Search Results (47)

Water resources are vital for sustainable development in arid regions, where glacial runoff plays a significant role in maintaining water supply. This study quantitatively assesses the sustainability of water resources in the Manas River Basin (MnsRB) and the Muzati River Basin (MztRB), situated on the northern and southern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains, respectively, over the period from 1991 to 2050. Freshwater availability was simulated and projected using the Variable Infiltration Capacity Chinese Academy of Sciences (VIC-CAS) hydrological model. Furthermore, three development modes—traditional development, economic growth, and water-saving—were established to estimate future water consumption. The levels of water stress were also applied to assess water resources sustainability in the MnsRB and MztRB. Results indicate that from 1991 to 2020, the average annual available freshwater resources were 13.94 × 10⁸ m³ in the MnsRB and 14.27 × 10⁸ m³ in the MztRB, with glacial runoff contributing 20.24% and 65.58%, respectively. Under the SSP5-8.5 scenario, available freshwater resources are projected to decline by 10.94% in the MnsRB and 4.37% in the MztRB by 2050. Total water withdrawal has increased significantly over the past 30 years, with agriculture water demand accounting for over 80%. The levels of water stress during this period were 1.14 for the MnsRB and 0.87 for the MztRB. Glacial runoff significantly mitigates water stress in both basins, with average reductions of 21.16% and 69.84% between 1991 and 2050. Consequently, clear policies, regulations, and incentives focused on water conservation are vital for effectively tackling the increasing challenge of water scarcity in glacier-covered arid regions. Full article

While at the global level, water stress does not seem to present a serious threat to the sustainability of freshwater withdrawal and use, the situation appears much grimmer if a closer look is given to the status of the freshwater resources at basin and sub-basin levels. Unfortunately, such information is often not available to water managers and decision-makers, due both to the scarcity of sufficient data and also to the lack of methods capable of transforming the existing data into usable information. Hence, disaggregating water stress at basin and sub-basin levels is fundamental to provide a finer view of both its causes and effects, allowing the targeting of interventions at areas with high water stress and sectors with high water use. The spatial disaggregation of SDG indicator 6.4.2 by major river basin already implemented at a global scale showed the existence of a water stress belt running across the globe approximately between 10 and 45 degrees north, with a few other areas above and below it. The value of SDG indicator 6.4.2 at the country level is influenced by its size: the larger the country, the more the national average masks local variability. When the disaggregation is performed at sub-basin level, there is the possibility that the same amount of water is counted twice or even more (double counting), as it flows from one sub-basin to the neighbouring ones. Current water accounting methods do not allow this issue to be overcome. This causes an underestimation of water stress and an overestimation of the water resources available for human use in a given area. This paper presents a new methodology to assess SDG indicator 6.4.2 (water stress) seasonally and at the sub-basin level, addressing double counting by factoring in water demands between upstream and downstream sub-basins. This approach supports more informed water management. A corresponding plugin for the WEAP tool was developed, tested in the Senegal River basin countries, and is available online with a user manual in English, French, and Spanish. Full article

Agriculture is the largest consumer of freshwater resources, accounting for approximately 70% of total water withdrawals. In semi-arid regions like Zacatecas, Mexico, water scarcity and climate variability pose critical challenges to small-scale farmers. This study evaluates the effectiveness of integrating modern irrigation technologies with traditional water management practices to enhance agricultural resilience. Analysis of climatic data (1961–2020) revealed a statistically significant increase in annual precipitation of 2.01 mm year⁻¹ in the Leobardo Reynoso module (p < 0.05), while the Miguel Alemán module exhibited a decline ranging from −0.54 mm year⁻¹ to −2.22 mm year⁻¹, exacerbating water scarcity. Pressurized irrigation systems in Leobardo Reynoso improved application efficiency to 87.5%, compared to 50% in traditional furrow irrigation. Despite these advancements, conveyance efficiency remains low (60%) due to extensive open canal networks. Climate projections indicate a 6–11% increase in irrigation water demand for staple crops by 2065, driven by rising evapotranspiration rates. Findings underscore the need for policy interventions, infrastructure upgrades, and financial support to sustain agricultural productivity in water-stressed environments. Full article

