Analysis of water supplies and demand over the past 50 years in the Gavkhuni River Basin（GRB） indicate that despite large investments in water resources development the basin remains just as vulnerable to drought as...Analysis of water supplies and demand over the past 50 years in the Gavkhuni River Basin（GRB） indicate that despite large investments in water resources development the basin remains just as vulnerable to drought as it always has been. During the period of analysis two transbasin diversions and a storage reservoir have been constructed which have more or less doubled the annual supply to water to the basin. But with each water resource development extractive capacity for irrigation, urban and industrial use has increased by the same amount, so that all new water is allocated as soon as it is available. The most recent developments, since 1980, have actually increased vulnerability to drought because extractive capacity is greater than average flow into the basin. Whenever demand exceeds supply all water is extracted from the basin and the tail end dries up. During the past 50 years flows into the salt pan at the downstream end of the basin have been negligible for more than half the time. Prospects for the future are bleak because once the current phase of water resources development is completed no further water supplies are likely, but demand continues to rise at a steady rate. Ultimately agriculture will have to concede water to urban, industrial and environmental demands.展开更多
文摘Analysis of water supplies and demand over the past 50 years in the Gavkhuni River Basin（GRB） indicate that despite large investments in water resources development the basin remains just as vulnerable to drought as it always has been. During the period of analysis two transbasin diversions and a storage reservoir have been constructed which have more or less doubled the annual supply to water to the basin. But with each water resource development extractive capacity for irrigation, urban and industrial use has increased by the same amount, so that all new water is allocated as soon as it is available. The most recent developments, since 1980, have actually increased vulnerability to drought because extractive capacity is greater than average flow into the basin. Whenever demand exceeds supply all water is extracted from the basin and the tail end dries up. During the past 50 years flows into the salt pan at the downstream end of the basin have been negligible for more than half the time. Prospects for the future are bleak because once the current phase of water resources development is completed no further water supplies are likely, but demand continues to rise at a steady rate. Ultimately agriculture will have to concede water to urban, industrial and environmental demands.
