An Objective Multi-Criteria Evaluation of Water Management Scenarios

Advanced computer models are commonly used to simulate reservoir system's performance. If the number of possible management scenarios is large, it can be extremely difficult to follow related system's operation and get a valuable picture on its spatial and temporal behavior. The decision maker or analyst can be overburdened by quantity and complexity of information generated by model, particularly if system operation is repeatedly simulated for multiyear periods. Related problem is how to select the scenario with most desired long-term consequences. Possible approach is to use selected parts of model's output and re-interpret system behavior by means of certain performance indicators, create appropriate decision matrix and perform multi-criteria analysis to rank decision alternatives (scenarios). The paper proposes a methodology that includes: (1) multiyear simulations of system operation; (2) computing spatially and temporally distributed systemperformance indices such as supply reliability, resiliency and vulnerability; (3) unbiased entropy-based weighting the importance ofperformance indices; and (4) final ranking of scenarios by means of multi-criteria analysis. The number of scenarios and number of performance indices is not restricted, and to account for possibly large sets of scenarios, an ideal-point-distance multi-criteria method TOPSIS is suggested. Proposed methodology appeared to be confident and robust in proof-of-concept application in Brazil.     

Basin Initial Water Rights Allocation under Multiple Uncertainties: a Trade-off Analysis

Economic losses and inequities caused by uncertainties in the availability of water intensify the competition between water sectors, making the allocation of water rights of vital importance for minimizing water conflicts. In this study, an Interval-parameter Two-stage Stochastic Programming (ITSP) model for water rights allocation is developed that contains an industrial allocation preference coefficient and involves the risk control of Conditional Value-at-Risk theory and Gini coefficient constraints (ITSP-CG). Using China’s Taihu Basin as a case study, it is shown that optimized water rights allocation schemes can reduce the risk of inequitable localized water deficits, a narrower confidence interval results in higher economic loss, and, when the confidence level is fixed, tighter control of water availability results in water efficient sectors having an increasing preference for allocation schemes. It is also shown that Basin Authorities need to trade-off the equitable allocation of water rights and economic returns over a particular planning period.

     

Optimal Water Allocation for an Alpine Hydropower System Under Changing Scenarios

The operating rules of water allocation in the alpine OFIMA hydropower network of the Maggia River basin (Canton Tessin, Switzerland) are investigated in response to changes in the production policy and environmental and climatic factors. The study was carried out by means of a nonlinear programming approach where the objective function is approximated to a quadratic form with linear constraints, and implemented on a monthly time scale. Two systemís configurations with different details were accordingly investigated and compared to assess the response of the hydropower network to changes in the production policy, in the magnitude of the inflows and to different environmental requests. The optimal solution of water allocation corresponding to the new hypothetical production policy shows marked differences but similar benefits when compared to the one of the present operating rules, thus suggesting the good flexibility of the real network under such change. In its whole, this paper therefore highlights the importance of supporting strategic decisions by means of informatics tools and, in addiction, it provides a useful case study to test the performances of the software AQUARIUS implementing such a nonlinear programming technique.     

长江流域水量分配方法探讨

近10年来长江流域不同地区频繁出现干旱缺水现象和国家严格的水资源管理制度的推出,使长江流域进行水量分配和用水总量控制越来越迫切.根据长江流域特点和水量分配中存在的问题,探讨水量分配原则、方法和管理途径.分析表明:长江流域水量分配及总量控制的重点是枯水年份和枯水时段,强调水流过程控制、用水总量控制应该结合地区用水效率和水...     

南水北调东线通水后海河流域水资源配置分析

海河流域是资源性严重缺水地区。分析了南水北调东线通水后水量分配情况,流域总体供水格局的变化,水资源配置原则,水资源配置方案。     

石羊河流域水资源管理与分配方式探讨

水资源合理配置是实现水资源可持续利用的有效调控措施之一。目前,基于不同水权制度的水资源分配方式可分为公共(行政)手段分配、基于用水者的分配和水市场分配。介绍了这三种分配方式及其评价标准,指出每种分配方式在特定的水权制度下都有各自的优势与缺点,对特定分配方式的选择取决于不同的制度环境及水资源分配目标。以石羊河为例,应用水资源分配评价标准对流域现状进行综合评价,分析流域水资源开发利用存在的主要问题并提出石羊河流域水资源管理的建议。     

Mapping Urban Water Demands Using Multi-Criteria Analysis and GIS

A multi-criteria spatial data analysis method is presented to seek and model major determinants of future growth of urban water demands based on the urban growth trend by a case study performed in the city of Mytilene (Lesvos island) in north-eastern Aegean archipelagos, Greece. Domestic water use/demand is a complex element of socio-economic and physical characteristics, urban planning strategies, infrastructures and public water policies. Under a GIS environment, these factors correspond to different thematic layers, such as road network distance, distance from the city centre, distance from the coastline, topographic slope, land use/land cover, General Urban Plan of Mytilene, areas in which buildings with less than two storeys are allowed, the respective areas of buildings with more than two storeys, present population density and existing water supply and sewerage system. The Analytical Hierarchy Process applied in the evaluation of these factors led to spatial potential water demand map, which was classified into five priority zones. Results showed that a large percentage of the study area was identified as very high and high priority areas for future domestic water demand. The applied method was verified against the prepared maps showing the varying rates of water consumption and active water connections. The comparative evaluation of these maps validated the accuracy of the proposed method which can be used by the local officials of Mytilene in adopting policies and strategies aiming towards sustainable water resource management and development.     

