Innovate Approaches to Sustainable Water Resource Management under Population Growth, Lifestyle Improvements, and Climate Change

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Water Resources Management, Policy and Governance".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2022) | Viewed by 31978

Special Issue Editors

College of Engineering and Science, Victoria University, Melbourne 8001, Australia
Interests: sustainable infrastructure; smart and climate-resilient buildings; water sensitive urban design; virtual water trade
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
College of Engineering, IT & Environment, Charles Darwin University, Darwin 0810, Australia
Interests: green infrastructure; urban heat island; smart and sustainable buildings; green buildings; water resources management; eco system services (ESS); green walls; green roof; river water quality modelling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
College of Engineering and Science, Victoria University, Melbourne 8001, Australia
Interests: urban water management; resilient urban water systems hydrologic and hydraulic modeling; hydroinformatics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Advancements in science and technology have caused tremendous increases in the population along with improved lifestyles, causing natural resources to come under immense pressure. On the other hand, climate change is another dynamic that is disturbing the regimes of natural resource management, especially in the field of water resources.

Beneficial approaches towards sustainability include modern approaches to water resource management. Research on the concepts of virtual water trade, water footprints, sustainable water resource management, resilient approaches towards extreme events, and the use of IOT is rapidly increasing. Many traditional approaches have been upgraded through the use of remote sensing, GIS, and artificial intelligence. The processes have been made more robust, prompt, and accurate.

This Special Issue aims to target diverse innovative ideas that can open new horizons in the area of water resource management and improve the existing approaches with innovative ideas. We invite the submission of case studies, reviews, and research articles to cover the advancements in scientific methods, analytical approaches, field experiments, and simulations, as well as new concepts and approaches. The outcomes must be specific and novel to the field of science.

The following are some areas that could be covered in this Special Issue:

  • Surface water resources;
  • Groundwater hydrology;
  • Hydrometeorology;
  • Climate change and mitigation;
  • Computational fluid dynamics;
  • IOT for water resources;
  • Hydroinformatics;
  • Sustainable drainage;
  • Integrated water resource management.

Dr. Muhammad Atiq Ur Rehman Tariq
Dr. Anne WM Ng
Dr. Nitin Muttil
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Water is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • water resources management
  • virtual water trade
  • water-sensitive urban design
  • rainfall runoff simulations
  • hydrological processes
  • groundwater
  • climate change
  • urban water management
  • RS and GIS for water resource management
  • IOT
  • AI

