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The paper aimed to evaluate the impacts of water pricing and quota policies under changing climatic conditions on the major production factors using economic-biophysical modeling. The data were collected by 382 questionnaires focusing on wheat, barley, cotton, alfalfa, and sugar beet crops in the 2017-2018 cropping year in North Khorasan Province, Iran. Climate change scenarios were defined as wet, moderate, and dry scenarios resulting from precipitation changes. The results showed that climate change scenarios reduce the total irrigated area of crops and total water used. Due to the effect of precipitation on crop yield, dry and moderate climate changes reduce the total gross income, while wet climate changes increase it. The scenarios of quota and pricing policies were then applied under climate change scenarios. The amount of water conserved by applying the quota policy was equal to the quota rate, while the impact of the pricing policy varied depending on the type of climate change. The highest amount of water conserved belonged to the conditions of dry climate change in Atrak and Central Desert catchments, which was about 6.8-8.6 and 3.83-14.48%, respectively. As the climate moves toward drought conditions in this province, the implementation of such policies can partially protect water resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With global climate change and extreme weather events, water scarcity and environmental degradation are becoming increasingly prominent. Ecological replenishment is one important measure to enhance water quality in reservoirs. To address the severe pollution and ecological degradation problems of the Luhun Reservoir, this paper uses MIKE21 software to construct a coupled hydrodynamic-water quality model. Six recharge scenarios were designed to compare and explore the enhancement of reservoir water quality for these scenarios. The water quality status of these options was evaluated using the single-factor index method and the combined pollution index method. The results show that due to the ecological replenishment, the pollutant concentration leads the phenomenon of gradient diffusion to the center of the reservoir, and the average improvement rate of water quality is up to 40.22%. Schemes 2 and 5 have the lowest integrated pollution index. The most significant improvement in water quality was achieved at the same total recharge conditions, using 0.5 times the flow rate and two times the recharge time of the actual recharge project. The study results provide theoretical and technical support for the future management of the reservoir water environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable water supply is one of the key issues for water resources management. The future demand for clean water is putting pressure on the Malaysian government to find alternative supplies and best management practices in managing water resources, such as the use of reclaimed water. This paper evaluates the perceptions and acceptance of the use of treated water for non-drinking purposes in Malaysia from the responses of 1,004 participants. The results show that age and level of education play an important role in the level of community acceptance. Females tend to be more selective than males in their acceptance to use reclaimed water. To guarantee that the public receives accurate information about reclaimed water, social media can be used for disseminating information, especially to younger generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As society develops, water resources management (WRM) should evolve in response to the changing public needs. This study examines the evolution of Japanese management mechanisms since modernization. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with decision makers and researchers, and government documents and academic papers were reviewed. We found that the country has developed legislation, financing investments, long-term plans, governance, and science and technology for WRM, and that the water sector contributed to modernization, reconstruction after World War II, and economic development. Japan has become more resilient to natural and biological disasters, more inclusive in providing equitable water services, and more sustainable in protecting the environment. However, issues of inflexible approaches, weak governance, and necessity of applying adaptation to climate and social changes were found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the continuous operation of a water transfer project, especially under the general trend of global climate change in recent years, extreme weather occurs frequently, and the project's operation process will be tested by natural disasters, structural damage, electromechanical equipment failure, water pollution and other risks. Therefore, the risk management of the water transfer project is of great significance to ensure the long-term operation of the project. As one of the four largest cross-century projects in China, the operation risk of the South-to-North Water Transfer Project has attracted great attention. In this paper, a system dynamic model (SDM) for simulating real-time risk is presented. Based on the linear and directional characteristics of water transfer project and the known risk level of single buildings, DYNAMO language is embedded to connect the risks of various points on the line, and a model for real-time monitoring the risk changes along the line is constructed. The what-if analysis performed by the SDM shows