Exploring market-based environmental policy for groundwater management and ecosystem protection for the Great Lakes region: Lessons learned

The Great Lakes–St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact (the Compact) was created to protect future water supplies and aquatic ecosystems in the Great Lakes. The Compact requires the eight Great Lakes state to regulate, among other things, large withdrawals of groundwater and surface water so that they do not negatively affect stream flows and ecosystems within the Great Lakes Basin. Thus, the Compact raises the possibility of increased restrictions on groundwater withdrawals in many locations throughout the Great Lakes region. However, restricting withdrawals is likely to encounter opposition from water users when such restrictions are viewed as an infringement on existing water use rights and/or as negatively impacting local economic development. Such conflicts could hinder effective implementation of state and regional water policy. This paper explores the application of a market-based environmental management tool called “Conservation Credit Offsets Trading (CCOT)” that could facilitate allocation of groundwater withdrawals, and develops a framework for guiding the implementation of CCOT within the context of a groundwater permitting system. Using a watershed in southwestern Michigan, this study demonstrates how bio-physical information and input from various local stakeholders were combined to aid groundwater policy designed to achieve the objective of no net (adverse) impact on stream ecosystems. By allowing flexibility through trading of conservation credit offsets, this groundwater policy tool appears to be more politically acceptable than traditional, less flexible, regulations. The results and discussion provide useful lessons learned with relevance to other areas in the Great Lakes Basin.     

地下水功能区保护与管理

加强地下水功能区保护与管理,对实现地下水分区分类精细化管理,实施最严格水资源管理制度具有重要意义。分析了地下水功能区水量控制目标、水位控制目标以及水质保护目标的确定方法。应根据各功能区地下水的资源供给功能、生态保护功能以及地质环境稳定功能的属性要求,在综合考虑区域水资源条件。区域用水需求的基础上,确定地下水功能区保护目标。同时,应强化地下水监测计量,实行功能区地下水开采总量控制,加强水质保护。     

Sustainable Groundwater Management in the Arid Southwestern US: Coachella Valley,California

Sustainable groundwater management requires approaches to assess the influence of climate and management actions on the evolution of groundwater systems. Traditional approaches that apply continuity to assess groundwater sustainability fail to capture the spatial variability of aquifer responses. To address this gap, our study evaluates groundwater elevation data from the Coachella Valley, California, within a groundwater sustainability framework given the adoption of integrative management strategies in the valley. Our study details an innovative approach employing traditional statistical methods to improve understanding of aquifer responses. In this analysis, we evaluate trends at individual groundwater observation wells and regional groundwater behaviors using field significance. Regional elevation trends identified no significant trends during periods of intense groundwater replenishment, active since 1973, despite spatial variability in individual well trends. Our results illustrate the spatially limited effects of groundwater replenishment occur against a setting of long-term groundwater depletion, raising concerns over the definition of sustainable groundwater management in aquifer systems employing integrative management strategies.

     

Effect of Land-Use Change and Artificial Recharge on the Groundwater in an Arid Inland River Basin

The spatial-temporal variability of groundwater in an inland basin is very sensitive to human activity. This study focused on groundwater changes in the Alagan area within the Tarim Basin, China, with the aim of analyzing the effects of land-use change and artificial recharge on the response characteristics of groundwater. The distributed hydrological model MIKE SHE was introduced for modeling the influence of land use and artificial recharge on groundwater. Based on the runoff variation of this area, we selected three periods to simulate and analyze the response of groundwater. The results of land-use change indicated that there were significant changes from 1980 to 2000. The changed region accounted for 11.93 % of the total area, and the low coverage grasslands showed the greatest reduction. The simulation of hydrological processes before artificial recharge showed that the groundwater depths differed greatly with land-use types. Response analysis of groundwater to artificial recharge showed that the regions in which groundwater decreased were mainly distributed in grassland and bare land. Moreover, spatial autocorrelation coefficients indicated positive spatial autocorrelation of groundwater depths, but these began to reverse in 2010. Overall, land use and artificial recharge have a great influence on the time and spatial distribution of groundwater. Artificial recharge has played a positive role in improving groundwater conditions, but did not change the decreasing trend in time and space. The adaptation of environment to the decrease of groundwater presents as degradation. Groundwater conditions could be improved to some extent by the artificial recharge, but its change seems to be an irreversible process. Overall, this response study provides insight into estimations for exploration of water resources in arid areas.     

