A Modeling System for the Evaluation of Water Resources Management Strategies in Thessaly,Greece

A modeling system was developed to evaluate the sustainability of water resources management strategies in the two major basins of Thessaly Region in Greece, namely the Pinios River and the Lake Karla basins. The intense and extensive agriculture of water demanding crops, such as cotton, and the absence of reasonable water resources management have lead to a remarkable water demand increase, which is usually fulfilled by the over-exploitation of groundwater resources. This unsustainable practice has deteriorated the already disturbed water balance and accelerated water resources degradation. The modeling system consists of a hydrological model, a reservoir operation model and methods for the estimation of water demands. The study area was sub-divided into sub-basins and water balance analyses were performed for each sub-basin and each control node of the system for a number of water resources management strategies. Four strategies of hydro-technical project development were coupled with two strategies of groundwater withdrawal and three water demand strategies. In total, more than 24 water management strategies were evaluated. The results showed that, under the existing water resources management, the water deficit of the Pinios River and Lake Karla basins is very large. However, the development of proposed hydro-technical projects in the Pinios River basin coupled with water demand management measures, like improvement of existing water distribution systems, change of irrigation methods, and changes of crop cultivation could alleviate the problem and lead to sustainable and ecological use of water resources in the study area.     

Groundwater Use for Irrigation and its Productivity: Status and Opportunities for Crop Intensification for Food Security in Bangladesh

Bangladesh has a large and growing population that will demand more food and place greater pressure on resources. Dry season irrigated Boro rice production is important for national food security. Dry season irrigation mainly uses groundwater, but the extent of its use is not well known. We assessed groundwater use and water productivity of Boro in the northwest region of Bangladesh using remote sensing based energy balance modelling, crop classification and secondary statistics. The energy balance modelling shows a large spatial variation in the actual evapotranspiration (ET_a) from about 325 to 470 mm, with an overall spatial average of 365 mm during dry season. The estimated values of ET_a correspond well with independent values from field and regional scale soil and water balance modelling results. From spatial estimates of ET_a and effective rainfall, we computed regional net groundwater use for Boro production in 2009 as 2.4 km³. Groundwater is being used unsustainably in some areas, and a spatial time series (1990 to 2010) of pre- and post-monsoon groundwater depth changes in the northwest region of Bangladesh suggests that, with the current level of groundwater use, falling groundwater levels may pose a long term threat to the sustainability of irrigated agriculture in much of the region. Boro water productivity varies from 0.95 to 1.35 kg/m³, allowing the identification of high performing “bright” and low performing “hot” spots and the development of strategies to reduce crop yield/productivity gaps and ensure future food security.     

An alternative solution of the water shortage problem in Libya

In Libya there is a growing awareness of increasing demand for fresh water while fossil groundwater supply is limited. This situation of water supply has become more problematic with rapidly increasing population and low rainfall. Hence soon after the discovery of fresh groundwater in the deserts of southern Libya, the local authority has made huge efforts to address its water deficit problems, mainly through the implementation of “The Great Manmade River Project” to sustain its economy. Especially the agriculture sector exceeds its traditional supplies. The Libyan authority began to design and install the hydraulic infrastructure needed to withdraw and transport this fossil water to various demand sites along its Mediterranean coast where most of the population lives and where the water is used. There is an over-exploitation of fossil groundwater resources to meet the irrigation demands as a result of adapting a self-sufficing policy in food. Rapid development of agricultural activity, expansion of irrigated areas and over irrigation practices will lead to more depletion of water resources since most of the country's groundwater resources are non-renewable. The supply-driven approach for water management has demonstrated its inability to deliver a substantial degree of water sustainability on the national Libyan level. Despite the strenuous efforts made by the country, it still faces serious water deficits due to continuously increasing water demands beyond the limits of its available water resources. As pressure on water converges on the country's fossil water resources, an immediate reconsideration of agricultural water extractions is needed and appropriate actions have to be implemented in response to its huge consumption. This policy aims at rescuing the present water situation and at avoiding serious environmental and economical crises. Reorganisation of the water consumption pattern, to maintain the country's standard of living and to ensure the economical security for the future generation is drastically needed. This paper considers the country's water management that requires water policy reforms, with emphasis on supply and demand management measures and improvement of the legal and institutional provisions. This could be achieved by reviewing agricultural water policies in order to minimise some local deficits in water resources and to avoid water quality deterioration in the coastal areas. Developing additional non-conventional sources of water supply needs to be considered. This should be supported by creating authorised water institutions lead by a high-professional staff and enabling them in making the appropriate legislation and decisive measurements to allocate water among consumptive sectors as well as to ensure the protection of the environment.     

