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In recognition of the 75th anniversary of the Canadian Water Resources Association (CWRA) in 2022, a Special Issue was proposed to summarize achievements, challenges and future opportunities in themes directly related to Canadian water resources and their management. The solicited papers align with the aim of the CWRA to stimulate public awareness and understanding of Canada's water resources and provide new or increased knowledge on Canada's water. With growing concerns over impacts on water resources from a wide range of stressors, the support of a national conversation, as well as sharing knowledge and perspectives on water resources across Canada, has become increasingly important and urgent. This Special Issue presents seven papers that review and/or provide historical sketches from '75 years' of work conducted in Canada across select sub-disciplines of hydrology and water resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When armed conflicts disrupt urban water supply, local communities are forced to find other ways to fulfill their domestic water needs. In this paper, we analyze the development of decentralized water infrastructure as a coping strategy during armed conflict in five cities across Iraq, Syria and Yemen. We discuss the implications of conflict-driven decentralization on the resilience of urban water supply infrastructure, addressing its functionality, its recovery in case of disruption, and its sustainability on the long term. The results indicate that decentralized water supply systems developed throughout conflict uphold a basic level of functionality and minimize their vulnerability to conflict-related shocks. However, short-term resilience gains come at the cost of health risks and high water prices, and undermine system sustainability due to a lack of coordination. We conclude that decentralization processes implemented within the constraints of armed conflict are often detrimental to infrastructure resilience, particularly over longer timeframes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emerging climate-development processes jeopardize water supply, especially in the Global South. In the Vietnamese Mekong Delta, disrupted water flows driven by climate change and hydropower development have caused water scarcity, threatening agricultural systems in both upstream and coastal areas. Based on insights from desk reviews, stakeholder workshops and interviews with local informants, this paper argues that while grey (engineered) solutions take precedence in addressing water scarcity, securing water sustainability (water retention) for agricultural resilience demands integrated 'grey–green' (engineered-nature-based) solutions. This paper suggests demands for translating this approach into the water governance framework for the delta's agricultural development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy transition necessitates hydrogen generation to meet current energy needs. Low-carbon hydrogen (green hydrogen from renewable energy, and blue hydrogen from gas with CO2 removal and storage) is touted as a replacement, with most authors recognising the 'green' credentials of hydrogen. However, this paper examines the impact of hydrogen generation on water resources in the driest inhabited country on Earth – Australia. After analysing water use, the paper then undertakes a detailed analysis of the Australian Certificate of Origin Scheme. The paper concludes that competition over water will need to be considered in both project approvals and certification schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of biological monitoring (biomonitoring) to assess water quality is recognised alongside the use of chemical and physicochemical parameters due to its ability and efficiency in providing information about both current and long-term changes. Indeed, biomonitoring is applied in several developed and developing countries. Nevertheless, some developing countries, such as Rwanda, are yet to adopt such a monitoring system. This paper presents results of an assessment of the knowledge and perceptions by water resource managers about the use of biomonitoring and bioindicators, and challenges to their integration into existing routine water quality monitoring systems in Rwanda. Qualitative research, using semistructured interviews, was conducted with nine water resource practitioners from six water governance institutions between August and November 2021. The results show that participants are aware that macroinvertebrates, algae and fish are bioindicators that have potential applications in Rwanda to complement the chemical and physicochemical parameters already being collected in the country's water monitoring system. The main challenges for integration of biological indicators, as indicated by participants, include the need for equipment, funding, technical skills and taxonomic knowledge. Training in the use of bioindicators and taxonomy are needed to raise the awareness and skills of staff from the institutions involved in freshwater ecosystem management in Rwanda, and to encourage integration of biomonitoring results into national water monitoring frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the opportunities and policy levers to increase the use of low-temperature geothermal resources in New Zealand for decarbonising primary industries, in particular, covered crops. Geothermal heat (geoheat) is a local, reliable, resilient and sustainable energy source. Low-temperature geothermal energy (220°C) is available in the Taupō Volcanic Zone with low awareness of the nationwide availability of lower temperature resources. Covered crop growers in New Zealand, needing to decarbonise their operations, are investigating the potential of utilising geoheat, following the example of the Netherlands. The Netherlands has strategically invested in low-temperature geothermal energy, utilising 80 °C water resources, from ∼ 2 to 3 km below the surface to heat greenhouses. Internationally, risk mitigation schemes and insurance programmes have proven pivotal policy instruments for fostering geothermal adoption. This paper discusses the opportunities that the adoption of using low-temperature geothermal provides to New Zealand drawing upon successful models from other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes to the advancement of Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) modelling in addressing the Water-Energy-Food (WEF) Nexus. As such, it introduces water resources as a production factor for both the energy sector and irrigated agriculture, as well as their competition for the endowment, aiming to explicitly represent additional