This study explores the relationship between greenhouse gases (GHGs) and particulate emissions and quality of life. The aim is to understand how emissions affect quality of life globally—across countries, regions, and the global population. Statistical methods were used to examine the impact of various emissions’ indicators on different aspects of quality of life. The study highlights the urgent need for climate change action and encourages policymakers to take strategic steps. Climate change adversely affects numerous aspects of daily life, leading to significant consequences that must be addressed through policy changes and global governance recommendations. Key findings include that higher CO₂ and methane emissions and air pollution negatively impact quality of life. CO₂ emissions are positively associated with electricity while air pollution is positively associated with GDP and negatively with unemployment. Air pollution has an adverse effect on all three aspects of the children’s welfare dimension of quality of life. These results provide timely and convincing insights for policy- and decision-making aimed at mitigating the impact of emissions on quality of life. Full article

Over the coming decades, global freshwater withdrawals are expected to grow, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Unless there are significant improvements in the efficiency of water use by economies, freshwater stress, crises, and scarcity will worsen. This paper explores further the economic relationship between water use efficiency and scarcity. Because growing scarcity of freshwater in many regions and countries is not adequately reflected in markets, there are often insufficient incentives for investment and innovation to improve the efficiency of water use. To explore further changes in water use efficiency across countries, we conduct a panel analysis of water productivity changes for 130 countries from 1995 to 2020. Countries with lower initial levels of water use efficiency tended to have higher water productivity growth, whereas more agriculturally dependent economies displayed lower improvements in water use efficiency. Better institutional quality and capacity for innovation may also increase water use efficiency. We discuss the implications of these results for improving water use productivity in economies, and in particular, the opportunities and challenges for improving water markets and trades to alleviate water scarcity. We conclude by identifying further areas of research. Full article

Brazil, despite possessing the largest renewable freshwater reserves in the world (8.65 trillion m³ annually), faces growing challenges in water management due to increasing demand. Agriculture, responsible for 68.4% of water consumption, is one of the main drivers of this demand, especially in the São Francisco River Basin, where irrigation accounts for 81% of total water withdrawals. Water bodies play a crucial role in sustaining ecosystems and supporting life, particularly along the East-West axis of Alagoas, a water-rich region in the ENEB. This study aimed to map and quantify the spatiotemporal variations of water bodies in the ENEB region and assess the impacts of human activities using MODIS satellite data, applying hydrological indices such as NDWI, MNDWI, and AWEI. Between 2003 and 2022, significant variations in the extent of water bodies were observed, with reductions of up to 100 km² during dry periods and expansions of up to 300 km² during wet seasons compared to dry periods. AWEI and MNDWI proved to be the most effective indices for detecting water bodies with MODIS data, providing accurate insights into water dynamics. Additionally, the MapBiomas Rios dataset, despite being resampled from a 30 m to a 500 m resolution, offered the most accurate representation of water bodies due to its methodology for data acquisition. Changes in albedo and surface temperature were also detected, highlighting the influence of climate change on the region’s water resources. These findings are crucial for guiding the sustainable management of water resources, not only in Alagoas but also in other regions of Brazil and similar semi-arid areas around the world. The study demonstrates the hydrological variability in the state of Alagoas, indicating the need for adaptive strategies to mitigate the impacts of climate change and anthropogenic pressures, supporting the need for informed decision-making in water resource management at both local and national levels. Full article

Change in land use and land cover (LULC) is crucial to freshwater ecosystems as it affects surface runoff, groundwater storage, and sediment and nutrient transport within watershed areas. Ecosystem components such as wetlands, which can contribute to the reduction of water pollution and the enhancement of groundwater recharge, are altered by LULC modifications. This study evaluates how wetlands in the Big Sunflower River Watershed (BSRW) have changed in recent years and quantified their impacts on streamflow, water quality, and groundwater storage using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). The model was well calibrated and validated prior to its application. Our study showed that the maximum increase in wetland areas within the sub-watersheds of interest was 26% from 2008 to 2020. The maximum changes in reduction due to the increase in wetland areas were determined by 2% for streamflow, 37% for total suspended solids, 13% for total phosphorus (TP), 4% for total nitrogen (TN), and the maximum increase in shallow groundwater storage by 90 mm from 2008 to 2020 only in the selected sub-basins. However, the central part of the watershed experienced average declines of groundwater levels up to 176 mm per year due to water withdrawal for irrigation or other uses. This study also found that restoration of 460 to 550 ha of wetlands could increase the reduction of discharge by 20%, sediment by 25%, TN by 18%, and TP by 12%. This study highlights the importance of wetland conservation for water quality improvement and management of groundwater resources. Full article