Management Strategy of Groundwater Resources and Recovery of Over-Extraction Drawdown Funnel in Huaibei City, China

Groundwater overexploitation is threatening our ecosystems and even the life of future generations. Once happens, elimination of the bad influence will be a long-term process. It should be a feasible approach to take the environmental recovery as a whole by the way of the groundwater management. A case study of water resources management in Huaibei city, within semiarid region of north Anhui province, China, was illustrated, especially on the issues of groundwater over-extraction drawdown funnel recovery. Taking into account the water demand for satisfying the urban development in the next 15 years, three target years of water resources planning were postulated as the present (2005), the short-term (2010) and the long-term (2020), respectively. Four hydrological years: wet year, mean year, dry year and extremely dry year, were also defined by the rainfall data for many years. A groundwater management model which could deal with twelve possible scenarios (3 target years of water resources planning ×4 hydrological years) was established based on simulation and optimization. The groundwater management model could optimize the strategies of water resources development, integrate various kinds of water sources, e.g. groundwater, surface water and additive water sources, and meet the water demand for the urban development within an area of Huaibei city. Importantly, in accordance with the groundwater management model solutions, the issues of groundwater over-extraction drawdown funnel, which has formed within the Huaibei downtown area for many years and lead to some environmental and social problems, would be solved over the whole planning period.     

Major Trends in Groundwater Development: Opportunities for Public-Private Partnership?

Provision of sufficient water of good quality under growing water demands and increasing climate variability will be one of the main concerns for water managers in the coming decades. It is generally accepted that an integrated approach is required in which resource development options and demand management go hand in hand to provide a management structure with balances between immediate demand from different user groups and the short- and long-term environmental functions of our global water resources. Groundwater plays an important role in achieving this goal provided that its interaction with surface water is fully recognized and its function is fully integrated in land and water planning. The success of integrated water resources management will also benefit from a broader partnership in planning, development and management of our water resources. The focal role of central government is gradually complemented with a growing responsibility of lower levels in the public sector and broader partnerships with the private sector. This paper describes the comparative characteristics of groundwater and its functions in integrated water resources management. Some major trends are discussed in the use of aquifers for enhancing the role of groundwater to cope with increasing water demands and changes in climate variability: the use of brackish groundwater; and the enhancement of recharge and subsurface storage and the ability of aquifers to ameliorate water quality. These potential developments offer good opportunities to enhance the role of the private sector under the regulatory control of the government. These options are particularly important for the Middle East and North Africa region as coping strategies to alleviate the present water scarcity.     

黑河流域近期治理对生态环境与粮食安全的影响

论述了黑河流域近期治理规划实施后对区域粮食安全的促进与保障作用。通过黑河流域近期治理过程中基础设施的建设，不仅可以有效地改善整个区域的生态环境状况，而且改造了基本农田和水利基础设施，提高了水资源的利用效率和水土资源的生产能力，达到了储粮于地、寓粮于源的目的。结果表明：到2010年可提高区域水土资源生产能力15％～20％，如遇短期区域及周边地区粮食短缺，在保证流域生态基本需水前提下，可连续3～5年启用这些“粮食生产后备基地”，达到增产粮食15％～20％的目的，其对下游生态仅造成局部可恢复性影响，流域下游地下水埋深平均下降幅度在0.4m以内。     

Distributed Simulation‐optimization Model for Conjunctive Use of Groundwater and Surface Water Under Environmental and Sustainability Restrictions

Evolving optimal management strategies are essential for the sustainable development of water resources. A coupled simulation-optimization model that links the simulation and optimization models internally through a response matrix approach is developed for the conjunctive use of groundwater and surface water in meeting irrigation water demand and municipal water supply, while ensuring groundwater sustainability and maintaining environmental flow in river. It incorporates the stream-aquifer interactions, and the aquifer response matrix is generated from a numerical groundwater model. The optimization model is solved by using MATLAB. The developed model has been applied to the Hormat-Golina valley alluvial stream-aquifer system, Ethiopia, and the optimal pumping schedules were obtained for the existing 43 wells under two different scenarios representing with and without restrictions on stream flow depletion, and satisfying the physical, operational and managerial constraints arising due to hydrological configuration, sustainability and ecological services. The study reveals that the total annual optimal pumping is reduced by 19.75?% due to restrictions on stream flow depletion. It is observed that the groundwater pumping from the aquifer has a significant effect on the stream flow depletion and the optimal conjunctive water use plays a great role in preventing groundwater depletion caused by the extensive pumping for various purposes. The groundwater contribution in optimal conjunctive water use is very high having a value of 92?% because of limited capacity of canal. The findings would be useful to the planners and decision makers for ensuring long-term water sustainability.