components of the WEF with respect to a standard CGE in the literature. Thus, it develops different modelling structures by computing impacts on regional GDP, sectorial prices, and production outputs in response to hypothetical water scarcity scenarios. This analysis allows for the determination of the role of data and modelling assumptions, such as production function, water substitutability with other endowments, water mobility across sectors, and sectorial water intensity, in influencing the results. Finally, the paper develops a dynamic scenario analysis, showing that an enhanced representation of the Nexus can significantly affect the macroeconomic dynamics of the simulations and their regional implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water reuse with Advanced Water Treatment (AWT) is increasingly appealing for urban areas seeking water supply reliability. In cities facing water scarcity, how can large-scale reuse support reliability and how do reuse operations affect water quality, energy use, and water conservation? This paper presents a systems analysis of metropolitan-scale water reuse and its effects on water supply and quality. For the case study of Los Angeles County, California, USA, hydroeconomic modeling is used to evaluate reuse as a contributor to water supply given urban water conservation, drought-induced water scarcity, and costs and benefits for supply and demand. Results indicate that AWT can be a viable source of supply especially when coupled with conservation. Across modeled scenarios, reuse provides as much as 30% of regional supplies. New water reuse with AWT becomes viable when imported water availability is 50% or less of historic values. Existing indirect potable reuse operations in the county remain important. Systemwide energy intensity of operations increases with greater reuse in the absence of water conservation. Modeled influent flow rates to wastewater treatment plants resemble historical values, but extreme flow events could pose risks. The paper offers a holistic framework to evaluate water reuse as a component of urban water management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite an open border, shared culture, religious ties and strong people-to-people connectivity, governance of transboundary water resources has often led to diplomatic conflicts between India and Nepal. It is not unusual for hydro-development projects between the two to run into delays or opposition, despite great domestic need for water and electricity in both countries. Using fieldwork in Delhi and Kathmandu, this paper illustrates the factors that impede cooperation between the two sides on shared rivers and how the inadequacies of international water laws manifest themselves in bilateral negotiations on water governance. The paper locates the benefit-sharing framework in international water law using the case studies of the Pancheshwar and the SaptaKoshi–SunKoshi Project in the Mahakali and Koshi basins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Gaza Strip is dependent on external aid to deliver basic services, including water and sanitation. Such services are not sustainable due to the Israeli occupation and the limited financial and technical capacities of service providers and the state. This paper examines the incentives of stakeholders in delivering sanitation services in the Gaza Strip through a qualitative institutional economics analysis of literature supplemented with qualitative key informant interviews. External aid is crucial to deliver basic services in the Gaza Strip. However, this has created a dependency that undermines the sustainability of sanitation services. Donor agencies often prioritise capital expenditure on visible infrastructure, such as wastewater treatment, without addressing its long and short-term operational needs; hence the Gaza Strip's needs are continually addressed as an emergency response. The Palestinian Authority and Hamas de facto governments lack sovereignty over the Gaza Strip and Palestine. Therefore, they also lack the capacity and incentives to create an enabling environment for delivering safely managed sanitation. This paper contributes to development policy literature, the politics of infrastructure and wider politics of settler colonialism and siege basic services such as water and sanitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Access to water supply is still a problem in African cities. This has sparked discussions about how small-scale private actors could collaborate with the state to improve water supply. However, scholarly discussions on water supply have hardly examined the role of such actors in maintenance and repair. This paper shows how water infrastructures are maintained and repaired through hybrid labor relations between private and public actors where formal and informal practices are combined. These findings allow us to shift conceptualization in maintenance and repair beyond the state and explain how private actors enact and challenge the state's power through maintenance and repair practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How water resources are defined, both conceptually and legally, is central to their efficient and equitable allocation. With climate change introducing significant uncertainties to water resources management, flexible allocation frameworks are needed that can adapt to changing conditions. This paper explores options for climate-adaptive water allocation in Australia's Murray Darling Basin. The 2026 revision of the Basin Plan may provide significant opportunities for proactive climate risk mitigation, but this depends on rigorous evaluation of policy options. The Water Act requires that the Plan's revisions use the best available science to inform strategies that minimise the impact of climate risks. The Act also enables the use of ratios and formulas as alternatives to using long-term averages as the basis of the Plan. However, there have been limited investigations into using these alternatives. Achieving more adaptive policies depends on rigorously assessing climate risk management options. Given the far-reaching consequences of climate change, rigorous investigations are needed into reforms to the established approaches to water resources planning and to existing water entitlements and allocation regimes. At minimum, this means reassessing the total resource pool and all subsidiary targets and investigating allocation frameworks that equitably share risks between extractive users and the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the driver of groundwater depletion, this paper estimates a dynamic panel regression model using district-level secondary data from 