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

17 pages, 2747 KiB  
Article
Assessment of Variation in Marginal Productivity Value of Water in Paddy Farming Systems in Times of Water Stress
by Onesmo Zakaria Sigalla, Reuben Mpuya Joseph Kadigi and Juma Rajabu Selemani
Water 2022, 14(21), 3459; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14213459 - 29 Oct 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1696
Abstract
Global projections show that increases in agriculture water productivity (AWP) by 30 and 60% in rain-fed and irrigated agriculture, respectively, are required to ensure food security in the period 2000–2025. In sub-Saharan Africa, attempts to understand AWP has seen a lamping of input [...] Read more.
Global projections show that increases in agriculture water productivity (AWP) by 30 and 60% in rain-fed and irrigated agriculture, respectively, are required to ensure food security in the period 2000–2025. In sub-Saharan Africa, attempts to understand AWP has seen a lamping of input values which paints an unrealistic picture of AWP. We employed the residual imputation method to isolate the marginal productivity value of water in six paddy farming systems viz. the conventional transplant and flooding system (CTFS), the system of rice intensification (SRI), and the Kilombero Plantation Limited (KPL) mechanized system. Findings showed that AWP for rainfed CTFS is 0.39 Kg/m3 or 0.003 US$/m3, irrigated CTFS (0.30 Kg/m3 or 0.002 US$/m3), rainfed SRI (0.68 Kg/m3 or 0.08 US$/m3), irrigated SRI (0.52 Kg/m3 or 0.06 US$/m3), rainfed KPL (0.33 Kg/m3 or 0.05 US$/m3), and irrigated KPL (0.68 Kg/m3 or 0.11 US$/m3). This shows that rainfed systems have good AWP, especially physical ones. We recommend a rollout of rainfed SRI to secure local food security and downstream ecosystem services. In addition, groupings of farmers will assist in optimizing resources, stabilizing markets, and prices for the better economic value of water (US$/m3). Adoption of SRI will require intensive demonstration that needs public financing. In addition, revamping the KPL off-taker arrangement with small-holder farmers could also be a good PPP anchor. Full article
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21 pages, 2207 KiB  
Article
Prediction of Sediment Yield in a Data-Scarce River Catchment at the Sub-Basin Scale Using Gridded Precipitation Datasets
by Muhammad Asfand Ijaz, Muhammad Ashraf, Shanawar Hamid, Yasir Niaz, Muhammad Mohsin Waqas, Muhammad Atiq Ur Rehman Tariq, Muhammad Saifullah, Muhammad Tousif Bhatti, Adnan Ahmad Tahir, Kamran Ikram, Muhammad Shafeeque and Anne W. M. Ng
Water 2022, 14(9), 1480; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14091480 - 05 May 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2454
Abstract
Water-related soil erosion is a major environmental concern for catchments with barren topography in arid and semi-arid regions. With the growing interest in irrigation infrastructure development in arid regions, the current study investigates the runoff and sediment yield for the Gomal River catchment, [...] Read more.
Water-related soil erosion is a major environmental concern for catchments with barren topography in arid and semi-arid regions. With the growing interest in irrigation infrastructure development in arid regions, the current study investigates the runoff and sediment yield for the Gomal River catchment, Pakistan. Data from a precipitation gauge and gridded products (i.e., GPCC, CFSR, and TRMM) were used as input for the SWAT model to simulate runoff and sediment yield. TRMM shows a good agreement with the data of the precipitation gauge (≈1%) during the study period, i.e., 2004–2009. However, model simulations show that the GPCC data predicts runoff better than the other gridded precipitation datasets. Similarly, sediment yield predicted with the GPCC precipitation data was in good agreement with the computed one at the gauging site (only 3% overestimated) for the study period. Moreover, GPCC overestimated the sediment yield during some years despite the underestimation of flows from the catchment. The relationship of sediment yields predicted at the sub-basin level using the gauge and GPCC precipitation datasets revealed a good correlation (R2 = 0.65) and helped identify locations for precipitation gauging sites in the catchment area. The results at the sub-basin level showed that the sub-basin located downstream of the dam site contributes three (3) times more sediment yield (i.e., 4.1%) at the barrage than its corresponding area. The findings of the study show the potential usefulness of the GPCC precipitation data for the computation of sediment yield and its spatial distribution over data-scarce catchments. The computations of sediment yield at a spatial scale provide valuable information for deciding watershed management strategies at the sub-basin level. Full article
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26 pages, 4825 KiB  
Article
Flood Exposure and Social Vulnerability Analysis in Rural Areas of Developing Countries: An Empirical Study of Charsadda District, Pakistan
by Abdur Rahim Hamidi, Li Jing, Muhammad Shahab, Kamran Azam, Muhammad Atiq Ur Rehman Tariq and Anne W. M. Ng
Water 2022, 14(7), 1176; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14071176 - 06 Apr 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4672
Abstract
In recent years, social vulnerability has gained much importance in academic studies. However, social indices are rarely combined and validated with exposure and resilience components. This study provides an integrated analysis of the flood exposure and social vulnerability of rural households in a [...] Read more.
In recent years, social vulnerability has gained much importance in academic studies. However, social indices are rarely combined and validated with exposure and resilience components. This study provides an integrated analysis of the flood exposure and social vulnerability of rural households in a case area of Charsadda District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. A conceptual framework was designed (based on the MOVE framework) as a guideline and key indicators were identified. For the exposure component, parameters such as elevation, flooded locations, and distance from the river were endorsed to understand flood mechanisms. For populating socioeconomic variables, questionnaire-based interviews were conducted with 210 households. The results were presented through ArcGIS-generated maps. The most significant indicators interplaying with high vulnerability were exposure-related indicators. The findings showed that the southern areas, including Agra, Daulat Pura, and Hisar Yasinzai were highly vulnerable due to having the highest number of flood locations, lowest elevations, and shortest distances from rivers, as well as larger household sizes, more elderly, children and women, illiteracy rates, and weak financial capacity. Understanding such dominant indicators and areas where high social vulnerability and high exposure converge can inform the authorities in mitigating both social and physical flood vulnerability. Full article
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24 pages, 2220 KiB  
Article
Multi-Expression Programming (MEP): Water Quality Assessment Using Water Quality Indices
by Ali Aldrees, Mohsin Ali Khan, Muhammad Atiq Ur Rehman Tariq, Abdeliazim Mustafa Mohamed, Ane Wai Man Ng and Abubakr Taha Bakheit Taha
Water 2022, 14(6), 947; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14060947 - 17 Mar 2022