     

Challenges and Prospects of Sustainable Groundwater Management in the Indus Basin,Pakistan

In Pakistan, on-demand availability of groundwater has transformed the concept of low and uncertain crop yields into more assured crop production. Increased crop yields has resulted in food security and improved rural livelihoods. However, this growth has also led to problems of overdraft, falling water tables and degradation of groundwater quality, and yields generally remain well below potential levels. Over the last three decades, Pakistan has tried several direct and indirect management strategies for groundwater management. However the success has been limited. This paper argues that techno-institutional approaches such as introducing water rights, direct or indirect pricing and permit systems are fraught with difficulties in Pakistan due to its high population density and multitude of tiny users. Therefore there is a need to develop frameworks and management tools that are best suited to Pakistani needs. Pakistan should follow both supply and demand management approaches. For demand management, adoption of water conservation technologies, revision of existing cropping patterns and exploration of alternate water resources should be encouraged. For supply management, implementation of the groundwater regulatory frameworks developed by Provincial Irrigation and Drainage Authorities (PIDAs) and introduction of institutional reforms to enhance effective coordination between different organizations responsible for the management of groundwater resources should be given priority.     

Is water scarcity a constraint to feeding Asia's growing population?

Growing population and wealth, as measured by per capita GDP, are predicted to put water resources and food production in Asia under increasing pressure over the next few decades. Critical factors include the increasing demand for animal proteins in diets and the growing need for energy. Climate change impacts may further reduce available water resources because of greater evaporation losses in some areas and storms and floods in others. If we are to overcome these significant constraints on food production, we must turn to strategies that are focused around sustainable intensification of agriculture. These include modernization of old irrigation schemes to increase water productivity, innovative concepts that capture and store flood runoff for use in agriculture, much more recycling and reuse of urban wastewater, and other efficiency-improvement techniques. However, these will not happen in a policy vacuum, and it is argued that reforms are needed in water policy, water training and water management institutions across Asia.     

Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Water Management Policies in Bangladesh

Water resources development and management policies initiatives in Bangladesh are primarily driven by the need for sufficient food grain production for the country's teeming population and curtailing the perennial flooding problems. It is therefore necessary to investigate whether or not these objectives are being met. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impacts of past water resources development and management strategies on agriculture, food security, flood management and socio-economic development in Bangladesh. The research is based on the historical data of the relevant parameters of the water resources management over the period 1947–2005. The outcomes of the study demonstrate that past policies and strategies of water development have resulted in significant irrigation expansion, especially through intensified groundwater utilization, which has helped to achieve the country's primary objective of self-sufficiency in food production. However, the provision of safe drinking water and sanitation facilities still remains a challenge in the country. Similarly, the impact of the flood control policies was diverse with success mostly apparent with regard to protection against modest events, while catastrophic, extreme events still effectively defying answer.     

环境变化对河北省可利用水资源的影响

环境变化及其对可利用水资源的影响是复杂的，根据20世纪50年代以来的大量统计数据分析表明，近30年来，由于自然环境的变化、人类活动的增强，河北省可利用水资源量处于减少的态势。地下水超采所引起的地下水位持续下降，不仅造成地表产流减少，而且使降水对地下水的补给量减少。作物产量水平的提高，在直接消耗大量水资源和土壤水分的同时，也使农田蒸散发加强，从而造成地表径流量和地下水补给量的减少。在新一轮水资源评价中，要充分考虑环境变化对水资源的影响，加强地下水位大埋深条件下，地表产流量，地下水补给量，以及作物产量水平提高对水资源影响的实验研究，以提高新一轮水资源评价成果的精度。     