1995 to 2017. Results show that the number of rainwater-harvesting structures, annual average rainfall, forest cover and net sown area improve groundwater levels. Tube well irrigation and rice cultivation can adversely affect groundwater levels. The positive relationship between surface water and improved groundwater level is consistent in all the estimated models. Hence, efficient use and management of surface and groundwater are crucial for the long-term sustainability of water resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acknowledging the overreaching importance of WHO guidelines of frequent handwashing with soap and water in battling COVID-19, this paper unravels the state of water supply in Indian cities and examines the challenges of conventional water policy and governance assumptions amid the COVID-19 crisis in India. Urban citizens, especially living in the slums, very often need to rush to access the water sources, making social distancing practically impossible. Apart from increasing public investment, this paper argues for rethinking the existing framework of water supply through institutional reforms focusing on decentralisation, community participation, and adoption of integrated water resource management policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses a participatory approach to assess the level of understanding of the Water-Energy-Climate Change (WECC) nexus in South Africa. The aim is to initiate the development of well-coordinated, systematic, and holistic strategies to promote efficient management of the WECC and its implications in the country. The assessment follows the learnings from the Integrated Water Resource Management framework, which promotes a participatory approach in the administration of water resources. The paper reveals that, despite the reasonable level of understanding of WECC, it is still insufficient to promote an integrated approach mainly in policy development and planning for water and energy resources while averting climate impacts. This is exacerbated by limited coordination and consultation among various stakeholders. However, minimal efforts to promote an integrated approach in the management of the WECC sectors is observed. Despite these developments, the paper proposes that the participatory approach is feasible to promote holistic strategies and collaboration among stakeholders mandated to manage WECC sectors. Until approaches such as this are adopted within the institutional framework, this nexus will continue to impede the country's sustainable development endeavours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The generation of faecal sludge (FS) in capitals and urban settings of African countries outpaces the available storage, emptying, transportation and treatment technologies. The low technology-based treatment systems for handling FS are preferable and widely adopted in the African context due to their less associated investment and operation costs. The waste stabilization ponds and constructed wetlands were principally developed as wastewater treatment systems however they are widely adopted for treating FS in urban settings of Africa. Less information is known about the efficiency of these systems in lowering FS pollutant concentrations to meet the design specifications and the allowable discharge limits. This paper reviewed the technical efficacy of waste stabilization ponds and the constructed wetlands in treating FS by evaluating the actual treatment efficiency data against the design efficiencies and the maximum allowable discharge limits. The review results revealed that these technologies are user-friendly although they fail to lower the solids concentrations to meet the design and maximum allowable discharge limits. This failure imposes extra costs on operation and maintenance due to the fast filling of solids in the systems hence leading to short-circuiting issues. So, studies on the adequate dewatering technologies of FS before entering the systems are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insufficient observed hydro-climatological data and studies on land use and land cover change (LULCC) hinder the understanding of environmental changes in the major river basins of Madagascar (MRBM). This paper assesses the impact of LULCC on water resources across the MRBM. The ability of the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model to simulate streamflow is evaluated to obtain long-term and consistent hydrological information across the country. Moreover, this study emphasized the process of single-gauge calibration and dealing with uncertainty on a large river basin scale. Despite the lack of data, the model effectively simulated streamflow, achieving high predictive accuracy in 8 basins out of 12 during calibration and validation. By 2050, a major change in LULC is predicted across the MRBM, which is expected to significantly alter the water balance. Main causes of LULCC and measures to address these changes are also investigated. We recommend basin-specific water management plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimating the temporal and spatial patterns of recharge is crucial in Jedeb Watershed, which has shallow aquifers, a proliferation of wells, and limited observations. This paper uses the WetSpass-MODFLOW coupling to evaluate the groundwater recharge in the Jedeb watershed. The ArcGIS tool is used to build grid maps that contain the input data for the WetSpass-M model. These findings are then used to simulate the hydraulic head distribution in the groundwater flow simulation program MODFLOW. WetSpass-M calculated that the long-term spatial and temporal average annual precipitation of 1394 mm is distributed as 99 mm (7.1%) groundwater recharge and 722 mm (51.79%) surface runoff, while 574 mm (41.11%) is lost through evapotranspiration. With such seasonal variations, the groundwater level due to the annual stress period varied from 2164.2 to 2213.1 m. The findings could serve as a benchmark for future research by academics, policymakers, and specialists in regional water resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The planning, designing, management, and operation of water systems has been one of the most important activities throughout the history of humankind. However, as a scientific and applied discipline, it evolved about 70 years ago. The International Commission on Water Resources Systems (ICWRS) has primarily focused on developing and implementing improved methods for water resources management for the benefit of society since the 1970s. This paper reviews the history of the water resources systems (WRS) discipline over these six decades after the 100th anniversary