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A semi-distributed rainfall-runoff Approximate Redistributive Balance (ARB) model is currently in development as a tool for the assessment and analysis of the water management balance at the level of micro-basins on the territory of Slovakia. For the winter season, it is necessary to supplement the model with a sub-model for calculating the snow water equivalent (SWE) with a comparatively low amount of the input data necessary. Since SWE models generally operate in a daily time step, a new sub-model was developed and tested in monthly and weekly time steps in 30 meteorological stations in the north of Slovakia. When compared in a weekly time step with the snow sub-model of the HBV rainfall-runoff model and when the impact of switching from a monthly to weekly time step on the quality of the runoff simulation was evaluated, the results showed that the snow sub-model does react to sudden snowmelt better when compared to the modified version of the HBV snow sub-model used. Using a weekly time step for the snow sub-model in a monthly ARB model runoff simulation showed an increase of accuracy (NSE change from 0.89 to 0.92) in one case, while maintaining the same level of accuracy in the second one.

Study region: White Volta River Basin, Ghana. Study focus: Groundwater sustainability is becoming a major concern in the face of population growth, land use land cover (LULC), and climate changes. The Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) model is used in this study to analyse the current and future groundwater demands for the period of 2015–2070. Two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP4.5 and RCP 8.5) scenarios from statistically downscaled fifteen CMIP5 models were combined three Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs 2,3 and 5) scenarios in the nine sub-catchments of the White Volta River Basin. New hydrological insights for the study region: The WEAP model was calibrated (2006–2012) and validated (2013–2020) using streamflow data from six gauges in five sub-catchments. The findings show that climatic change and socio-economic development will result in a disparity between groundwater supply and demand in sub-catchments with greater socioeconomic growth, especially those with higher population density and arable agricultural land. Among the basin's nine sub-catchments, four will experience water scarcity under all future scenarios. While the groundwater flow and recharge data may be evaluated using several physical hydrological models, the calibration and validation results suggest that the current modeling approach is capable of reliably predicting future groundwater demand with associated uncertainties. The study establishes a link between climate change, socio-economic growth, and groundwater availability in the White Volta River Basin.

Increased usage and non-efficient management of limited resources has created the risk of water resource scarcity. Due to climate change, urbanization, and lack of effective water resource management, countries like Pakistan are facing difficulties coping with the increasing water demand. Rapid urbanization and non-resilient infrastructures are the key barriers in sustainable urban water resource management. Therefore, there is an urgent need to address the challenges of urban water management through effective means. We propose a workflow for the modeling and simulation of sustainable urban water resource management and develop an integrated framework for the evaluation and planning of water resources in a typical urban setting. The proposed framework uses the Water Evaluation and Planning system to evaluate current and future water demand and the supply gap. Our simulation scenarios demonstrate that the demand–supply gap can effectively be dealt with by dynamic resource allocation, in the presence of assumptions, for example, those related to population and demand variation with the change of weather, and thus work as a tool for informed decisions for supply management. In the first scenario, 23% yearly water demand is reduced, while in the second scenario, no unmet demand is observed due to the 21% increase in supply delivered. Similarly, the overall demand is fulfilled through 23% decrease in water demand using water conservation. Demand-side management not only reduces the water usage in demand sites but also helps to save money, and preserve the environment. Our framework coupled with a visualization dashboard deployed in the water resource management department of a metropolitan area can assist in water planning and effective governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work is to validate a model to characterize and evaluate the water resources (supply and downstream demands) of the hydrological basins associated with the Conguillío National Park, located in the Andes Mountains in central-southern Chile (38°14'–38°54'S). This area is part of the Chilean biodiversity hotspot, of the first geopark in Chile, and constitutes the core of the Araucaria biosphere reserve, which provides multiple ecosystem services. To describe the behavior of the water resources in the four main river sub-basins originating in the park, the Water Evaluation and Planning System (WEAP) software was used, which was calibrated and validated with local hydrological data from 2000 to 2015. The WEAP System allows to quantify parameters involved in the hydrological cycle and water consumption of the different user sectors, and their interrelationships, to establish the water balance of the basins. Water is supplied by rain and snow, which occurs from June to December upstream in the Andes, and feeds the rivers Cautín, Allipén, Quepe and Lonquimay, which maximum flows occur between June and September, and minimum flows between January and April. The evolution of the water demand during the year was determined for each sub-basin for the following user sectors: human consumption, agriculture, livestock, industry, electricity production, aquaculture and other uses. As expected, the main water consuming sector is agriculture, with an average of 79.4 Mm3/yr. Considering that mountain ecosystems are areas of high productivity value, but are very fragile and vulnerable to anthropic and climatic effects, the use of the obtained data and the calibrated/validated model describing and characterizing these resources, will allow future studies under different socio-economic and climate change scenarios, to assess the importance of mountain basin ecosystem services, providing an example for equivalent studies throughout South America.