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3019
Abstract
Water contamination is indeed a worldwide problem that threatens public health, environmental protection, and agricultural productivity. The distinctive attributes of machine learning (ML)-based modelling can provide in-depth understanding into increasing water quality challenges. This study presents the development of a multi-expression programming (MEP) [...] Read more.
Water contamination is indeed a worldwide problem that threatens public health, environmental protection, and agricultural productivity. The distinctive attributes of machine learning (ML)-based modelling can provide in-depth understanding into increasing water quality challenges. This study presents the development of a multi-expression programming (MEP) based predictive model for water quality parameters, i.e., electrical conductivity (EC) and total dissolved solids (TDS) in the upper Indus River at two different outlet locations using 360 readings collected on a monthly basis. The optimized MEP models were assessed using different statistical measurements i.e., coefficient-of-determination (R2), root-mean-square error (RMSE), mean-absolute error (MAE), root-mean-square-logarithmic error (RMSLE) and mean-absolute-percent error (MAPE). The results show that the R2 in the testing phase (subjected to unseen data) for EC-MEP and TDS-MEP models is above 0.90, i.e., 0.9674 and 0.9725, respectively, reflecting the higher accuracy and generalized performance. Also, the error measures are quite lower. In accordance with MAPE statistics, both the MEP models shows an “excellent” performance in all three stages. In comparison with traditional non-linear regression models (NLRMs), the developed machine learning models have good generalization capabilities. The sensitivity analysis of the developed MEP models with regard to the significance of each input on the forecasted water quality parameters suggests that Cl and HCO3 have substantial impacts on the predictions of MEP models (EC and TDS), with a sensitiveness index above 0.90, although the influence of the Na is the less prominent. The results of this research suggest that the development of intelligence models for EC and TDS are cost effective and viable for the evaluation and monitoring of the quality of river water. Full article
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20 pages, 1059 KiB  
Article
Revisiting the Indus Basin Model for an Energy Sustainable Pakistan
by Abrar Hashmi, Aamer Iqbal Bhatti, Saira Ahmed, Muhammad Atiq Ur Rehman Tariq and Andre Savitsky
Water 2022, 14(5), 702; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14050702 - 23 Feb 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 5078
Abstract
Water is vital and an essential entity directly and indirectly for all living creatures from their birth, whereas electrical energy has a dominant role in the growth of society in general and for human beings in particular. Optimal use of water and production [...] Read more.
Water is vital and an essential entity directly and indirectly for all living creatures from their birth, whereas electrical energy has a dominant role in the growth of society in general and for human beings in particular. Optimal use of water and production of electrical energy at minimum cost are potential research challenges. Hydraulic energy is one of the cheapest and the most exploited renewable energy resource for power generation worldwide, and is in line with the seventh United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 7). The Indus basin is a trans-boundary basin, and its modeling has been a source of interest for scientists and policymakers. Indus Basin Model Revised (IBMR) has many variants, all focusing on optimal use of water for irrigation purposes. In this paper, the modified IBMR model is proposed addressing both agriculture and power generation aspects simultaneously. This model optimizes the Consumer Producer Surplus (CPS) by considering different water inflow probabilities. A parameter has been introduced in the modified objective function to manipulate the supply of water to agriculture and hydropower generation. The proposed model has been implemented in Generic Algebraic Modeling System (GAMS) and case studies have been investigated in presence and absence of power generation. The results obtained show that, with incorporation of hydropower, basin wide income is increased up to 11.83% using 50% exceedance probability, and results are in agreement with reference power generation estimated by National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC). The SDG 7 targets ensure the reasonable, dependable, sustainable and contemporary energy access to all. The current research is focusing on how Pakistan would achieve the SDG 7 targets. By 2040, it is anticipated that Pakistan’s energy mix will have around 40% of hydropower and 16% of renewable energy. Full article
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16 pages, 4974 KiB  
Article
Impacts of Climate Alteration on the Hydrology of the Yarra River Catchment, Australia Using GCMs and SWAT Model
by Sushil K. Das, Amimul Ahsan, Md. Habibur Rahman Bejoy Khan, Muhammad Atiq Ur Rehman Tariq, Nitin Muttil and Anne W. M. Ng
Water 2022, 14(3), 445; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14030445 - 01 Feb 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2828
Abstract
A rigorous evaluation of future hydro-climatic changes is necessary for developing climate adaptation strategies for a catchment. The integration of future climate projections from general circulation models (GCMs) in the simulations of a hydrologic model, such as the Soil and Water Assessment Tool [...] Read more.
A rigorous evaluation of future hydro-climatic changes is necessary for developing climate adaptation strategies for a catchment. The integration of future climate projections from general circulation models (GCMs) in the simulations of a hydrologic model, such as the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), is widely considered as one of the most dependable approaches to assess the impacts of climate alteration on hydrology. The main objective of this study was to assess the potential impacts of climate alteration on the hydrology of the Yarra River catchment in Victoria, Australia, using the SWAT model. The climate projections from five GCMs under two Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) scenarios—RCP 4.5 and 8.5 for 2030 and 2050, respectively—were incorporated into the calibrated SWAT model for the analysis of future hydrologic behaviour against a baseline period of 1990–2008. The SWAT model performed well in its simulation of total streamflow, baseflow, and runoff, with Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency values of more than 0.75 for monthly calibration and validation. Based on the projections from the GCMs, the future rainfall and temperature are expected to decrease and increase, respectively, with the highest changes projected by the GFDL-ESM2M model under the RCP 8.5 scenario in 2050. These changes correspond to significant increases in annual evapotranspiration (8% to 46%) and decreases in other annual water cycle components, especially surface runoff (79% to 93%). Overall, the future climate projections indicate that the study area will become hotter, with less winter–spring (June to November) rainfall and with more water shortages within the catchment. Full article
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Review