of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS) and aims to make a synthesis of the history of ICWRS. In the concluding section, an outlook for researchers and decision makers on the future development of WRS research is also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores conflicts in contemporary Chile between local communities and economic elites over water resources usage, developing a frameworkthat seeks to bridge the gap between the literature on social movements and the scholarly work on business politics. It examines two similar cases. The first case deals with the conflict between large avocado producers and the rural community of Petorca, Central Chile, which has meant water deprivation for the aggrieved community. In the second case, the local community of Aysén, in Chilean Patagonia, successfully challenged business interests by halting a mega-hydroelectric project. We found that local communities can prevail when at least three conditions are met. First, the formation of a broad contingent coalition. Second, the elaboration of collective action frames to mobilise new constituencies. Third, the capacity to forge alliances with elite actors, which enhances the movement's potential to engage in collective action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a need to study the spatiotemporal distribution of chlorinated solvent releases in groundwater to understand the risk/threat they pose to human health, water quality, and the environment, which then can be used to prioritize clean-up and evaluate regulatory closure with appropriate risk management controls. This paper provides a statistical analysis of spatiotemporal distribution of perchloroethylene (PCE) (and its degradation products including trichloroethene [TCE]) from eighty-three cases across California for which data were available onthe State Water Resources Control Board's GeoTracker database and the Department of Toxic Substance Control Board's Envirostor database. These cases consisted of seventy-one dry cleaning sites and twelve other similar small solvent release sites. Statistical analyses of available groundwater data were performed to estimate: maximum concentrations at the source area, groundwater plume length, plume stability; and correlations between plume length, concentrations, and plume age. At 90% of the sites, the PCE and TCE plume lengths were less than 1,569 feet (478 meters) and 1,782 feet (543 meters), respectively. The average plume lengths for PCE and TCE were 670 feet (204 meters) and 701 feet (213 meters), respectively. At 90% of the sites that have reached stable conditions, PCE and TCE concentrations at the source areas were less than 2,670 and 660 micrograms per liter (µg/L) respectively. This study for the first time provides key characteristics of small chlorinated-solvent plume behaviors in California that can be used to prioritize management of small chlorinated-solvent release sites and to develop strategies towards achieving closure at these sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the pivotal decision-making tools for sustainable management of water resources for various uses is accurate prediction of water quality. In the present paper, multiple linear regression (MLR), radial basis function neural network (RBF-NN), and multilayer perceptron neural network (MLP-NN) models were developed for the monitoring and management of irrigation water quality (IWQ) in Ojoto area, southeastern Nigeria. This paper is the first to integrate and simultaneously implement these predictive methods for the modeling of seven IWQ indices. Moreover, two modeling scenarios were considered. Scenario 1 represents predictions that utilized the specific physicochemical parameters for calculating the IWQ indices as input variables while Scenario 2 represents predictions that utilized pH, EC, Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, Cl-, SO42-, and HCO3- as inputs. In terms of salinity hazard, most of the water resources are unsuitable/poor for irrigation. However, in terms of carbonate and bicarbonate impact and magnesium hazard, majority of the samples have good and excellent IWQ. Seven agglomerative Q-mode dendrograms spatiotemporally classified the water resources based on the IWQ indices. Model validation metrics showed that the MLR, RBF-NN, and MLP-NN models developed in the two scenarios performed well in both scenarios, with minor variations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the oral and dermal health risks of potentially toxic elements in water samples collected from Ojoto area in southeast Nigeria were studied using HHRISK code and water quality index. The water samples were analysed for physicochemical parameters based on standard guidelines. Average concentration of the potentially toxic elements in the water was in the order: Pb2+ > Fe2+ > Zn2+ > Ni2+ > Cr3+. To assess the level of surface and groundwater pollution, water quality index was calculated. Results of the water quality index suggest that 11% of the water samples are in good condition; 25% have poor quality, 3% have very poor quality, and 53% have quality that is unfit for human consumption. The HHRISK code was used to quantify the health risks associated with the use of the water resources. Results revealed that most of the water samples expose their users to carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic health risks. Cumulative non-carcinogenic risk scores (for both children and adults) and the majority of cumulative carcinogenic risk values were found to be above regulatory limits. The adult population is exposed to lower non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks, implying that children are more vulnerable. The water supplies are of substandard quality and could cause serious health issues when ingested than when used for bathing and washing purposes. Simple linear regression models showed positive agreement between the results of the WQI and HHRISK code. To safeguard the water resources, avoid additional water contamination, and reduce public health hazards associated with poor water quality, strategic mitigation strategies are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper proposes a novel methodology to locate and quantify entrapped air pockets created during pipe-filling events often found in intermittent water supply systems. Different filling conditions were tested in an experimental pipe with a high point. Measurements were taken and video recordings were carried out to assess air pocket volumes for different air release conditions at the downstream end of the pipe. The stochastic nature of air pocket creation resulted in varying air volumes. A new numerical model capable of