Economic Analysis of Water Resources Management and the Environmental Impacts of Hydraulic Infrastructure

Dear Colleagues,

Effective water resources management is essential not only for ensuring equitable access and efficient allocation but also for maintaining environmental stability and supporting long-term economic development. However, many regions across the globe are facing acute water-related challenges, including resource scarcity, pollution, uneven distribution, and weak governance mechanisms. These challenges are exacerbated by climate change, population growth, and rapid industrialization, placing unprecedented stress on both natural water systems and built infrastructure.

Water resources management and hydraulic infrastructure are deeply intertwined components of regional development. As key instruments of water regulation and allocation, hydraulic projects—such as dams, reservoirs, and irrigation systems—not only support industrial growth and urbanization but also reshape hydrological processes and ecological patterns. In many regions, unsustainable water use and infrastructure expansion have exceeded environmental carrying capacities, leading to pollution, ecosystem degradation, and intensified water-related risks.

This Special Issue focuses on the economic analysis of water resources management in conjunction with the environmental impacts of hydraulic infrastructure. We aim to explore how economic tools—such as cost–benefit analysis, environmental valuation, and virtual water accounting—can be used to assess and guide infrastructure development, ecological protection, and sustainable water governance in diverse socio-economic contexts.

Dr. Changfeng Shi
Dr. Lina Zhang
Guest Editors

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