Water and energy are two pivotal areas for future sustainable development, with complex linkages existing between the two sectors. These linkages require special attention in the context of the energy transition. Against this background, this paper analyses the role of water availability in the development of solar thermal and photovoltaic power plants for the case of the Drâa Valley in southern Morocco. Located in a semi-arid to arid mountainous area, the Drâa Valley faces high water stress - a situation expected to worsen due to climate change. At the same time, the region has one of the greatest potentials for solar energy in the world. To examine whether limited water availability could accelerate or delay the implementation of solar thermal and photovoltaic power plants, this paper compares regional water availability and demand in the Drâa Valley for different scenarios, paying particular attention to potential socio-economic development pathways. The Water Evaluation and Planning System software is applied to allocate the water resources in the study region. The water supply is modelled under the Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 climate scenario, while the water demand for the Drâa Valley is modelled for a combination of three socio-economic and two energy scenarios. The climate scenario describes a significant decrease in water availability by 2050, while the socio-economic and energy scenarios show an increase in water demand. The results demonstrate that during a sequence of dry years the reservoirs water availability is reduced and shortages in water supply can result in high levels of unmet demand. If this situation occurs, oasis farming, water for drinking and energy production could compete directly with each other for water resources. The energy scenarios indicate that the use of dry cooling technologies in concentrated solar power and photovoltaic hybrid systems could be one option for reducing competition for the scarce water resources in the region. However, given that energy generation accounts for only a small share of the regional water demand, the results also suggest that socio-economic demand reduction, especially in the agricultural sector, for example by reducing the cultivated area, will most likely become necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water and energy are two pivotal areas for future sustainable development, with complex linkages existing between the two sectors. These linkages require special attention in the context of the energy transition. Against this background, this paper analyses the role of water availability in the development of solar thermal and photovoltaic power plants for the case of the Drâa Valley in southern Morocco. Located in a semi-arid to arid mountainous area, the Drâa Valley faces high water stress – a situation expected to worsen due to climate change. At the same time, the region has one of the greatest potentials for solar energy in the world. To examine whether limited water availability could accelerate or delay the implementation of solar thermal and photovoltaic power plants, this paper compares regional water availability and demand in the Drâa Valley for different scenarios, paying particular attention to potential socio-economic development pathways. The Water Evaluation and Planning System software is applied to allocate the water resources in the study region. The water supply is modelled under the Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 climate scenario, while the water demand for the Drâa Valley is modelled for a combination of three socio-economic and two energy scenarios. The climate scenario describes a significant decrease in water availability by 2050, while the socio-economic and energy scenarios show an increase in water demand. The results demonstrate that during a sequence of dry years the reservoirs water availability is reduced and shortages in water supply can result in high levels of unmet demand. If this situation occurs, oasis farming, water for drinking and energy production could compete directly with each other for water resources. The energy scenarios indicate that the use of dry cooling technologies in concentrated solar power and photovoltaic hybrid systems could be one option for reducing competition for the scarce water resources in the region. However, given that energy generation accounts for only a small share of the regional water demand, the results also suggest that socio-economic demand reduction, especially in the agricultural sector, for example by reducing the cultivated area, will most likely become necessary.