simulating the air pocket creation, dragging and entrainment has been proposed. The new model, AirSWMM, was implemented as an extension of the Stormwater Management Model (SWMM) with stochasticity of air pocket formation reproduced by simulations with different air entrainment rates. The obtained numerical results show that the proposed model, even though based on a single-phase one-dimensional flow, can accurately locate and approximately quantify the entrapped air pocket volumes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the future uncertainties regarding the availability of irrigation water in the Bengal Delta, planned water reuse in agriculture is a viable alternative. Using scenario planning, this paper depicted technological solutions to ensure the safe reuse of urban water in agriculture. A systematic literature review and expert interviews were conducted to identify the factors for appropriate technology selection. Results indicated that local conditions, resource recovery, energy consumption, initial investment and land availability are the notable factors for technology selection. Taking economic growth and demand for irrigation water, centralized (activated sludge) and decentralized technological (pond-based) solutions are envisioned to facilitate reuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of a quasi-experimental study using information collected through a survey conducted in peri-urban areas of metropolitan Lima and applied to households residing close to and on both sides of the geographic boundary of piped water supply. We find that access to piped water was associated with a reduction in the probability of contracting COVID-19. Furthermore, the results suggest that a minimum consumption level must be guaranteed to lower infection probability. These results highlight the need for investment in infrastructure to close access gaps and the importance of ensuring quality and affordable services for the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we describe a numerical model for unsteady stratified flow without mixing at the interface (halocline), which was applied for the calculation of salinization in the Neretva River (Croatia) i.e. the first line of penetration. The mathematical model is based on the principles of conservation of mass and momentum. Since, the set of equations does not have analytical solution it is solved numerically, e.g. through finite element method (FEM). Computed variables are water discharges and elevations for each layer separately in each point of finite element mesh. Calibration of the model is based on in-situ measurements. The most important factor for salt water intrusion in an estuary is the fresh water discharge. In the Neretva estuary, salt water was found in Metkovic (22 km from the sea) for freshwater flows of less than 180 m3/s, while for flows greater than 500 m3/s salt water was completely extruded from the riverbed. The plan is to build a mobile barrier (gate) in the Neretva River to protect it against sea water penetration. Additionally, upstream of the barrier, fresh water would be provided in the riverbed that could be primarily used for irrigation. The same numerical model has been also successfully applied to the estuary of the Jadro River, a small river near Split. Since the model is general, it can be applied on any river mouth with stratified conditions. The projections of sea level changes in the Adriatic Sea shows increase of a few decimeters in 21st century. Generally, rising sea levels will increase salt water pressure on the coast, estuaries, water resources, aquifers and farmland. Therefore, the management of estuaries will require even greater engagement of experts from different areas to successfully deal with future difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water is one of the most contended resources on the planet. The need and the un-ubiquitous nature of the resource is a reality faced by the Bally-Jagachha block in Howrah, West Bengal. Here, the available water sources are tube-well and piped water, both having Water Quality Indices of more than 300 and 200, respectively. This indicates that drinking water is unpalatable, making people vulnerable to diseases. Additionally, as is evident through the Water Poverty map, inaccessibility is an expensive, debilitating problem, as people have to travel twice in 4-7 min to and from the water source to collect it and then again spend more to filter the same. The Ridit scores thus state that people are overcome by water woes in supply, availability, consumption, quality, demand, etc., but yet have no alternatives like rainwater harvesting (RWH), despite people's acceptance to it. Thus this paper attempts to collate all the problems regarding water and suggest ways by which the Gram Panchayats here can safely implement RWH and resolve the situation for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban wetlands and waterways are vital for a city's defence, transport, water supply, environment, and culture. However, overuse, environmental stress, and management issues degenerate their condition, particularly in countries with high populations, limited funds, and improper infrastructure. A megacity in eastern India, Kolkata is blessed with two significant rivers, an efficient canal system, and a wetland of international prominence. Unfortunately, various factors disturbed their natural flow, slaying them with pollution, sedimentation, and reduced aquatic biodiversity, thus losing their socio-cultural importance. The paper analyses the interactions and inter-relationships between the city's main waterways in a comprehensive environmental, socio-economic, and cultural context. It also presents a prescriptive framework for the eco-restoration and management of the city's waterways. The target-driven strategies comprise the spatio-physical components of land, land-water interface, and water for physical, ecological, and hydro-morphological restoration of these waterways as an urgent step towards urban sustainability and resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to evaluate the hydrologic impacts of urban expansion in a peri-urban catchment that drains into a reservoir of the drinking water supply system of Belo Horizonte Metropolitan Region in Brazil. Despite the metropolitan interest and efforts in protecting the catchment, a recent change in zoning ordinances allowed urban expansion in the area. To evaluate the potential hydrological impacts of this land use regulation change, scenarios of urban expansion were conceived and simulated in the model Dinamica EGO. The Storm Water Management Model (SWMM) was employed to assess potential hydrological impacts of land use change projections. Observed precipitation and water level data of the reservoir were used to calibrate and validate the hydrological model. Results confirm the impacts on several catchment hydrological processes following the progressive urban expansion in the area, particularly on volumes of infiltration, groundwater flow and runoff, increasing peak flows and flooding downstream the reservoir. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intermittent Water Supply (IWS) is characterised as drinking water distribution systems that are supplied with water for less than 24 hours/day on average. The filling transition from non-supply to pressurised supply is a period of hydraulic instability that negatively impacts water quality, deteriorates infrastructure integrity and intensifies social inequalities. Understanding the factors contributing to the severity of impact from filling is vital to develop effective management strategies. This paper investigates the hydraulic phenomena induced during the short-term IWS filling period and how this behaviour can be exacerbated by elevation and other hydraulic system factors, such as velocity and pressure. Controlled laboratory experiments conducted in the UK and field studies performed in operational networks across South Africa are presented. Results demonstrate the crucial role elevation plays in the network response during the filling transition, emphasising the need for greater consideration of elevation in IWS and well-maintained air relief valves in strategic locations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freshwater is one of the Earth's most crucial resources for social-economic development and prosperity. Biomonitoring contributes to water resource protection by integrating a holistic picture of ecosystem health through an analysis of resident biota. The taxonomy-based approach, in which taxa assemblages are analysed and compared between sites, is common in freshwater biomonitoring. However, this approach is mainly descriptive and has no predictive or effect diagnostic potential. The trait-based approach (TBA) has been hailed as capable of transforming biomonitoring into a predictive science with the potential for effect diagnosis. This paper presents a framework for the potential use of traits in riverine water resource monitoring and management. It provided ways to integrate the TBA into the Resource Quality Objectives (RQOs), current biomonitoring protocols, and developing predictive models. Their effect diagnostic potential, assemblage response predictive value and links to crucial ecosystem functions should guide the selection and integration of traits into RQOs. Examples of trait-based RQOs statements are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using an evaluation framework, this paper distils the critical success factors for sustainably establishing localized groundwater supply systems at critical care facilities. The learnings are based on developed and implemented plans to ensure water supply and resilience to critical care facilities to survive the 2017/18 drought in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. The success factors include groundwater, regulatory compliance, system design and cost–benefit considerations. The identified key learnings and critical success factors enable future disaster preparedness planners to implement this strategy to make critical facilities more water resilient for water disasters or disasters that lead to water crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discussion on adaptive governance is criticized for being overly conceptual and limited in application beyond environmental issues. To fill this gap, this paper examines how adaptive governance functions in specific contexts, such as addressing post-disaster water supply cut-offs. In Kure City, Japan, different levels of government and NGOs helped local well owners emerge as informal water suppliers after the 2018 flood. This research identifies four elements of adaptive governance (polycentricity, participation, self-organization, social learning) underpinning this initiative. Furthermore, it reveals the importance of financial incentives for well owners and pre-registration of local wells as policy lessons for emergent groundwater utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

John Kingdon’s Multi-Stream Framework sheds light on the foundational conditions under which public policies get formulated and implemented. The coupling of the Problem, Policy, and Politics streams along with efforts by Policy Entrepreneurs opens the Opportunity Window for policy realization. Interpreting Kingdon’s MSF, a rich scholarship exists, which found evidence in support of this framework. Some instances of the opening up of multiple windows are found in MSF. However, two aspects remain unclear. First, what happens when multiple windows open, some of them could be opened by the opposing side simultaneously to the policy window? Second, no literature exists that discusses the application of multiple windows of the MSF. In this context, this paper takes the idea of multiple windows seriously along with illustrations from Delhi, India where we find that although a window of opportunity existed for the Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi, it could not privatize water supply. Our argument is that multiple windows opened up, some by the opposition that thwarted water privatization attempts of the state government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land rental markets often accompany irrigation infrastructure development as water availability revalorizes land. Agrarian change scholars critique land rental markets for contributing to capital accumulation. To date, however, this approach has not incorporated the roles of environmental changes induced by irrigation, corresponding social-ecological interactions, and political ecologies of vulnerability. Based on 12 months of research in Colombia's most expensive land rental market spanning two irrigation megaprojects, this paper demonstrates how land rental markets compound environmental stresses to exclude producers from land- and water-based agricultural livelihoods. The research additionally advances debates of land control, capital's mobility, and Andean water infrastructure development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews South Africa’s efforts to realise the right to water from a welfare policy perspective. ‘Free basic water’ (FBW), initially a water sector policy, was later recognised to be part of the country’s wider social protection framework. However, while the principle of providing poor households with free basic services has been sustained, FBW