the importance of human intervention to the deterioration and spread of dangerous situations in the process of engineering damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper assessed the current water resources system and two future scenarios in the Qena Governorate by developing a Water Balance Model (WB Model) and Water Security Quality-based Index (WSQI). The first scenario presented 25% reduction in Nile flow, while the second scenario suggested adaptation measures to comply with flow reduction. The measures included leveling 100,000 feddans, serving 70,000 feddans with sprinkler irrigation, and lining 2,977 km of canals. The WB Model estimated WB components. The WSQI was a new index suitable for Egypt’s conditions considering water quality. The water supply from High Aswan Dam (HAD) was predicted by the BlueM model for hydrological simulations of Nasser Lake. The study found that the current water shortage was fulfilled by drainage reuse and shallow groundwater, and the WQSI indicated a low water insecurity. The flow reduction increased the water shortage and reuse quantity. As a result, the WSQI indicated high water insecurity. The suggested measures improved agricultural water use efficiency from 51% to 63%, reduced water shortage, and improved the water insecurity level from high to medium. This study concluded that adaptation measures can improve the future water system and water security in the Qena Governorate. The study recommended upscaling WSQI use for the entire country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing availability of real-time in situ measurements and remote sensing observations have the potential to contribute to the optimisation of water resources management. Global challenges such as climate change, intensive agriculture and urbanisation put a high pressure on our water resources. Due to recent innovations in measuring both water quantity and quality, river systems can now be monitored in real time at an unprecedented spatial and temporal scale. To interpret the sensor measurements and remote sensing observations additional data, for example on the location of the measurement, and upstream and downstream catchment characteristics, are required. In this paper, we present a data management system to support flow-path-related functionality for decision making and prediction modelling. Adding meta-datasets and facilitating (near) real-time processing of sensor data questions are key concepts for the systems. The potential of the database framework for hydrological applications is demonstrated using different applications for the river system of Flanders. In one, the database framework is used to simulate the daily discharge for each segment within a catchment using a simple data-driven approach. The presented system is useful for numerous applications including pollution tracking, alerting and inter-sensor validation in river systems, or related networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is exacerbating the extremes in hydro-meteorological events. Together with other global drivers under change--population growth, rapid urbanisation, increased asset values--this may result in increased frequencies and even higher impacts of water-related disasters. Further comprehensive actions are needed to reduce the vulnerability and to increase the resilience of exposed populations and assets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Against increasing number of unprecedented heavy rains and typhoons reflecting climate change, the Japanese Government decided saving life as the top priority considering a ‘worst-case’ scenario. Accordingly, the Flood Risk Management Act was amended in 2015 to use the anticipated maximum scale precipitation (AMSP) for flood inundation calculation. In order to estimate the AMSP, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) chose historical maximum areal precipitation in the form of duration–area–depth (DAD) curves rather than climate change projections’ dataset d4PDF. In this paper, policy development and detailed estimation procedures for the AMSP were reviewed and discussed. It was concluded that the current climate change projections are still not accurate enough to be used as the basis for real local operations, while long accumulated ground observations and ground-based radars are available in good quality all over Japan. But at the same time, historical maximum should always be updated as past records are renewed. Also, regional partitioning should not be done at too coarse of scale for proper regionalization of DAD. Such strategy would serve as a useful reference for other nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Asia-Pacific region is extremely vulnerable to climate variability and change. This reflects high exposure to hydroclimatic hazards such as tropical cyclones, floods, droughts, and heatwaves. Rapidly growing cities and low-lying coastal zones/estuaries also face threats from sea level rise and storm surges. However, climate model projections remain very uncertain about most of these risks, so water infrastructure and operations need to consider a range of plausible futures. Against this background, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has been developing frameworks, tools, and capacities in climate risk and adaptation assessment and management. Project teams are often operating in data-scarce situations and under significant time constraints, so the emphasis has been on creating pragmatic guidance and training resources. This paper charts the transition of climate risk