in irrigated watersheds experiencing water scarcity. However, in many agricultural regions, increased irrigation efficiency has reduced return flows and their subsequent in‐stream benefits. Agricultural managed aquifer recharge (Ag‐MAR)—where artificial recharge is conducted via irrigation canals and agricultural fields—may be a tool to recover these return flows, but implementation is challenged by water supply and water management. Using climate‐driven streamflow simulations, an integrated operations‐hydrology model, and a regional groundwater model, we investigated the potential for Ag‐MAR to recover return flows in the Henrys Fork Snake River, Idaho (USA). We simulated potential Ag‐MAR operations for water years 2023–2052, accounting for both future water supply conditions and local water management rules. We determined that Ag‐MAR operations reduced springtime peak flow at the watershed outlet by 10%–14% after accounting for return flows. Recharge contribution to streamflow peaked in July and November, increasing July–August streamflow by 6%–14% and November–March streamflow by 9%–14%. Furthermore, sites where Ag‐MAR was conducted incidental to flood irrigation had more water available for recharge, compared to sites requiring recharge rights, which are junior in priority to agricultural rights. Mean annual recharge volume for the incidental recharge sites averaged 12% of annual natural streamflow, ranged from 269 to 335 Mm3, and was largely available in April and October. We demonstrate Ag‐MAR can effectively recover groundwater return flows when applied as flood irrigation on agricultural land with senior‐priority water rights.

A diagnostic approach to modeling watersheds with human interference

Most watersheds have human impacts that modify hydrological responses differently over a range of timescales. However, these impacts are not accounted for in most hydrological models. Human impacts in watersheds are diverse and case specific, unlike natural hydrologic processes. Incorporating all plausible human impacts comes at a high data acquisition and modeling cost. This raises the question, which human impacts do we need to incorporate to represent observed streamflow patterns at different timescales? To answer this question, we develop a diagnostic approach to modeling watersheds with human interference. This mixed methods approach is informed by the case history and builds on the top-down hydrological modeling approach where process complexity is incrementally added with changing timescales to identify and respond to changing dominant hydrological processes in a given watershed. Here we implement this modeling approach in the East Fork watershed in California, USA for which data on changes in water imports, withdrawals, irrigation and agriculture land cover is available from the early 1940′s, making it an ideal demonstration case. In the East Fork watershed, we find that incorporation of water imports and rights are sufficient to replicate annual patterns of runoff variability, and that adding crop water demand and irrigation enables replication of monthly and daily patterns, while incorporation of groundwater pumping results in negligible improvements. To demonstrate the capabilities of the diagnostic approach in and beyond this case we conducted two computational experiments: checking for needed model structural change and exploring a counterfactual scenario of intensified agriculture.

Does water rights trading promote the efficiency of water use? Empirical evidence from pilot water rights trading in China

ABSTRACT Water rights trading policy is an important economic tool in China's water resource management. Accurately estimating the level of water resource utilization efficiency in experimental areas and impartially assessing the impact of the water rights trading market's operation on water resource utilization efficiency have policy implications for improving water resource governance tools and capabilities. Based on the panel data of 19 provinces (regions) in China from 2010 to 2019, this paper describes the development of a three-stage data envelopment analysis model to measure water use efficiency and the application of the difference-in-differences method based on propensity score matching (PSM-DID) to examine the effect of water rights trading policies on the model. The results indicate that (1) after the introduction of the water rights trading policy, the water use efficiency in the experimental areas improved substantially; (2) the PSM-DID method also confirms this finding, and water rights trading has a positive influence on water use efficiency. The research outcomes of this study can be used to objectively appraise the policy performance of the water rights trading policy and provide a theoretical foundation for its nationwide implementation.

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

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

Effectiveness Analysis and Individual Behavior Simulation of Water Rights Trading Policy to Alleviate Water Poverty

Effectiveness Analysis and Individual Behavior Simulation of Water Rights Trading Policy to Alleviate Water Poverty

Water resource management and land tenure on allotted and tribal lands

Historical land tenure policies often prevent tribal members from accessing and managing resources on lands to which they hold allotment titles. Tribal trust landowners continue to experience challenges in applying long-contested water resource rights for beneficial use on their land. This study examines the relationship between land tenure and water resource management in tribal lands. Conflicts arising from diverse land ownership types and the implications of water rights management of tribal trust and non-tribal assets are analyzed. Watershed analyses of landownership types are performed to provide a comprehensive picture of the extent of tribal control and management of water resources. These analyses provide an estimate of land within the reservation boundary not controlled by the tribe, thus highlighting the restrictions that such land presents for tribal resource management. To further detail the potential impact of these restrictions, the land tenure of the tribal land base is outlined, including the percentage of tribal trust, fee, or non-trust land types, with the goal of specifically addressing the potential limitations on water resource usage for allottee landowners on Crow tribal lands. Using highly fractionated lands as a proxy for idle lands, 33% of tribal trust lands were estimated to be precluded from water resource management. The convergence of large-fee land and fractionated idle land is identified as alienated land. The primary waterway basins consist of over 60% fee and idle land as alienated land. Fee and non-trust lands are subject to state control over water rights, and the reserved rights associated with idle allotted land are inaccessible to the tribal management authority. This leaves allottee landowners unable to use and manage their land and related water resources. The key to effectively managing tribal water resources is to ensure that all landowners have the means to participate in resource management.