北京地下水水权市场建设问题思考

北京水资源供需矛盾突出,局部地下水处于超采状态,用水结构不断发生变化,且需水量日渐增加。地下水权交易市场的建立可以缓解地下水超采的压力,有效地对水资源进行二次配置,极大地促进社会经济可持续发展。在分析国内外水权交易实践的基础上,结合我国具体的地下水利用特征,分析地下水水权交易过程中值得注意和完善的关键问题,为北京地下水水资源管理和地下水水权交易市场的发展提供参考。     

Towards the Establishment of Water Management in Abu Dhabi Emirate

The Abu Dhabi Emirate is the largest of the seven emirates that compose the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Parallel to the growth of the country, the Abu Dhabi Emirate has witnessed remarkable development in many aspects of life over the past 35 years. This rapid development into a modern urban environment and the accompanying surge in population, caused by a major influx of foreign labor, have been imposing tremendous pressure on natural resources including water. The challenges of maintaining a sustainable freshwater supply in the Abu Dhabi Emirate are many. Conventional water resources are limited. Surface water is almost absent due to the scarcity of rainfall coupled with arid conditions. Groundwater is mostly brackish and nonrenewable. Over-pumping practices have resulted in a severe decline in groundwater levels and quality. The growing salinity in the ground water has impacted the increased salinity of agricultural land. In addition, water availability and demand are both subject to seasonal fluctuations, particularly during the hot and humid summer months. In the Abu Dhabi Emirate there is a high demand for freshwater used for irrigation of farmland, forests and landscaping; industrial and commercial uses; amenities and domestic use. A large portion of this demand is provided by desalinated water, which is expensive to produce. The need for rational water management is critical. Forecasting water demand is currently being used as the basis for the production expansion planning in order to meet the water demand for the emirate. With steady projected increases, the capacity to provide a continuous supply of freshwater is vital. Interruptions in the supply can be caused by emergencies and the minimum 1-year lead time needed for new desalination plant construction. Having an adequate storage system addresses some of the concerns related to establishing a freshwater supply. The Abu Dhabi Emirate needs long-term storage capacity equivalent to at least 1 year’s fresh water demand. One method of increasing this capacity is artificial recharge using excess produced desalinated water and treated wastewater. While there are currently pilot projects using this technique, more widespread use could be very beneficial. This paper describes the current water resources, water demands and techniques of storing water for future recovery in the emirate through artificial recharge techniques.     

新型蒸渗仪及其在农田水文过程研究中的应用

一台用于测定农田蒸腾蒸发和地下水—土壤水转化的新型称重式蒸渗仪在中国科学院禹城试验站建造完成，并连续数年成功运行。新型蒸渗仪主要有以下特点：(1)蒸渗仪精度0.016mm，可同时准确测量蒸腾蒸发量和地下水对土壤水的补给量与入渗量；(2)蒸渗仪面积3.14m2，深度5m，充分允许农作物根系发育与吸水、土壤水和地下水水分转化、地下水位变化等过程的进行，可以较好的代表大田的情形；(3)蒸渗仪的供排水系统能够在蒸渗仪内模拟实际地下水位变化；(4)土柱重30～34Mg，包含非饱和与饱和土壤，土壤质地以粉沙和轻壤为主。自1998年10月至1999年6月冬小麦生长期蒸渗仪运行结果表明：在冬小麦生长期，当地下水在1.6～2.4m变动时地下水对土壤水的补给量约占总蒸腾蒸发量的16.6%.过多的灌溉量不仅削弱了地下水对土壤水的补给，而且多余的灌溉水下渗补给地下水。中子仪和负压计数据表明潜水对土壤的水分分布和土水势分布有很大影响。     

Analysis of the Water Resources Status in Kuwait

The acute lack of natural water resources in Kuwait is indisputable. The country essentially has one limited natural water resource that is groundwater, while the majority of the country's demands are met by seawater desalination. Notwithstanding this scarcity calls for careful foresighted utilization of the water resources, no clear plans is being followed. Attempting to initiate the planning process, this paper gives an assessment of the current status of water resources availability, production, future demand and expected increases in production, in Kuwait. While the desalination and wastewater reuse are only bounded by economical considerations, considerable efforts have already been made in assessing the baseline of the groundwater resources in Kuwait; nonetheless, no estimation is available of the aquifer system potential for sustainable development or even mining. The total water budget in 2001 is estimated at 655 Million m³, with desalination, groundwater production, and wastewater reuse constituting 59%, 32% and 9% respectively. The projected water demand for 2010 is 1020 Million m³. The plans of the Ministry of Electricity and Water and the Ministry of Public Works indicated that groundwater would cover 52% of the planned additional production, while desalination and wastewater reuse would cover 44% and 4% respectively. While the proposed increase in groundwater production would inevitably consume the only natural water resource of the country, only 40% of the generated wastewater is to be utilized. The absence of integrated planning is also manifested in the total planned production that surpasses the projected demands by more than 17%.     