Consuming less energy and conserving more water are important targets in current water-energy nexus research and practice. However, these targets have not been simultaneously explored in the context of the water supply systems of megacities. In this study, the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) platform is used to explore the energy consumption of the water supply system in Beijing with the energy intensity as the operational cost. The WEAP_Beijing model was built to analyze the energy consumption, water storage, and structure of water supply sources in Beijing from 2001 to 2019. The results indicate that the energy consumption of the water supply system in Beijing has been increasing since 2001; additionally, the energy intensity has increased from 2001 to 2013 and has varied between 1.15 and 1.25 kWh/m³ since 2014. This increasing trend is mainly driven by the increasing ratios of transported water and reclaimed water in the water supply system and by the current use strategy of transported water. Scenario analysis showed that transported water and reclaimed water have increased local water storage but have also led to increased energy consumption, which depends on their ratios in the total water supply and the water use strategy. The water supply structure of each water use sector was simulated and displayed distinct dynamics. An energy-friendly water supply system was proposed to adjust transported water use strategies, optimize the ratio of reclaimed water in the water supply, and manage water and energy from a holistic perspective. The results of this study suggest that a policy evaluation of current water policies is needed to secure and sustain the water supply in megacities. [Display omitted] • A Beijing-based water evaluation and planning model was built and calibrated. • The dynamic and diversified structure of water supply sources was simulated. • Unconventional water sources and policies drive the increasing trend of energy consumption. • Transported water and reclaimed water increase water storage and energy consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The City of Cape Town derives the bulk of its present water supply from surface water resources and is the central water service authority for metropolitan consumers. The City is also a provider of bulk water to neighbouring municipalities. An exploration of the energy consumption for water and sanitation services for the City of Cape Town was conducted with an emphasis on water supply augmentation options for the near future (2011-2030). A systems analysis of municipal urban water services was undertaken to examine the energy requirements of supply alternatives and the efficacy of the alternatives in respect of supply availability and reliability. This was achieved using scenario based analysis incorporating a simple additive value function, to obtain a basic performance score, to rank alternatives and facilitate a quantitative comparison. Utilising the Water Evaluation and Planning hydrological modelling tool, a model for urban water services was developed for the City and used to conduct scenario analyses for a representative portfolio of previously identified options. Within the scope of the research objectives, the scenario analyses examines the direct energy consumption for the provision of water services for the City as influenced by external factors such as population growth, surface water runoff variability, available alternatives and the policies that are adopted which ultimately determine the future planning. It is contended that the modelling process presented here integrates energy and water planning for an assessment of water and energy resources required for future growth, and the optimal measures that could be pursued to reconcile the demand for water and the concomitant energy requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Water Management Support System for Amman Zarqa Basin in Jordan has been developed. The water management support system employs the Water Evaluation and Planning system (WEAP). The water resources and demands in the basin were modeled as a network of supply and demand nodes connected by links. The model was calibrated for the year 2005 data and then validated for the year 2006 data. Validation results showed good agreement between calculated and measured inflows to wastewater treatment plants in the basin. The model was run for the year 2005 data as well as for four scenarios for the year 2025 which are Business As Usual (BAU) scenario, Advanced Wastewater Treatment (AWWT) scenario, the Red Sea, Dead Sea Channel (RSDSC) scenario and the optimistic scenario. The BAU scenario assumes that water use trends for the year 2025 follows predictable trends, the implementation of the disi project and the Wehda dam are main components of the BAU scenario. The AWWT scenario assumes that the effluent of As Samra wastewater treatment plant is treated to a level where it can be used for unrestricted irrigation within the basin and in the highlands. The main component of the RSDSC scenario is the implementation of the RSDSC project. The optimistic scenario combines both the AWWT scenario and the RSDSC scenario. The AWWT scenario, the RSDSC scenario, and the optimistic scenario are child scenarios of the BAU scenario. The results showed that neither domestic demand nor agricultural demand is met for the year 2005. The results also showed that domestic and industrial demands can be satisfied for all the considered scenarios by proper management of the available resources. However, agricultural demand can't be satisfied for the business as usual scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable management of canal water through optimum water allocation is the need of the modern world due to the rapid rise in water demand and climatic variations. The present research was conducted at the Chaj Doab, Indus Basin Irrigation System (IBIS) of Pakistan, using the WEAP (Water Evaluation and Planning) model. Six different scenarios were developed, and the results showed that the current available surface water is not sufficient to meet crop water demands. The Lower Jhelum Canal (LJC) command area is more sensitive to water scarcity than the Upper Jhelum Canal (UJC). The future (up to 2070) climate change scenarios for RCP 4.5 and 8.5 showed a decrease in catchment reliability up to 26.80 and 26.28% for UJC as well as 27.56 and 27.31% for LJC catchment, respectively. We concluded that scenario 3 (irrigation efficiency improvement through implementation of a high efficiency irrigation system, canal lining, reduction and replacement of high delta crops with low delta crops) was sufficient to reduce the canal water deficit in order to optimize canal water allocation. Improvement in the irrigation system and cropping area should be optimized for efficient canal water management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]