management (CRM) within the ADB from a predominantly scenario-led to decision-led approach to adaptation. Examples are given of light-touch procedures for screening climate risks, strengthening the transparency and rigour of scenario analysis, raising awareness of a broad range of adaptation options, streamlining identification of CRM options, and embedding allowances for climate change in detailed engineering designs. Such practical innovations would benefit communities of practice beyond the Asia-Pacific region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, there is a global deficit in infrastructure and the World Bank Group (WBG) is one of the major sources of financing to reduce this gap worldwide. The WBG has policies and protocols for approving investments taking into consideration financial and economic indicators while ensuring social and environmental safeguards. In recent years, these safeguards have been updated to include the effects of climate change and robustness and resilience to support climate-informed project investment decision-making. A series of tools for screening projects for climate vulnerabilities and identification of risk management options have been developed to help project teams comply with these requirements. One of these tools is the hierarchical four-phased Decision Tree Framework (DTF) that, beyond screening, helps to analyze plans and project vulnerabilities, climate-related or otherwise, using a decision scaling approach, and explore risk management options, if necessary. The four phases of the DTF are (i) project screening, (ii) initial analysis, (iii) stress test, and (iv) climate risk management. This paper reviews applications of the DTF from the climate change screening phase to non-climate uncertainty screening and decision-making for project investments and prioritization. A peek into work in progress for incorporating resilience in the decision-making process, both for projects and through projects, is also provided, as well as next steps, looking forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many countries in the world, including South Africa, are water-stressed with increasing pressure on their water resources due to population growth, climate change, and inadequate funding. Post-independence in 1994, many policies and programmes were introduced by the government with the aim of promoting water management. While these policies and strategies achieved much in terms of water provision to communities and households, they failed to establish a water-conscious country with sufficient knowledge and expertise in water management. In addition, these policies and programmes are outdated, compartmentalised, complex, and lack robust water governance with resilient stakeholder partnerships that advance the more explicit second phase of the National Development Plan (NDP) to achieve water security under the threat of climate change. Using data collection tools inspired by the traditional method of participatory research, this paper analyses the structural and systematic factors hindering the implementation of comprehensive policies to achievewater security in South Africa. There is, therefore, an urgent need for SouthAfrica to establish an independent water regulator to ensure coordination between different government departments, including the National Treasury, to strengthen weak governance capacity and to make it independent to attract private equity into the sector and to recover fiscal deficits in the water sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of flood scaling is an important means to solve the problem of flood prediction in ungauged and poorly gauged basins. With the impact of climate change and human activities, the mechanism and process of floods are constantly changing. However, in many areas, there are only simple scaling results that can be used to guide daily work. Taking the Daqinghe River basin as an example, a fixed flood scaling exponent determined in 1974 (before the change point of 1979) is still used all over the basin, which is apparently no longer appropriate. Therefore, in this paper, we aim to explore: (1) the scale relationship between the peak flows and the basin area under changing environments; (2) the validation of the scale invariance theory; (3) the physical relationship between the event-based scaling theory and the annual flood quantile-based scaling theory in the mesoscale non-nested and partly nested basins; and (4) the modification of the existing uniform flood scaling exponent in the study area. To achieve these objectives, eight simultaneous observed flood events in seven non-nested and partly nested mesoscale sub-basins of the Daqinghe River basin were selected to analyze the flood scaling theory. The results showed that there was a scaling relationship between the flood peaks and watershed area for the flood events, and the scale invariance theory was also supported herein. To analyze the effect of the environmental conditions on flood scaling in the Daqinghe River basin, the flood events were reconstructed after the change point (the year 1979). It was found that the flood scaling exponents of the reconstructed flood events are larger than those of the observed events after the change point. The flood scaling exponent changed with flood events, varying from 0.65 to 1.26 when considering the basin area as the independent variable, and decreasing with a minimum of 0.36 when taking the rainfall characteristics into consideration. It was also found that the mean of the event-based scaling exponents is larger