黑龙江省水-能源-粮食系统动力学模拟

基于系统动力学理论,建立黑龙江省水-能源-粮食纽带关系仿真模型,对2010—2017年黑龙江省水资源的供需情况和能源、粮食的生产与消费进行模拟。通过设置和对比4种不同的发展方案,探究黑龙江省水-能源-粮食合理的配置方案。结果表明:黑龙江省的水资源安全形势较为严峻,在4种发展方案中,采取严格规划方案的正面效果最显著;强化发展方案下的能源消耗最明显,无论采取哪种发展方案,如果不对能源消费量加以控制,全省的能源安全可能无法保证;黑龙江省的粮食安全比较稳定,不易受外部条件的影响,保守节约方案下的粮食库存和粮食供需平衡比最大;仅采取一种发展方案可能无法实现水-能源-粮食系统的整体安全。     

Impacts of agricultural policy on irrigation water demand: a case study of Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia's groundwater resources have been heavily over-exploited to achieve food self-sufficiency. The country enacted a new agricultural policy that discourages the cultivation of wheat and encourages that of vegetables and fruits. This has produced significant reductions in irrigation water demand as well as food self-sufficiency. This paper reviews the performance of the Saudi agricultural sector and presents four scenarios forecasting the new policy's long-term impacts on the use of water for agriculture. The findings show that the new policy does not support sustainable utilization of groundwater resources. Additional policy modifications are needed to optimize the combination of import and domestic production of agricultural products based on a sustainable water utilization strategy.     

资源环境约束下的后套平原地下水可持续性综合评价

后套平原地下水资源分布不均,人口和经济集中于城镇,地表水漫灌导致了土壤盐渍化,对地区社会经济可持续发展造成了严重影响。因此,评价地下水可持续性已经成为该地区发展规划首先要解决的问题。地下水可持续性可以直观有效地反映一个地区地下水利用程度,对地下水资源管理具有重要参考价值。以后套平原地区地下水开采面临的问题为出发点来选择评价指标,利用综合评价方法计算了评价单元上的地下水可持续性水平。结果显示,黄河南岸和东北部地区可持续性最差,中部北部地区可持续较好,地下水资源的开发潜力较大的行政区位于杭锦后旗和五原县北部,而磴口县和乌拉特前旗大部分地区地下水可持续性差,荒漠化严重,不宜再继续发展耗水产业。     

Comprehensive Assessment of Water Resources in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Lack of sufficient quantities of water in the UAE is one of the major problems facing sustainable development. The arid climate of the country plays a significant role in the water resources availability. Rainfall, which is a main source of recharge for different water resources, such as surface water and groundwater, is scanty and extremely irregular in time and space. Evaporation, which reduces the amount of surface water, is high. Heavy pumping of groundwater has deteriorated groundwater levels. Desalination plants have been launched in different parts of the country to meet increasing water demands due to increasing population and economical development in the country. The continued reduction of water storage will hinder the development in the country. To avoid this problem, integrated water resources management (IWRM) strategy should be implemented. Searching for new non-conventional resources is also essential. This paper aims to assess the conventional and non-conventional water resources in the UAE and estimates the past and future water demands. In addition, this article focuses on future water strategy scenarios and plans.     

Industrial water use estimate in Bangkok metropolitan area and its vicinity

Abstract

Water is essential to industrial development. Due to the groundwater control measures in the Bangkok Municipal Area and its vicinity, the actual amount of industrial water use needs to be assessed. The study proposes an estimation method of industrial water use in the area, using the existing registered data from the Ministry of Industry. With the derived water use unit for both domestic and processing purposes, the distribution of industrial water use by type and location in the study area can be derived. More industrial water demand was confirmed from the questionnaire survey and more groundwater wells tended to be developed to solve water deficit. Integrated water resources development and a more persuasive industrial water saving policy for the area need to be considered in order to cope with increasing industrial water demand and groundwater control policy.