scholarly journals Trade-Offs between Human and Environment: Challenges for Regional Water Management under Changing Conditions

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 1773
Author(s):  
Elmira Hassanzadeh
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Freshwater Ecosystems ◽  
Management Decisions ◽  
Dynamic Interactions ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Land And Water Management ◽  
Business As Usual ◽  
Regional Water

Water resource systems are under unprecedented pressure mainly due to rapid socio-economic growth, weak water and land management decisions, as well as variability and change in climate conditions. These pressures have disrupted the functionality of freshwater ecosystems and have generated water management challenges in various regions across the globe. Here, we showcase the potential trade-offs in the Province of Saskatchewan, Canada, between upstream human activities and downstream environmental needs under changing water availability conditions. We showed that an increase in irrigation areas can boost provincial economy but alter timing, magnitude and rhythmicity of the peak flows reaching downstream ecosystems. This indicates that the business as usual management might not be able to handle such emerging challenges. To improve water management, we argue that there is a need to better represent the dynamic interactions between human water use and water quantity and quality conditions and their influence on ecosystems. In addition, impact assessment frameworks need to be improved to better identify system vulnerabilities under changing natural and anthropogenic conditions. Moreover, due to the key role of stakeholders in adopting land and water management decisions, their viewpoints need to be understood and included in management decisions.

The Role of EM38 in Land and Water Management Planning on the Tragowel Plains in Northern Victoria

2002 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 90-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberley Broadfoot ◽  
Mike Morris ◽  
Deidre Stevens ◽  
Alfred Heuperman
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Management Planning ◽  
Land And Water Management ◽  
Water Management Planning

The Water-Land-Energy-Food-Climate Nexus In Sardinia

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Trabucco ◽  
Sara Masia ◽  
Janez Sušnik ◽  
Donatella Spano ◽  
Simone Mereu
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Water Management ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Natural Resources ◽  
Optimal Allocation ◽  
Freshwater Ecosystems ◽  
Irrigated Agriculture ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Specific Distribution ◽  
The Mediterranean

<p>Water use in the Mediterranean has been often pushed beyond sustainability, leading to water degradation and deterioration of ecosystem services. Different factors are interlinked with water management within a dynamically complex system (i.e. the Nexus) characterized by many feedbacks, trade-offs and high complexity of socioeconomic and environmental agents inducing non-linear responses hard to predict. Understanding such nexus systems requires innovative methodologies able to integrate different domains (e.g. hydrology, economics, planning, environmental and social sciences) and potential feedbacks, to support effective and targeted adaptation measures, taking into consideration uncertainty of climate change forecasts and associated impacts. Within the H2020 SIM4NEXUS project, water-land-energy-food-climate nexus links for Sardinia Island were represented with system dynamics modelling, together with relevant policy objectives, goals and measures. Sardinia, as many other Mediterranean regions, must implement a sustainable approach to water management, taking into account an equitable distribution of water resources between different sectors, economic needs, social priorities and ecology of freshwater ecosystems.</p><p>For the Sardinia case study, the main focus was the representation of the reservoir water balance for the island, accounting predominantly for water supply and for water demand related to agricultural, hydro-power production, domestic/tourist consumption and environmental flows. With irrigated agriculture being the largest water consumer, this sector was modelled in more detail with crop specific distribution and projections. While water is the central focus, links with other nexus sectors including energy, climate, food and land use are included. Energy generation and consumption were also important along with the mode of generation and sector of consumption, as was modelling the change in crop types (i.e. land use and food production changes) and the crop water requirements associated with potential crop and cropped area changes, and in response to change in the local climate. Energy production is modelled from sources including oil, coal and methane, solar, wind and hydropower, while energy demand comes from the agricultural, domestic, industrial and service sectors (including transportation). The use of energy from the different sectors and using different energy sources, either renewable and not renewable, have different implication on GHG and climate change.</p><p>While driven by strong interests to secure food provisions, an increase in irrigation in the Mediterranean may not be totally sustainable. Irrigation requirements of crops are projected to increase between 4 and 18% for 2050 compared to present conditions, limiting expansion of irrigated agriculture in Sardinia. Over the same period the inflow in the reservoirs can decrease between 5 and 20% and evaporation losses from reservoir surface bodies increase by 10%. Policy rules are tested and highlight how optimal allocation should be enforced in order to safeguard sustainability of natural resources over time, especially when considering climate variability. Natural resources are better preserved avoiding conflicts with strong seasonal peaks (i.e. summer). To meet these criticalities, new infrastructures and investments should increase use efficiency, All this would require changes in institutional and market conditions with a more cautious water management that includes prices and recycling policies.</p>