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21 pages, 2650 KiB  
Review
An Overview of Groundwater Monitoring through Point-to Satellite-Based Techniques
by Amjad Masood, Muhammad Atiq Ur Rahman Tariq, Muhammad Zia Ur Rahman Hashmi, Muhammad Waseem, Muhammad Kaleem Sarwar, Wasif Ali, Rashid Farooq, Mansour Almazroui and Anne W. M. Ng
Water 2022, 14(4), 565; https://doi.org/10.3390/w14040565 - 13 Feb 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 11164
Abstract
Groundwater supplies approximately half of the total global domestic water demand. It also complements the seasonal and annual variabilities of surface water. Monitoring of groundwater fluctuations is mandatory to envisage the composition of terrestrial water storage. This research provides an overview of traditional [...] Read more.
Groundwater supplies approximately half of the total global domestic water demand. It also complements the seasonal and annual variabilities of surface water. Monitoring of groundwater fluctuations is mandatory to envisage the composition of terrestrial water storage. This research provides an overview of traditional techniques and detailed discussion on the modern tools and methods to monitor groundwater fluctuations along with advanced applications. The groundwater monitoring can broadly be classified into three groups. The first one is characterized by the point measurement to measure the groundwater levels using classical instruments and electronic and physical investigation techniques. The second category involves the extensive use of satellite data to ensure robust and cost-effective real-time monitoring to assess the groundwater storage variations. Many satellite data are in use to find groundwater indirectly. However, GRACE satellite data supported with other satellite products, computational tools, GIS techniques, and hydro-climate models have proven the most effective for groundwater resources management. The third category is groundwater numerical modeling, which is a very useful tool to evaluate and project groundwater resources in future. Groundwater numerical modeling also depends upon the point-based groundwater monitoring, so more research to improve point-based detection methods using latest technologies is required, as these still play the baseline role. GRACE and numerical groundwater modeling are suggested to be used conjunctively to assess the groundwater resources more efficiently. Full article
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