Water security in Himalayan Asia: first stirrings of regional cooperation?

The challenges of freshwater cooperation and the links between the global policy agenda and national water management are more obvious and easier to spell out at a regional level than in the global arena. By analysing how the existing regional regime within Himalayan Asia contributes to the development of international water law, this paper identifies gaps in our current understanding of regional approaches in international law and outlines pathways for addressing them.     

Long-term Streamflow Forecasting Based on Ensemble Streamflow Prediction Technique: A Case Study in New Zealand

Streamflow forecasts are essential for optimal management of water resources for various demands, including irrigation, fisheries management, hydropower production and flood warning. Despite operational application of Ensemble Streamflow Prediction (ESP) for long-range streamflow forecasts in United States of America by the National Weather Service River Forecast System, no such approach has been explored in New Zealand. The objective of the present paper is to explore ESP-based forecasts in New Zealand catchments, highlighting its capability for seasonal flow forecasting. In this paper, a probabilistic forecast framework based on ESP technique is presented, with the basic assumption that future weather patterns will reflect those experienced historically. Hence, past forcing data (input to hydrological model) can be used with the current initial condition of a catchment to generate an ensemble of flow predictions. In the present study employs the ESP-based approach using the TopNet hydrological model with a range of past forcing data and current initial conditions. An ensemble stream flow predictions which provide probabilistic hydrological forecasts, reflecting the intrinsic uncertainty in climate, with lead time up to three months is presented for the Rangitata, Ahuriri, and Hooker and Jollie catchments in South Island, New Zealand. Verification of the forecast over the period 2000-2010 indicates a Ranked Probability Skill Score of 23 to 69 % (over climatology) across the four catchments. In general, improvement in ESP forecasting skill over climatology is greatest in summer for all catchments studied. The ESP based forecast exhibited higher skill for a greater percentage of the forecasting period than climatology. As a result, the ESP forecast can provide better over all information for integrated water resources management purpose. ESP-based forecasts using the TopNet hydrological model have potential as tools for water resource management in New Zealand catchments.     

Local and Regional Water Flow Quantification in Groundwater-dependent Wetlands

Runoff, groundwater recharge and discharge, and surface water–groundwater interaction are the main driving forces of wetlands. The quantification of such flows is crucial information in the restoration and management of groundwater-dependent wetlands. The objective of this work is to quantify groundwater inflow at the level of the hydrogeological basin, which discharges into the wetland in the coastal plain of the Río de la Plata (Argentina). It also aims at evaluating whether such inflow is affected by groundwater exploitation in the high plain adjacent to the wetland. On the basis of water level data, a model of hydrological behaviour was developed and then a numerical simulation to quantify groundwater inflow was carried out. The evolution of groundwater levels was analyzed considering three situations: one of them in natural conditions and two others under different groundwater exploitation conditions. In the first case, the inflow originates in the recharge from precipitation, in the local groundwater discharge from the adjacent high plain and in the regional one from the semi-confined aquifer. The exploitation of the semi-confined aquifer in the high plain causes the formation of a cone of depression which modifies the hydrodynamics of the wetland in the area adjacent to the extraction wells. The quantification of flows shows that groundwater exploitation in areas of the basin located out of the wetland may cause the volume of water flowing into the wetland through groundwater discharge to decrease by approximately 25 %. The importance of considering discharge wetlands as part of regional hydrogeological systems should be highlighted, mainly as regards the management of natural resources.     

A Probabilistic Multiperiod Simulation–Optimization Approach for Dynamic Coastal Aquifer Management

Combined simulation–optimization (CSO) schemes are common in the literature to solve different groundwater management problems, and CSO is particularly well-established in the coastal aquifer management literature. However, with a few exceptions, nearly all previous studies have employed the CSO approach to derive static groundwater management plans that remain unchanged during the entire management period, consequently overlooking the possible positive impacts of dynamic strategies. Dynamic strategies involve division of the planning time interval into several subintervals or periods, and adoption of revised decisions during each period based on the most recent knowledge of the groundwater system and its associated uncertainties. Problem structuring and computational challenges seem to be the main factors preventing the widespread implementation of dynamic strategies in groundwater applications. The objective of this study is to address these challenges by introducing a novel probabilistic Multiperiod CSO approach for dynamic groundwater management. This includes reformulation of the groundwater management problem so that it can be adapted to the multiperiod CSO approach, and subsequent employment of polynomial chaos expansion-based stochastic dynamic programming to obtain optimal dynamic strategies. The proposed approach is employed to provide sustainable solutions for a coastal aquifer storage and recovery facility in Oman, considering the effect of natural recharge uncertainty. It is revealed that the proposed dynamic approach results in an improved performance by taking advantage of system variations, allowing for increased groundwater abstraction, injection and hence monetary benefit compared to the commonly used static optimization approach.