has not provided reliable access for many of its intended beneficiaries. Analysis of the policy, implementation and performance of the programme identifies unresolved policy tensions between welfare objectives and other government priorities, reflected in the choice of targeted rather than universal welfare strategies. It is concluded that these welfare policy tensions have weakened the outcomes of the free basic water policy which are more usually blamed on operational and institutional failures. While the FBW principle is generally accepted, practical performance is often weak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aims at simulating streamflow using Hydrologic Engineering Center Hydrological Modelling System (HEC-HMS) under different Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP's) to access the impact of climate change on hydrological regime of Bhagirathi River at Tehri Dam. The input for the study is precipitation and temperature which are obtained from remote-sensing data. The temperature and precipitation data daily products are obtained from Tropical Rain Monitoring Mission (TRMM) and Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) missions and the respective future anomalies were obtained from World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal (CCKP). The streamflow simulation is done for RCP's 4.5 and 8.5 under the models csiro_mk3_6_0, bcc_csm1_1, ccsm4 and mri_cgcm3. The study found that the combination of remote-sensing data and HEC-HMS model has been successful in simulating streamflow in the region. The region will experience an increase in streamflow discharge under changing climate over the next coming years. The simulation also indicates that there will be a change in temporal distribution pattern of the discharge. Amidst these uncertainties, the predictions also give an insight into the planning and management of constructed or to be constructed hydraulic structures in the basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality of agriculture depends on the quality of the yield, which is usually obtained through the well-being of the crop. The quality of any crop depends on the minerals in the soil, the type of soil, the location, and the seasons. The crop yield depends on soil fertility, availability of water, climate, and disease prevention. Although this information is prevailing in plenty among the expert farmers, the means of abducting the information to the future generation has not been much promoted. Hence, the knowledge disseminated regarding agriculture becomes scarce, affecting the entire agricultural process. Given these facts, a single source, strong knowledge management system is proposed to be designed. The system aims to embrace the different kinds of knowledge associated with agriculture and attempt to obtain a single source of agro information that is very much usable and reusable to the users. To ensure the maximum level of reusability, the knowledge of the domain needs to be modeled and represented in a way that is scalable and flexible. One of the knowledge representation techniques that emphasizes on reusability and scalability is ontology. Thus, this paper attempts to design an ontology-based agro knowledge management system. A rule base is constructed to improve the expressiveness of the knowledge. An incremental mining approach is adopted to extract the knowledge from multiple ontology. To understand better to aid decision-making, a visualization task is carried out. A multi ontology-based knowledge mining model is attempted in this research to provide better insight regarding agro knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a statistical tool of uncertain significance test that uses uncertainty theory to test whether certain prespecified regression coefficients can be regarded as zero. A numerical example is given to illustrate how to test the significance of regression coefficients in an uncertain regression model. In order to compare uncertain significance test with stochastic significance test, both of these significance testing approaches are applied in studying the relationship between GDP and four indicators, including urban population scale, volume of foreign trade, fiscal expenditure, and water resource. The results show that uncertain significance test is more appropriate than stochastic significance test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water banking in aquifers is an internationally proven, low-cost solution that could improve drought resilience across the Murray Darling Basin. While significant potential for water banking through managed aquifer recharge (MAR) or conjunctive use of surface and groundwater resources has been identified in the Murray Darling Basin Plan, there is a need to establish clear policy and institutional foundations to incentivise adoption. To provide appropriate incentives for schemes, the legal status of rights to recharge, store and recover water, and the rules and costs which apply to groundwater extraction need to be clear and transparent. This paper aims to clarify principles and frameworks to secure water rights for recharge, storage, and recovery within the sustainable limits of water resources currently set under law. The current Basin Plan supports water banking, and banking would be complementary with objective and outcomes sought by future Basin Plans. Existing water accounting systems would need to accommodate this new capacity. Institutional arrangements and financial structures of water banking in the USA provide guidance for Australia. Demonstration sites would enable concurrent policy development and institutional set-up and provide critical experience to serve as models for wider adoption as part of future Murray Darling Basin plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition from rural to urban spurred by population growth and housing densification has implications for the planning of service provisions, not least domestic water supplies. The objective of this paper is to document the status of domestic water access and examine existing options for domestic water provision along the rural–urban transition. The study employs a combination of research methods in both data collection and analysis. Given the dual character (rural–urban) of the emerging urban centres, there is limited distinction in the domestic water services provided since they tend to be in between the two, in a state of transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper establishes a quantitative model based on the system dynamics (SD) theory to reflect the 'socioeconomic–water–environment' coupling system and proposes three future development scenarios. Hubei province, China, is