There is a growing concern about limited water supply and water scarcity in many river basins across the world. The agricultural sector is the largest user of freshwater on the planet, with a growing amount of water extracted for livestock systems. Here, we use data from the GLEAM model to advance previous studies that estimated livestock water footprints by quantifying water use for feed production, animal drinking water, and animal service water. We additionally account for the role of trade in accounting for feed water allocations to different animals in different countries and make use of a hydrologic model to estimate feed irrigation water requirements for individual crops at a high spatial resolution. Lastly, we estimate the contribution of livestock water abstractions to water stress at a small river basin scale for the entire globe. We find that feed production water accounts for the majority (>90%) of global livestock water withdrawals, though there is regional variation. Similarly, we find large regional variation in the water consumption per head by livestock species. Despite consuming >200 km³ of water per year, we find that reducing water use in the livestock system alone will rarely reduce water stress in high-stress basins. This study highlights the need for quantifying locally relevant water use and water stress metrics for individual livestock systems. Full article

Ensuring the sustainable management of water and sanitation for all is the primary goal of Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6). SDG indicator 6.4.2 (level of water stress) is critical for monitoring the progress toward SDG 6. The assessment of the SDG indicator 6.4.2 is currently based on statistical data at the national scale, i.e., one value for one country, which cannot reflect spatial variability in water stress in a country. The lack of data at sub-national scales limits the assessment of water stress in sub-national regions. This study developed a method of disaggregating national statistical renewable water resources (TRWR) and freshwater withdrawals (TFWW) to estimate the SDG 6.4.2 water stress indicator at a sub-national scale by combining satellite remote sensing data and model simulated data. Remote sensing (RS)-based precipitation (P); the difference between precipitation and evapotranspiration (P-ET); and the difference between precipitation, evapotranspiration, terrestrial water storage change (P-ET-dS), and model-simulated naturized runoff and withdrawal water use were used as spatial and temporal surrogates to disaggregate the national-scale statistics of TRWR and TFWW to the grid scale. Gridded TRWR and TFWW can be used to calculate the water stress of any interest regions. Disaggregated TRWR, TFWW, and water stress estimation were validated at three different spatial scales, from major river basins and provinces to prefectures in China, by comparing the corresponding statistical data. The results show that the disaggregation for TRWR is generally better than for TFWW, and the overall accuracy for water stress estimation can reach up to 91%. The temporal evolution of disaggregated variables also showed good consistency with statistical time series data. The RS-based P-ET and P-ET-dS have great potential for disaggregating TRWR at different spatiotemporal scales, with no obvious differences with the results using the model simulation as a surrogate for the disaggregation of SDG indicator 6.4.2. The disaggregation accuracy can be further improved when the sub-regional statistical data of TRWR and TFWW are applied to the disaggregation approach. Full article

Kazakhstan experiences medium-high water stress, intensified by the rapid expansion of mining operations. Due to the scarcity of public data on water use in Kazakhstan’s mining, we use a case study to make inferences about industry-level water use. Specifically, we apply the ICMM water accounting framework and assess water use at one of Kazakhstan’s new copper mines. We find that this mine has managed to achieve a high level of water reuse and minimal impact on water quality. Yet, the company has a relatively high share of water entrained in waste and a high rate of increase in freshwater withdrawals. Our estimates suggest that the operation of this mine has resulted in a 1.5% increase in withdrawals of Kazakhstan’s extractive industries. Considering that during the last decade, the number of mining companies increased by 50%, we can conclude that the cumulative water impacts of mining in Kazakhstan have been substantial. The forthcoming uptake of critical minerals production may further strain Kazakhstan’s water resources. Thus, the rapidly increasing mine water use and rising risks due to climate change and the sharing of water with neighboring countries call for urgent strengthening of Kazakhstan’s water governance and institutions. Full article