Public policies on human rights to water in informal settlements: a bibliometric analysis

ABSTRACT Global attention and academic research have focused on the intersection of informal settlements, water rights, and public policy implementation. However, the overlap of these topics remains underexplored, and trends are largely unknown. This study aims to identify aspects related to public policies on human rights to water in informal urban settlements (IUS) and their association with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A bibliometric analysis of 1,702 publications from 1978 to June 2023 was conducted using R Studio and Biblioshiny. Descriptive analysis, clustering, and mapping were employed to identify key measures for effective public policies. These include infrastructure investment, fair water pricing regulation, and socioeconomic inclusion. Furthermore, it was found that public policies should be adaptive and inclusive, with a focus on gender-sensitive approaches to address unique challenges faced by women. It is recommended that these policies prioritize environmental sustainability and innovative technologies, to support the SDGs 6, 10, 11, and 13. This will enhance resilience and well-being in IUS communities.

Environmental management of the water supply of Cidade Universitária Prof. José da Silveira Netto (UFPA) and implementation model for granting water use

This study was carried out in the Prof. José da Silveira Netto University City, on the campus of the Federal University of Pará (UFPA), on the evaluation of the environmental management of water supply and the normative status of models for granting the right to use water resources in the administrative body, the State Secretariat for the Environment and Sustainable Development (SEMAS/PA). The aim of the study is to propose necessary procedures for implementing a project to support good environmental management of urban sanitation systems, based on SEMAS/PA Normative Instruction no. 3 of March 26, 2014. The methodology was developed through documentary/bibliographical research and visits to the competent bodies (SEMAS/PA, CPRM and FEMAC) and technical visits to the sectors of the university city. The studies show that the process of environmental management of water resources and the model for granting water rights need to be improved from the outset. The water resource use on the campus of the Federal University of Pará should meet this requirement and comply with the applicable regulations and any technical conditions proposed by the competent environmental protection agency.

Resource regulation and green innovation: Evidence from China's water rights trading policy

Green innovation is the pivotal part connected with achieving urban sustainable development. Resource regulation, represented by water rights trading policy (WRTP), is playing an increasingly important role in supporting urban green innovation (UGI). Therefore, this paper uses the WRTP conducted in 2014 in China as a quasi-natural experiment to evaluate the net effect of resource regulation on green innovation by the identification methods of difference-in-differences (DID) model. The results show that: (1) WRTP promotes UGI significantly, and this finding holds after a series of robustness tests. (2)The influencing mechanisms are mainly by optimizing industrial structure and enhancing the efficiency of resource allocation and information exchange efficiency and the promoting function is moderated by urban competitiveness and population agglomeration. (3) The promotion effects are greater in cities with higher level of government intervention, environmental pollution, water using quantity and local economy.(4) WRTP has the spatial spillover effect on UGI. These findings provide insights into sustainable development of water resources, management of water trading market, urban green innovation and sustainable economic development.

Groundwater overdraft is water dispossession

The Coachella Valley sits at the geographic periphery of Los Angeles. Despite its physical and political marginality, the Coachella Valley is a key site of agricultural production in Southern California. Access to water is essential for ensuring the region's centrality in economic and social reproduction. Today, access to water for industrial production is primarily achieved through ongoing water dispossession. Using archival and policy documents, I analyze how United States settlers leveraged multiple mechanisms for water dispossession to expand the region's growth. Literature on water dispossession focuses on forms (water rights, grabbing, allocation, diversion, or contamination) that advance either settler colonialism or capitalism. This article demonstrates how successful white settlement in the Coachella Valley could only happen through Indigenous water dispossession. I identify an understudied form of water dispossession: groundwater overdraft. I illustrate that groundwater overdraft is not just a characteristic of early U.S. settler colonialism in the Coachella Valley; it is ongoing. In addition, the economic and environmental drawbacks to overdraft are resolved by expanding water dispossession. Analyzing groundwater overdraft as water dispossession, questions this premise. Illuminating the structural processes at play in water dispossession exposes the need to address dispossession, rather than simply overdraft, through both policy and cultural changes.

Research on Bi-Level Objective Programming Model of Water Resources Uncertainty Based on Water Rights Trading—A Case Study of the Yehe Irrigation District in Hebei Province, China

Research on Bi-Level Objective Programming Model of Water Resources Uncertainty Based on Water Rights Trading—A Case Study of the Yehe Irrigation District in Hebei Province, China

The Water Management Impacts of Large-Scale Mining Operations: A Social and Environmental Perspective

This study investigates water consumption in two areas with limited water resources—the Salar de Atacama and Salar de Atacama-Vertiente Pacifico basins in Chile’s Antofagasta Region—with the aim of developing strategies that incorporate social and environmental aspects into water management. A qualitative approach was employed that involved a focus group with twelve water management representatives and surveys of the general population (468 responses). Additionally, the current state of water rights in the two basins was examined and the feasibility of the proposed strategies was assessed. The findings reveal that the mining industry’s development approach is mostly viewed as negative, mainly due to inadequate community engagement, confidential consumption data, and limited government oversight. The quantitative findings indicate that 53.8% of respondents see the main obstacle as the lack of a solution satisfying both parties. Additionally, 35.3%, 24.4%, and 22.4% believe transparency, objective information provision, and detailed resource usage disclosure by mining companies would help. Adopting a comprehensive water stewardship approach that considers social and environmental factors would enable a novel contribution to a more effective and sustainable water resource management system in northern Chile, mitigating communities’ negative perceptions of the industry and facilitating the integration of communities and involved agents. Therefore, improved management and transparent collaboration among stakeholders are essential for responsible water resource use in mining.