     

改进灰色聚类关联在地下水水质评价中的应用

将改进的灰色聚类关联模型应用于地下水水质评价,通过对白化函数的改进,提高了资料的信息利用程度,根据各监测点不同水质类别关联度的比较,可判断出各监测点地下水水质的优劣。东昌府区地下水水质综合评价结果表明:改进的灰色聚类关联评价方法易于掌握,评价结果可以作为地下水管理的依据,是地下水水质评价的新途径。     

Sustainable Groundwater Allocation in the Great Lakes Basin

Outdated groundwater allocation policies have resulted in unrestrained abstraction of groundwater in the Great Lakes Basin. Continuing on this course will lead to more frequent conflicts and further degradation of the Basin's ecosystem. Alternative approaches must focus on achieving sustainable groundwater allocation. The authors present two alternative institutions, local collaborative planning for groundwater allocation, and a regional watershed board. Collaborative institutions responsible for local groundwater planning should be established according to practical geographical units, have access to sound scientific information, utilize adaptive management and engage in open deliberation. The regional watershed board should establish a comprehensive and unified inventory of all groundwater resources in the Basin, designate critical groundwater areas, monitor groundwater management by respective jurisdictions, and make recommendations on best practices.     

National classification of surface–groundwater interaction using random forest machine learning technique

Characterization of surface–groundwater interaction is an increasingly useful skill for riverine ecologists and water resource managers interested in the dynamics of water, nutrient, and micro‐organism exchange at the reach scale, as it can be used to better represent point‐scale processes within larger catchment‐scale models. This study describes a method for predicting the nature of reach‐scale surface–groundwater interaction, using the random forest (RF) machine learning technique with national‐scale geology, hydrology, and land use data. Observed stream flow depletion and accretion surveys from riparian areas and spring‐line flow accretion surveys were also used. The RF model allowed prediction of observed losing and gaining reaches with a high prediction accuracy (“out‐of‐bag” error < 10%). The performance of the model, however, was found to be dependent on the geographic administrative region. The model was also found to be sensitive to slope, distance to headwater, distance to coast, and underlying geological characteristics. When applied in New Zealand, this approach yielded a realistic conceptual representation of national surface–groundwater dynamics that are subsequently being used to inform a national‐scale hydrological model.     

Stream temperature dynamics within a New Zealand glacierized river basin

Knowledge of river thermal dynamics for glacierized basins is limited, despite the high sensitivity of these systems to climatic change/variability. This study examined spatio‐temporal water column and streambed temperature dynamics within a New Zealand glacierized river basin over two melt seasons. Water column temperature was recorded at three sites along the mainstem channel and four hillslope/groundwater‐fed tributaries. Air temperature, precipitation and stream discharge were monitored to characterize hydroclimatological conditions. Streambed temperature was monitored at the upper and lower main river sites at 0.05, 0.2 and 0.4 m depth. Water column temperature rose on average 0.6°C km^?1 along the glacier‐fed mainstem. Temperature was elevated during warmer periods but the downstream increase was reduced due to greater meltwater production (consequently a larger total stream flow volume for atmospheric heating) plus a proportional reduction in warmer groundwater contributions. Hillslope/groundwater‐fed tributaries yielded a range of temperature patterns, indicating variable sourcing (meltwater or rainfall) and residence times. In the upper basin, streambed temperature was warmer than the water column, suggesting groundwater upwelling; however, during high runoff events, water column and streambed temperature converged, indicating downwelling/heat advection by channel water. At the lower site, streambed temperature mirrored the water column, suggesting greater surface water/atmospheric influences. Key drivers of stream thermal regime were: (1) relative water source contributions, (2) prevailing hydroclimatological conditions, (3) distance from source, (4) total stream flow volume and (5) basin factors (specifically, valley/channel geomorphology and riparian forest). High magnitude precipitation events produced a contrasting stream thermal response to that reported elsewhere. In contrast to European alpine research, streams showed a reduced thermal range owing to the relatively mild, wet melt season climate. This New Zealand case study highlights the importance of understanding basin‐specific modification of energy and hydrological fluxes for accurate prediction of stream thermal dynamics/habitat and ecological response to climatic variability and change. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Integrated Consideration of Quality and Quantity to Determine Regional Groundwater Monitoring Site in South Korea