Cost Analysis of Water Quality Assessment Using Multi-Criteria Decision-Making Approach

In modern competitive markets, cost and quality parameters are the two main factors. So, it is essential to study their relationship, especially in leading industries such as urban public service companies. Consequently, manufacturers always try to reduce production costs and improve product quality and services to consumer expectations. Also, the concerns of the new century in the field of fresh water and the reduction of its resources related to global warming have increased the costs of quality and supply of freshwater. Therefore, in this research, in order to estimate the quality costs in the field of water resources and wastewater management and identify the option that creates the most cost, in the first step, the “Prevention, Assessment, and Failure (PAF)” model was used to select cost-imposing options in organizational quality analysis. After determining the main options, appropriate criteria and sub-criteria were selected under the main study area (water and wastewater resources management). In the next step, a “Multiple-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) “ method based on the “Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (FAHP)” and “Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS)” method was used to identify the option that creates the most cost. The results show that The highest cost of quality in the water and wastewater industry and its management are related to “Assessment Costs” and account for 36.55% of total costs. Also, The lowest cost of quality in the water and wastewater industry is related to “Preventive Costs” and accounts for only 12.18% of the total cost. In addition, the expert’s opinion shows that the effect of increasing credit with 34.01% has the greatest weight, and this criterion is the most essential in water and wastewater resources management.

     

黄河流域水资源配置方案研究

随着南水北调工程实施、水资源量变化和用水情况变化等,为保障重点地区和重点行业的用水安全,需要调整黄河流域水资源配置方案。经过综合分析黄河水资源配置原则,考虑协调区域发展与河流健康,协调好生活、生产、生态用水的关系,提出了南水北调东、中线工程生效前后和南水北调西线一期工程生效后黄河流域的水资源配置方案。     

Prioritization of Water Allocation for Adaptation to Climate Change Using Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM)

Water Resources Management - The complex nature of water resources and the related uncertainty cause decision making to be difficult in practice. In this study, two multi-criteria decision making...     

Analysis on Equitable and Reasonable Allocation Models of Water Resources in the Lancang-Mekong River Basin

Abstract

In this paper, according to the basic rule of the equitable and reasonable utilization of water resources in international rivers, the normal approaches of resolving the conflicts over water and the basic models of water allocation are introduced. The tendency and the problems of water utilization among the riparian states in Lancang-Mekong River are discussed. The extent of cooperation and the conditions of the management institution of the river basin are analyzed. In the present situation, it is considered that the basin-wide allocation model of water resources is the best one in Lancang-Mekong River.     

渭河流域水资源供需形势分析和配置

渭河流域水资源短缺,经济社会的发展和用水量的持续增加,导致流域缺水形势严峻,生态环境日益恶化.通过对渭河流域水资源状况、经济社会发展特点及对水资源需求的分析预测,考虑节约用水、污水回用、可能的外流域调水等多种因素,研究流域合理的水资源配置方案,并提出近、远期缓解流域资源性缺水、维持河流基本生态需求的对策,认为在大力发展节约用水、充分挖掘当地资源潜力和合理配置水资源的基础上,远期必须实施外流域调水,才能从根本上缓解渭河的资源性缺水问题.     

黑河流域水资源调配研究

黑河流域目前面临水资源、经济和生态三方面问题,进行水资源调配研究是实现流域可持续发展的根本出路.流域水资源调配层次化结构体系以"模拟-配置-评价-调度"为基本环节,实现流域水资源的基础模拟、宏观规划与日常调度,以及各环节之间的耦合和嵌套,进而通过流域水资源调配管理信息系统的构建,为黑河流域水资源的规划配置和管理调度提供了较为全面的技术支持.目前多项研究成果已经应用于黑河流域水量调度和张掖市节水型社会建设等实践.     