selected to verify this model. The simulation results from 2020 to 2030 demonstrate that the pressures of water supply and demand and pollution under the sustainable development scenario are less than those under two other scenarios. It means that adjustment of the industrial structure has a relatively weaker effect on alleviating the pressure of water supply and demand. Saving water and controlling pollution should be the emphasis of current efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines global statistics on water availability, water demands, access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services, and human development in 2015, a milestone year for the transition from United Nations' Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The results of nonparametric statistical tests point out that, in most countries, water endowment – or potential water availability – has not been a determining factor for economic prosperity and human development. However, it is possible to delineate a strong nexus between water and human development from the perspective of water demands, particularly when considering primary water uses for drinking and sanitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper shows that the evolution of French water governance since the 1960s is globally consistent with the OECD Principles on Water Governance. It covers simultaneously what concerns resources, services and eventually policies that bridge both types, per groups of governance principles. The paper illustrates that, beyond this overall positive assessment, a lot of shortcomings and weaknesses and therefore of potential improvements can be identified. It proposes a preliminary reflection about the impact of governance changes and about indicators needed to measure these impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surrounded by four of the five Great Lakes, Michigan is characterized by water. Historically, much of the state's industry was situated along the water, often preventing public access to waterfronts and negatively impacting the quality of water resources. Economic shifts, paired with a growing interest in revitalizing waterfronts, have led many Michigan communities to invest in water-based restoration projects. This paper investigates the experiences and perceptions of key stakeholders in four waterfront towns where water restoration projects have been implemented as communities shift toward recreation and tourism-based economies. Twenty interviews were conducted with key stakeholders to explore the factors that lead to successful implementation of water restoration and in turn, how these projects impact community vibrancy. Results suggest that community vibrancy related to water restoration can be characterized by a series of reinforcing feedback loops between local leadership, access to water resources, socio-economic and environmental opportunities, and relationships with water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aspiring to India's COP26 pledge of attaining 500 gigawatts of non-fossil energy capacity by 2030 will entail nothing short of a colossal transformation of rural spaces. Solar park development has already disrupted the lives and livelihoods of marginalized peasants through land dispossession, uneven provisioning of electricity and water resources, dislocation of fuelwood and grazing access, and the diminution of labor opportunities. However, it remains unclear how affected peasants internalize the burdens of decarbonization. The aim of the paper is to address the following questions: How are the geographies of solar energy transitions embodied? How do dispossessed peasants respond affectively? Drawing on feminist political ecology literature and fieldwork that included household surveys and semi-structured interviews, the author finds that the dispossessed embody a range of affective responses, including emotional geographies and embodied resistance, that enable or constrain the place-making of equitable alternative sites of solar energy generation. The author concludes that as India rapidly erects large-scale solar infrastructures—indisputably imperative efforts to confront the climate crisis—the embodiment of injustices suffered by the dispossessed will haunt low-carbon futures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainability requires understanding and respecting the ecosystem functioning to plan the use of its resources. Improvised planning plus economic benefits can stimulate unsustainable decisions that lead to complications and obscures the application of appropriate adaptations when a change is required. This paper is a historical review of a reservoir when the dam changes its use from hydroelectric to water supply and then tourism is superimposed on the ecosystem. Data collected from the literature are systematically analyzed to see the effects on basin-reservoir dynamics. The main effect was the increase in the hydraulic retention time of the reservoir that facilitates the accumulation of nutrients and eutrophication, aggravated by the increase in the fixed and floating population stimulated by tourism. The consequent cyanobacteria blooms deteriorate the landscape, become a health risk and cancels the use of the reservoir to tourism. The increase in emerging compounds detected in the treatment plant effluent discharged into the reservoir poses a risk to aquatic species and the water supply. These results are analyzed in light of the objectives and dimensions of Sustainability. Recommendations include modifying Goal 1 of SDO 8, because it is shown that an annual growth of 7% of GDP in developing countries threatens their natural resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The risk quotient (RQ) related to Estrone (E1), 17β–E2 (E2), Estriol (E3) and 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2) in sediment of water resources in China was calculated using Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) method. Fifty-four papers with 64 data-reports included in our study. The rank order of steroid hormones in sediment based on log-normal distribution in MCS was E1 (3.75 ng/g dw) > E3 (1.53 ng/g dw) > EE2 (1.38 ng/g dw) > E2 (1.17 ng/g dw). According to results, concentration of steroid hormones including E1, E2 and E3 in sediment of Erhai lake, northern Taihu lake and Dianchi river was higher than other locations. The rank order of steroid hormones based on percentage high risk (RQ > 1) was EE2 (87.00%) > E1 (70.00%) > E2 (62.99%) > E3 (11.11%). Hence, contamination control plans for steroid hormones in sediment of water resources in China should be conducted continuously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]