As the purpose of the regional groundwater monitoring station is to observe both quality and the levels of groundwater in South Korea, it is most efficient and economical to establish the monitoring station at a site able to observe these two items simultaneously. A weighting and ranking method using GIS technology was used for the development of a site selection model. This model uses a land-use type of target area with regard to quality and a lineament length density with regard to quantity. It was shown that this weighting and ranking method is appropriate and convenient for selecting a monitoring site because it proposes the relative importance and priority of groundwater monitoring for each site. Additionally, if this method is used together with the other method like an analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method, the optimal and specific monitoring site can be easily selected and the additional field investigation can be reduced.     

Evolution of Water Planning in New Mexico and Implications for Transboundary Groundwater Allocation

Abstract

Before 1983, the market allocated water in New Mexico under the prior-appropriation system; we prohibited export of groundwater to other states. We found, however, that the simple prohibition is unconstitutional, and that water can be withheld only if shown to be needed for the “public welfare.” Water planning began in 1987, to determine which waters (perhaps all) would be needed during the next 40 years. It has become clear that water planning has another value —the reconciliation of future supply with expected demands—which may provide more orderly reallocation than the market would, especially for aesthetic and environmental water uses that are not directly represented in the market. Our water planning seems to be supplanting the legal processes with negotiation, and to be shifting the emphasis from administration of water rights to management of real water. Diverse water-use interests within the planning regions in New Mexico are learning to negotiate their future water-management, and the 16 regions are beginning to interact with each other toward the same end. A strictly technical “wet-water” management plan that shows how the needs of all interests can be best met with the water and the capital available, and at least temporarily setting aside the legal issues, seems to be the best foundation for negotiation. The tentative settlement of a long, unfruitful legal struggle over the Pecos River is a case in point. The same principal seems promising for dealing with transboundary groundwater allocation on a larger scale.     

Groundwater Management for Sustainable Development of Urban and Rural Areas in Extremely Arid Regions: A Case Study

In Saudi Arabia, the recharge to local and regional aquifers is mostly indirect, very limited and insignificant, especially with low annual precipitation. Most of the stored groundwater in local and regional aquifers is non-renewable fossil water. With rapid socio-economic developments and increasing population coupled with agricultural and industrial growth in the Kingdom, especially after the large increase in oil revenues after 1974, the water demands have increased drastically. By understanding the aquifer features, the country followed a planned approach based on controlling aquifer development and demand management to use its groundwater resources. The socio-economic developments in rural areas have been very pronounced. Corrective demand management measures including reduction in cultivated areas and modification in agricultural support policies in addition to the augmentation of water supplies by the reuse of treated wastewater have reduced the stress on groundwater. The establishment of a special Ministry for water and the adoption of a national water planning approach and the use of an integrated water resources management tool are expected to contribute effectively to the achievement of sustainable groundwater resources and the national interest of the country.     

EU Water Framework Directive versus Real Needs of Groundwater Management

Considerable financial, human and administrative reserves of the European Community are currently concentrated on the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD). This implementation is hoped to positively change the approach to groundwater management in many countries; however, it probably does not have any significant impact on the issue of groundwater management optimization at the operational level. Taking into account the WFD requirements concerning the optimization of groundwater management, a methodology of groundwater resources reporting and balancing in catchment systems is proposed here. The entire discussion presented in this paper focuses on quantitative aspects of groundwater management.     