Treated water reuse is vital for sustainable water management and reducing the strain on freshwater resources, particularly in agriculture, which has a great impact on freshwater withdrawal. Despite the benefits, the reuse of treated wastewater carries risks due to residual chemical and microbiological contaminants, such as the organic micropollutants polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which are not fully removed by current treatment processes and can affect plant growth and human health when used for irrigation. This study focuses on monitoring the PAHs and PCBs in wastewater used for irrigating strawberries, assessing their transfer to crops and potential health risks. The effluents of four wastewater treatment plants were monitored for two years (2017 and 2018) and used to irrigate strawberries grown in plot installations. Effective and robust analytical methodologies (60–99% recoveries, optimal reproducibility) were developed for wastewater and strawberry analysis. The analysis of the treated wastewaters showed the presence of residual PAH and PCB concentrations at hundreds of ng/L. The strawberry crops were further analyzed to measure the PAHs and PCBs. Since two PAHs were present in strawberries, a risk assessment was performed (EPA methodology), finding that the residual contamination of treated waters does not pose a significant health risk, for both adults and children, through the consumption of fruits. Full article

Tourism on Gili Air, a small coral island in Indonesia, has increased significantly. Groundwater is the primary water source on the island. This study aims to estimate the sustainability of groundwater use on this small coral island. It conducts an initial assessment of the freshwater lens system using cost-effective methods to evaluate the available freshwater volume and sustainability of water withdrawals related to tourism. The results and methods can be transferred to other low-lying islands. The results show that Gili Air has a well-developed freshwater lens, estimated to contain 2 million cubic meters of water, with an annual recharge rate four times higher than the water demand of the island’s inhabitants. However, our findings suggest that the rapid increase in tourism resulted in unsustainable water withdrawals between 2016 and 2019. Without proper groundwater monitoring and management, this could lead to seawater intrusion into the aquifer. Full article

The degree of success of river water diversion planning decisions is affected by uncertain environmental conditions. The adaptive water management framework incorporates this uncertainty at all stages of management. While the most effective form of adaptive management requires experimental comparison of practices, the use of optimization modeling is convenient for conducting exploratory simulations to evaluate the spatiotemporal implications of current water diversion management decisions under future environmental changes. We demonstrate such an explorative modeling approach by assessing river water availability for diversion in a river basin in Northern Spain under two future environmental scenarios that combine climate and land use change. An evolutionary optimization method is applied to identify and reduce trade-offs with Supporting Ecosystem Services linked to environmental flow requirements for relevant local freshwater species. The results show that seasonal shifts and spatial heterogeneity of diversion volumes are the main challenges for the future diversion management of the Pas River. Basin-scale diversion management should take into account the seasonal planning horizon and the setting of tailored diversion targets at the local-level to promote the implementation of adaptive management. The presented assessment can help with strategic placement of diversion points and timing of withdrawals, but it also provides deeper insight into how optimisation can support decision-making in managing water diversion under uncertain future environmental conditions. Full article

Global climatic change intensifies the water crisis, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. In this regard, the provision of enough water for irrigation is a serious dilemma because the agricultural sector consumes the largest amount of water (70% withdrawal and 90% consumption). In this review, we have summarized recent innovations that have emerged as unconventional techniques to supply adequate water for irrigation purposes. We present the principles and basics of seven approaches: the Sahara Forest Project (SFP), water extraction from the air (WEA), aquifer recharge, the treatment of marginal water using a magnetic field, desalination and wastewater treatment (DWT), electro-agric technology (E-AT), and the Toshka Project. The SFP is currently being utilized in Aqaba, Jordan, and DWT is considered a common practice worldwide, whereas some of these innovations are still under investigation to ensure their feasibility for large-scale applications, such as E-AT. The Toshka Project is considered a wonderful idea that utilizes the water stored behind the High Dam in Lake Nasser, Egypt. Several approaches have been adopted to reduce the amount of water being used for irrigation, as the current amount of freshwater is insufficient for the requirements of increased agricultural consumption, particularly in hot, arid, and semi-arid regions. Full article