than the annual flood quantile-based scaling exponents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of flood scaling is an important means to solve the problem of flood prediction in ungauged and poorly gauged basins. With the impact of climate change and human activities, the mechanism and process of floods are constantly changing. However, in many areas, there are only simple scaling results that can be used to guide daily work. Taking the Daqinghe River basin as an example, a fixed flood scaling exponent determined in 1974 (before the change point of 1979) is still used all over the basin, which is apparently no longer appropriate. Therefore, in this paper, we aim to explore: (1) the scale relationship between the peak flows and the basin area under changing environments; (2) the validation of the scale invariance theory; (3) the physical relationship between the event-based scaling theory and the annual flood quantile-based scaling theory in the mesoscale non-nested and partly nested basins; and (4) the modification of the existing uniform flood scaling exponent in the study area. To achieve these objectives, eight simultaneous observed flood events in seven non-nested and partly nested mesoscale sub-basins of the Daqinghe River basin were selected to analyze the flood scaling theory. The results showed that there was a scaling relationship between the flood peaks and watershed area for the flood events, and the scale invariance theory was also supported herein. To analyze the effect of the environmental conditions on flood scaling in the Daqinghe River basin, the flood events were reconstructed after the change point (the year 1979). It was found that the flood scaling exponents of the reconstructed flood events are larger than those of the observed events after the change point. The flood scaling exponent changed with flood events, varying from 0.65 to 1.26 when considering the basin area as the independent variable, and decreasing with a minimum of 0.36 when taking the rainfall characteristics into consideration. It was also found that the mean of the event-based scaling exponents is larger than the annual flood quantile-based scaling exponents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change adaptation in water management is a water governance issue. While neither climate change nor water respects national borders, adaptation in water management should be treated as a transboundary water governance issue. However, transboundary water management is, in essence, more complex than national water management because the water management regimes usually differ more between countries than within countries. This paper provides 63 lessons learned from almost a decade of cooperation on transboundary climate adaptation in water management under the UNECE Water Convention and puts these into the context of the OECD principles on water governance. It highlights that good water governance entails a variety of activities that are intertwined and cannot be considered stand-alone elements. The paper also shows that this wide variety of actions is needed to develop a climate change adaptation strategy in water management. Each of the lessons learned can be considered concrete actions connected to one or more of the OECD principles, where a range of actions may be needed to fulfil one principle. The paper concludes that developing climate change adaptation measures needs to improve in parallel the water governance system at transboundary scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water crisis and, particularly, drop in rainfall in Iran are not only an environmental matter but also a security issue. This paper tries to draw attention to the substantial social consequences of climate change in Iran and particularly addresses whether precipitation scarcity from 2007 to 2014 has a conflict-making effect in the province of Iran using the system GMM model. We show that rainfall shortage and the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), as an index of drought, could stimulate the propensity for individuals to engage in disruptive activities in provinces of Iran. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this paper is to assess the water crisis in Nepal by conducting a series of case studies in rural watersheds in the mid-hills. This was achieved through the applied qualitative method, especially combinations of desk study/structured searches, consultation, and field observation. The ground survey revealed that most of the rural communities in the mid-hills have an unreliable water supply. According to the local stakeholders, 20-25% of water resources have dried up as compared to 20 years ago. Drying up of water resources disproportionately affects women and girls in rural areas as women are responsible for household chores, including fetching drinking water. The findings also revealed that low-income households bear a disproportionate coping burden as compared to elite groups, as they often engage in coping strategies such as collecting water from distant water sources, which is labor- and time-intensive, and also yields smaller quantities of water. Assuming that unreliable water supplies will continue to exist in rural areas of the mid-hills for the foreseeable future, there is a critical need to consider which, if any, coping strategies will be most effective in ensuring that poor households will have access to safe and sufficient water supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several basins in Western Bohemia are regularly confronted with water scarcity