Three Dimensional Conceptualisation of Hydrogeological Environment to Underpin Groundwater Management in Irrigation Area

Australian irrigated agriculture utilises about 70?% of all water used in the country, 21?% of which is derived from groundwater. Sustainability for irrigated agriculture also depends on keeping the watertables at a safe level below the rootzone to avoid salinisation and reduction in crop yields. There is a vital need to understand groundwater and aquifer systems and their roles in the sustainability of irrigated agriculture in order to manage groundwater properly. This study builds on the previous hydrogeological and groundwater investigations of the Coleambally Irrigation Area (CIA) in New South Wales of Australia. It presents a new approach which systematically characterises regional hydrogeological environment using a three-dimensional (3-D) conceptual framework developed in ArcGIS. The 3-D hydrological conceptualisation of the CIA has integrated disparate sources of data into a coherent knowledge base for a better visualisation of hydrogeological characteristics and a comprehensive analysis of groundwater flow and aquifers. As an application example, the model was used to develop cross-sectional models of the area and to estimate regional-scale net recharge. The results have provided a basis for the numerical modelling and added values to procedures which underpin irrigation system management investment decisions through improving the understanding of hydrogeology underlying the area and creating an action-oriented dialogue among stakeholders.     

Data- and model-driven determination of flow pathways in the Piako catchment,New Zealand

Quantifying flow pathways within a larger catchment can help improve diffuse pollution management strategies across subcatchments. But, spatial quantification of flow pathway contributions to catchment stream flow is very limited, since it is challenging to physically separate water from different paths and very expensive to measure, especially for larger areas. To overcome this problem, a novel, combined data and modelling approach was employed to partition stream flow in the Piako catchment, New Zealand, which is a predominantly agricultural catchment with medium to high groundwater recharge potential. The approach comprised a digital filtering technique to separate baseflow from total stream flow, machine learning to predict a baseflow index (BFI) for all streams with Strahler 1st order and higher, and hydrological modelling to partition the flow into five flow components: surface runoff, interflow, tile drainage, shallow groundwater, and deep groundwater. The baseflow index scores corroborated the spatial distributions of the flow pathways modelled in 1st order catchments. Average depth to groundwater data matched well with BFI and Hydrological Predictions for the Environment (HYPE) modeled flow pathway partitioning results, with deeper water tables in areas of the catchment predicted to have greater baseflow or shallow and deep groundwater contributions to stream flow. Since direct quantification of flow pathways at catchment-scale is scarce, it is recommended to use soft data and expert knowledge to inform model parameterization and to constrain the model results. The approach developed here is applicable as a screening method in ungauged catchments.     

Water Resources Management and Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) in Cameroon

Cameroon is blessed with abundant water resources. Rapid population increase, unplanned urbanisation, intensive industrial and socio-economic development have led to poor and unsustainable management of these resources. Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) is a promising approach in ensuring sustainable management of Cameroon’s water resources. It entails management of water for various purposes and not for a single purpose which therefore involves different stake holders aiming at achieving sustainable water resources management. This paper seeks to evaluate recent efforts to implement in IWRM in Cameroon by examining the institutional framework for IWRM in Cameroon, conditions for the implementation of IWRM and proposes reforms for improving IWRM in Cameroon. The paper concludes that reforms such as public participation at local council levels, recognition of water as both an economic and a social good, putting IWRM within the larger context of Integrated Natural Resource Management (INRM) and the exploitation of mathematical models within hydrological basins will improve IWRM in Cameroon.     

A Modelling Solution for Developing and Evaluating Agricultural Land-Use Scenarios in Water Scarcity Contexts

To meet sustainability challenges, regional water management and planning require approaches that assess the land-use visions of various stakeholders using their own evaluation criteria. Models and information systems are keystones in such integrated assessment activities. SPACSS (the SPAtial Cropping System Scenarios builder and evaluator) is a modelling solution that aims to help decision-makers evaluate normative land-use scenarios. A prototype of SPACSS was developed to explore concerns raised by a dam-building project in south-western France, specifically the relation between cropping system distribution and water uptake. This paper presents the initial steps of SPACSS development by scientists and agricultural experts and its evaluation by users through alternative scenarios of maize cropping (altering either its precocity or management to reduce irrigation). SPACSS can represent a wide range of land-use scenarios and aggregate impact indicators at several spatial and temporal scales. Although SPACSS served as a solid support for discussions with stakeholders and decision-makers, it needs modifications to represent more realistic, and thus more complex, land-use scenarios. These modifications will make SPACSS potentially valuable for dealing with a variety of issues concerning agricultural landscapes, far beyond the single question of quantitative water management.