多维偏好分析技术在水资源系统规划中的应用

多目标决策是水资源系统规划和运行管理研究中一类常见问题，本运用多目标决策方法中多编偏好分析的线性规划技术，对若干个可行方案进行优选。根据可获知的方案信息，通过构造一相应的线性规划问题并求解，即可得到最优方案，利用方案信息和线性规划技术是本所使用方法的特点，对于具有更多方案的多指标决策问题，这一方法与层次分析法相比较，可以避免大量的矩阵运算。     

Sustainable Water Supply and Demand Management in Semi-arid Regions: Optimizing Water Resources Allocation Based on RCPs Scenarios

Climate as one of the key factors in water resources management affects the amount of water in the hydrological cycle, which subsequently impacts the level of water availability. Considering the challenges that the South Alborz Region, Iran is currently facing in supplying water for various consumers; in this study, the climate change adaptation scenarios are investigated for sustainable water supply and demand. This study uses a procedure in which five different adaptation approaches, under RCPs scenarios, were established using the WEAP model to assess the impacts of various adaptation strategies on increasing the balance between water supply and demand over current and 2020s accounts. The findings suggest an imbalance between supply and demand in the current situation with the greatest imbalance in domestic use while the minimum in the industrial sector. The results of assessing adaptive scenarios show that various scenarios have different effects on balancing the water supply and demand by different consumers; on the other hand, the scenarios that directly affect domestic water demand have the greatest effect on minimizing the gap between supply and demand in the region; therefore, the options for decreasing the population demand along with diminishing the losses in the domestic water distribution network are the most effective alternatives for balancing supply and demand under all of the climate scenarios. The findings of this research indicate that adaptive management with the focus on restricting demand helps actively management of water resources in the regions with scarce water resources.

     

The Development of Water Allocation Management in The Yellow River Basin

For decades, the Chinese government has been searching for solutions to cope with the increasing imbalance between the supply and demand of water in the Yellow River Basin. This paper aims at a better understanding of the development of the water allocation regime in the Yellow River Basin between 1950 and 2009, introducing a fresh perspective based on the notion of ??regime transition??. Accordingly, we investigated 1) whether so-called ??Windows of Opportunity for Transition (WOPTs)?? emerged, triggering a transition, and whether WOPT(s) resulted in a stable transition towards the new regime; 2) how informal learning processes and epistemic communities have contributed to the regime change. We adapted Kingdon??s ??multiple stream model?? and identified four WOPTs from the 1950s, analyzing the reconfiguration process of the regime after the onset of the transition. Our examples of two types of informal learning processes demonstrate their contribution to the creation of WOPTs and the reconfiguration of the regime. Furthermore, this study indicates, in a qualitative manner, how epistemic communities contribute to the knowledge base of the regime, and thus to its development. Finally, we have provided a general insight into the further development of the water allocation regime and highlighted potential avenues for further studies.     

Developing an Interactive Spatial Multi-Attribute Decision Support System for Assessing Water Resources Allocation Scenarios

Water Resources Management - In water resource management, assessing water resource allocation scenarios (WRASs) is an important multi-attribute decision making (MADM) problem. It involves...     

黑河流域水资源配置方案合理性评价

利用构建的评价模型对拟定的黑河流域水资源配置方案进行合理性评价,通过对方案评价结果的分析,对水资源统一调度后的社会、经济、资源和生态效应进行科学评估,为最终制定流域的水资源合理利用与生态环境保护措施提供强有力的决策依据,对黑河流域水资源统一管理具有实际指导意义.     

Optimal Allocation of Agricultural Water Resources Based on Virtual Water Subdivision in Shiyang River Basin

Without subdividing into blue and green virtual water, the virtual crop water is currently used in the allocation of water resources based on virtual water strategy. In order to improve agricultural water use efficiency and the proportion of green water utilization, a multi-objective optimal allocation model for agricultural water resources is developed in this study. The model is based on the subdivision of virtual water into blue and green virtual water, subject to three objectives of the maximum net benefit from agriculture, the minimum fairness difference in the utilization of water, and the maximum proportion of green water utilization. Taking Shiyang River basin as an example, agricultural water resources are optimized through regional virtual water trade in the basin. Results show that compared with the situation in the year 2007, the net benefit of agriculture, the fairness difference in the utilization of water, and the proportion of green water utilization are optimized. At the same time, the planting ratio of food crops, such as corn, reduces, while the planting ratio of cash crops, such as cotton, vegetables, and fruits, increases. Through regional virtual water strategy in the basin, with the crops of different districts having comparative advantages, the proportion of green water utilization and the blue water use efficiency are improved. The study provides a scientific basis to solve the water shortage problem in the basin.     

晋江流域水量分配与生态环境补偿机制

基于已颁布的晋江下游分水方案,对晋江上游水量分配的研究思路与研究重点进行分析与探讨,以水资源可持续利用、权责利相统一、公平兼顾效率作为分水的基本原则,将流域地表水资源总量作为分配对象,提出了以存量体现公平、增量体现效率的水量分配思路,构建晋江全流域的水量分配方案。以流域水量分配方案作为基础和保障,引入流域上下游生态环境保护补偿机制,其中补偿额度通过修正后的流域上游各区域的水资源生态服务价值确定,资金分摊和分配主要以上游各区水资源贡献率和下游各区域分水比例为依据。通过流域水量分配方案和生态环境保护补偿机制有机结合,提出一种新的流域水资源管理模式。