problems during dry periods that have far-reaching impacts on stream ecology and the availability of drinking water for users. This paper presents a hydrological balance assessment of catchments in Western Bohemia for present and future conditions together with possible directions for climate change adaptation at the local scale. Assessment of climate change impacts on hydrological balance components using an ensemble of regional climate models revealed an increase in air temperature for all months during the year leading to an increase in evaporation. Along with changes in precipitation distribution during the year (increasing winter precipitation and decreasing summer precipitation), groundwater recharge and groundwater storage in general both decrease. Adaptation measures such as water transfers and the construction of water reservoirs are assessed with respect to the goal of increasing water availability in the Western Bohemia region during dry periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the case study of Tangshan city, Hebei Province, China, this paper analyzes the temporal change of the blue agricultural water footprint (WF) during 1991-2016 and discusses the applicability of different climate change models during 2017-2050. Results show effective rainfall, wind speed and maximum temperature are leading factors influencing the blue agricultural WF. Relative error analysis indicates that the HadGEM2-ES model is the most applicable for climate change projections in the period of 2017-2050. Agricultural blue WF is about 1.8 billion m3 in RCP2.6, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 emission scenarios, which is almost equal to the average value during 1991-2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents preliminary results from the development of the IMPETUS model, a domestic water demand microsimulation model which was developed to estimate the results of a range of scenarios of domestic demand under drought conditions. The model is intended to enable water resource management practitioners to assess the likely impact of potential interventions in particular catchment areas. It has been designed to be driven by seasonal catchment level forecasts of potential hydrological droughts based on innovative climate and groundwater models. The current version of the model is driven by reconstructed historical drought data for the Colne catchment in the east of England from 1995 to 2014. This provides a framework of five drought phases (Normal, Developing, Drought, Severe Drought and Recovering) which are mapped to policy driven interventions such as increased provision of water efficiency technologies and temporary water-use bans. The model uses UK Census 2011 data to develop a synthetic household population that matches the socio-demographics of the catchment and it microsimulates (at the household level) the consequences of water efficiency interventions retrospectively (1995-2014). Demand estimates for reconstructed drought histories demonstrate that the model is able to adequately estimate end-use water consumption. Also, the potential value of the model in supporting cost-benefit analysis of specific interventions is illustrated. We conclude by discussing future directions for the work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable water management is increasingly essential in an age characterised by rapid population growth, urban and industrial development and climate change. Opportunities to promote conservation and water-use efficiencies remain attractive in directly reducing water demand. Smart water metering and the provision of detailed water-use feedback to consumers present exciting new opportunities for improved urban water management. This paper explores two smart water metering trials in New South Wales, Australia, which provided household water consumption feedback via (i) paper end-use reports and (ii) an online portal. This combination enabled a deeper exploration of the various impacts of detailed feedback enabled via smart water metering. The positive effects uncovered by the research present an important opportunity for smart water metering feedback to contribute towards more sustainable urban water management. Their summary contributes empirical evidence on the impacts for water utilities considering embarking on the smart water metering journey with their customers. The identification of future research and policy needs sets an agenda for smart water metering to promote a sustainable digital urban water future. Larger-scale trials are now required and utilities should integrate the design and plans for scalable advanced feedback programs at the outset of smart meter implementations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continental or regional water storage variations (WSVs) are crucial to regional economic development and human society and play an important role in coping with global change. Water scarcity is currently an especially key issue in Central Asia (CA), and therefore the study of WSVs can aid in the adoption of measures for mitigating pressures from contemporary environmental changes and economic development in CA. Based on Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), Global Land Data Assimilation System (GLDAS), and CRU meteorological datasets and a proposed combined filter strategy, WSVs in Central Asia and its surrounding areas over 30 years are investigated in this paper. The results indicate that the WSVs derived from GRACE and GLDAS over CA generally show a decreasing tendency. CRU data demonstrated that CA