scholarly journals A Review on the Role of Machine Learning in Agriculture

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 583-589
Author(s):  
Syamasudha Veeragandham ◽  
Santhi H
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Machine Learning ◽  
Soil Classification ◽  
Machine Learning Algorithms ◽  
Learning Approaches ◽  
Agricultural Field ◽  
Weed Detection ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Optimal Decisions

Machine learning is a promising domain which is widely used now a days in the field of agriculture. The availability of manpower for agriculture is not enough and skill full farmers are less. Understanding the situation of the crop is not that much easy to detect and prevent the diseases in the crop. It is also widely employed in various agricultural fields such as topsoil management, yield management, water management, disease management and climate conditions. The machine learning models facilitate very fast and optimal decisions. The model of machine learning involves with training and testing to predict the accuracy of the result. The use of machine learning in agriculture helps to increase the productivity and better management on soil classification, disease detection, species management, water management, yield prediction, crop quality and weed detection. This article aims at providing detailed information on various machine learning  approaches proposed in the past five years by emphasizing the advantage and disadvantages. It also compares different machine learning algorithms used in the modern agricultural field.

scholarly journals Stakeholders’ Opinions towards Water-Related Forests Ecosystem Services in Selected Southeast European Countries (Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia and Serbia)

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (21) ◽  
pp. 12001
Author(s):  
Dijana Vuletić ◽  
Silvija Krajter Ostoić ◽  
Klára Báliková ◽  
Mersudin Avdibegović ◽  
Kristina Potočki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Bosnia And Herzegovina ◽  
Forest Ecosystem ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Role Of The State ◽  
Forest Ecosystem Services ◽  
Payment Schemes ◽  
High Level

Even though water-related forest ecosystem services are important for forestry and water management sectors, they have different definitions and are regulated differently in each sector, which makes them poorly recognized. How stakeholders from two main sectors (forestry and water management) perceive the importance of water-related forest ecosystem services, the trade-offs between ecosystem services and the effectiveness and implementation of payments schemes related to forest water ecosystem services were our areas of interest. We have conduct surveys with different groups of stakeholders from both sectors in four selected countries (the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Slovenia and Serbia) with a lot of similarities and the potential to learn from each other. The results show that in spite of the spotted differences among analyzed countries, there is a high level of agreement among respondents on all investigated aspects. In addition, even though different payment schemes exist in three of four countries, stakeholders are rarely aware of their existence, or it is better to say that they do not recognize them as payment schemes for ecosystem services because of their names and definitions, which do not clearly define ecosystem services. Mostly, they use bundled services and non-voluntary payments and are designed and implemented by the states. Due to the strong role of states and the low transparency in the existing schemes, we looked at possible conditions reflected through stakeholders’ opinions for overcoming that obstacle for the development of new payment schemes. We found that there is a high level of acceptance of payments schemes as more effective than “command and control” schemes and of the involvement of other stakeholders in decision-making processes as those conditions that can positively influence development of new payment schemes in all four countries. These results give us hope that in spite of the strong role of the state in selected countries, the role of stakeholders will be more acknowledged and, by that, the future schemes will be more harmonized among the sectors and their goals and needs, contributing to its effectiveness as well.