has been undergoing a warming trend. The water loss in CA may be caused by warming, which will lead to the loss of soil moisture. Moreover, the water mass in the Tibetan Plateau and Tarim basin increases, which may be caused by glacier melting in the Pamirs and Himalaya. The precipitation contributed little to changes in water storage, but at the basin scale, the precipitation anomalies were very similar to the GRACE and GLDAS data, which can be viewed as an indicator of WSVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustaining the water supply in megacities is an enormous challenge. To address this challenge, it is especially important to predict water demand changes in megacities. This paper presents a system dynamics model to predict the future water demands of different sectors considering multiple factors, including population, structure of the economy, and water supply and use technologies. Compared with traditional methods such as the time series method and structure analysis method, the proposed model takes into account the interconnections, non-linear relationships and feedbacks between the various factors in a systems context. The model is applied to Beijing, a megacity with a population over 20 million and very limited water availability. It is found that the total water demand is likely to increase by at least 36.1% (up to 62.5%) by 2030 compared with that in 2011, and the water deficits vary from -0.36 × 109 to 1.80 × 109m3 in 2030. In addition, scenarios are designed to account for impacts associated with economic development, climate change and inter-basin water transfers. It is shown that climate change may have a large impact on the water supply reliability in Beijing. The water shortage problems can be alleviated via inter-basin water transfers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of ecosystem services (ESS) has evolved as a link between society and the environment and is recognized by both natural and social scientists. While this concept is increasingly being developed and applied to various ecological systems, it has not been defined specifically for different kinds of water. As water circulation is crucial for large-scale services, such as climatic and hydrological regulation at global and regional scales, water provides specific ecological and anthropogenic services needed for a myriad of chemical, biological, and social needs. Various scholars mostly deal with one specific kind of water, while efforts at water governance need to understand that water passes through different phases and geographical locations providing different services at multiple scales within social-ecological systems. Hence, this paper addresses the question: what are the ESS of different kinds of freshwater and how are these services linked to human well-being? This paper investigates the literature on the subject to create a taxonomy of the kinds of water and their relations to ESS and human well-being. The paper concludes by identifying the implications for governing different kinds of water in order to enhance the potential for optimizing the ESS provided by water in its different phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 19 September 1960, the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) was signed between India and Pakistan, presumably resolving the conflict of Indus water sharing. Nevertheless, over the years the conflict has re-appeared, dragging both the riparian states into confrontation. This paper explores the reasons that lead to conflict despite the Indus water sharing having already been resolved by the IWT. Analysis of the documentation shows that increasing construction of hydropower projects by India instigates conflict between the riparian states. The paper also analyzes two variables that will actualize the possibility of further conflict if correct steps are not taken. The paper concludes in ascertaining the credibility of the IWT to precisely address the challenges vis-à-vis issues that have resurfaced in Indus water sharing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing concern in Iraq about the inefficiency of reactive drought management practices. Corresponding actions are largely characterized as emergency-based responses that treat the symptoms of drought rather than consider the vulnerability components associated with impacts. The Diyala watershed shared between Iraq and Iran has been used as an example transboundary river basin marked by ineffectiveness of drought management. The standardized precipitation index and the reconnaissance drought index were used to determine the historical meteorological drought episodes and analysis indicated climate change-induced alterations in the area. Spatiotemporal drought maps were drawn, which can be used for the identification of drought prone areas and assist with proactive planning. This paper discusses the underlying causes of the impairments of drought management policies, and the challenges and difficulties accompanying the governance of drought in Iraq. Given the influence of climate change and the upstream anthropogenic pressures, the time has come to adopt a gradual nation-wide transition step to drought risk planning incorporating a management approach at the transboundary scale. Moreover, the institutional and technical water vulnerability components associated with drought management should be considered in an integrated manner. The paper presents a generic technical template to support decision-makers in drought risk management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]