Arguments for involving the public in water management: evidence from local and regional water plans in the Netherlands

Water Policy ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 918-931 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ank Michels
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Water Sector ◽  
The Public ◽  
European Water ◽  
Raising Awareness ◽  
Strong Focus ◽  
Participatory Water Management ◽  
Support Policy ◽  
Regional Water

Public participation has become increasingly important in the water sector. However, the question remains as to what exactly is meant by participation. This paper explores the different ways that participation is understood in local and regional water plans and visions in the Dutch water sector. Partly driven by the key role played by participatory water management under the European Water Framework Directive, citizens’ engagement has become an important aspect in the plans of authorities across the board that are involved in water management. The study concludes that the most dominant view on participation is very narrow, with a strong focus on clarification and on raising awareness. According to a second, less dominant view on participation, it is stressed that the role of participation is to produce information, knowledge, and expertise to support policy making. As a consequence, power relations between government and the public remain very much top down, with very little room for bottom-up ideas.

scholarly journals Sediment Yield and Reservoir Sedimentation in Highly Dynamic Watersheds: The Case of Koga Reservoir, Ethiopia

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (23) ◽  
pp. 3374
Author(s):  
Gebiaw T. Ayele ◽  
Alban Kuriqi ◽  
Mengistu A. Jemberrie ◽  
Sheila M. Saia ◽  
Ayalkibet M. Seka ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Sediment Yield ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Sediment Load ◽  
Reservoir Sedimentation ◽  
Rating Curve ◽  
Management Decisions ◽  
Management Interventions ◽  
Land And Water Management

Soil erosion is exacerbated by unsustainable land-use activities and poor management practices, undermining reservoir storage capacity. To this effect, appropriate estimation of sediment would help to adopt sustainable land-use activities and best management practices that lead to efficient reservoir operations. This paper aims to investigate the spatial variability of sediment yield, amount of sediment delivery into the reservoir, and reservoir sedimentation in the Koga Reservoir using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). Sediment yield and the amount entered into the reservoir were also estimated using a rating curve, providing an alternative approach to spatially referenced SWAT generated suspended sediment load. SWAT was calibrated from 1991 to 2000 and validated from 2002 to 2007 using monthly observations. Model performance indicators showed acceptable values using Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) correlation coefficient (R2), and percent bias (PBIAS) for flow (NSE = 0.75, R2 = 0.78, and PBIAS = 11.83%). There was also good agreement between measured and simulated sediment yields, with NSE, R2, and PBIAS validation values of 0.80, 0.79, and 6.4%, respectively. The measured rating curve and SWAT predictions showed comparable mean annual sediment values of 62,610.08 ton/yr and 58,012.87 ton/yr, respectively. This study provides an implication for the extent of management interventions required to meet sediment load targets to a receiving reservoir, providing a better understanding of catchment processes and responses to anthropogenic and natural stressors in mixed land use temperate climate catchments. Findings would benefit policymakers towards land and water management decisions and serve as a prototype for other catchments where management interventions may be implemented. Specifically, validating SWAT for the Koga Reservoir is a first step to support policymakers, who are faced with implementing land and water management decisions.

scholarly journals The role of shared water management to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Youssef Almulla ◽  
Francesco Fuso Nerini
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Sustainable Development Goals ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
2030 Agenda ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Development Goals ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Mapping Exercise

Abstract The 2030 agenda sets the stage for global collaboration to accomplish prosperity, peace and partnership for all people and our planet. The complexity of interrelationships between the sustainable development goals is amplified in shared water basins where collaboration between different actors from different sectors and nations is needed. This study explores the synergies and trade-offs between the cooperation in shared water management and 10 out of 17 sustainable development goals. An expert-driven literature search was conducted to map the interlinkages between the shared water management and each target under the selected SDGs. A total of 62 targets were studied in this explorative mapping exercise. Results show that the cooperation in shared water management is critical not only for the sustainable management of the water resources but also has the potential to accelerate the achievement of about 50% of the SDGs. The impact is higher (71%) on the resource-related SDGs such as SDG2, 6 and 7 while it is lower (33%) in economic-related SDGs such as 10 and 12.

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