A Numerical Solution for the Integrated Analysis of Water Resources Management: Application to the Mero River Watershed, La Coruña, Spain

This research is concerned with new developments and practical applications of a physically-based numerical model that incorporates new approaches for a finite elements solution to the steady/transient problems of the joint ground/surface water flows. Python scripts are implemented in Geographic Information System (GIS) to store, represent and take decisions on the simulated conditions related to the water resources management at the scale of the watershed. The proposed surface-subsurface model considers surface and groundwater interactions to be 2-D horizontally distributed and depth-averaged through a diffusive wave approach for surface flood routing. Infiltration rates, overland flows and evapotranspiration processes are considered by a diffuse discharge from surface water, non-saturated subsoil and groundwater table. Recent developments also allow for the management of surface water flow control through the capacity of diversion on river beds, spillways and outflow operations of floodgates in weirs and dams of reservoirs. Practical application regards the actual hydrology of the Mero River watershed, with two important water bodies mainly concerned with the water resources management at the Cecebre Reservoir and the present flooding of a deep coal mining excavation. The MELEF model (Modèle d’éLéments Fluides, in French) was adapted and calibrated during a period of five years (2008/ 2012) with the help of hydrological parameters, registered flow rates, water levels and registered precipitation, water uses and water management operations in surface and groundwater bodies. The results predict the likely evolution of the Cecebre Reservoir, the flow rates in rivers, the flooding of the Meirama open pit and the local water balances for different hydrological components.

Eco-Toxicological Approach as a Contribution to Integrated Water Management on Okpara Dam at Kpassa in Benin: Evaluation of Contamination of Fish and Surface Water by Organochlorine Pesticides

The paper explores the degree of pollution of organochlorine pesticides in fish and water in the dam at Kpassa on a tributary of Okpara River that is pumped by Benin National Water agency (SONEB) in supplying drinking water to supply the city of Parakou. Doing so, fourteen parameters of organochlorine are analyzed. Most of obtain organoclorine concentration in water and fish below is indicated critical values. However, DDT and endrine concentration in water is slightly above legal tolerable values. Hexachlorobenen and dieldrine concentrations are three times higher than legal limit value while aldrine is ten times higher. However, heptachlore is double concentrated in fishery while aldrine (endrine, dieldrine aldrine, lindane, hexachloro-benzene, DDT) is found in the dam fish and surface water three times concentrated than tolerated value. These levels of concentrations result from the intensification of organoclorine pesticide used in agriculture especially in cotton production. These are caused by the chemical application accumulated in soil and through the food value chain system. Therefore, it is very important to extract sediment from the reservoir by dredging in oder to renew the ecosystem of the dam. To persistently manage the basin water resources, it is imperatively important to observe a significant behaviour changed from all stakeholders.

Management of Water Resources in a Hyper-Arid Area: Strategy and Issues (Case of Oued-Souf Valley-South Eastern of Algeria)

Rising Groundwater in Oued-Souf valley is result to errors committed by human in their interventions on the ecosystems and the mismanagement of this resource, witch principally marked in overexploitation of depth groundwater and the used sewerage system, leading the region to a truly dramatic and almost desperate, palms were turned into sort of marshes, where reeds take the place of dead palm trees. This situation lead us to search a model of water resources management, according to sustainability criteria taking into account the socio-economic (social, agricultural, industrial, tourism ) and ecosystem aspects (environmental and territorial). This by adapting and implementing the Integrated Management of Water Resources (IMWR) in this unit of water resources, so as to guide and mobilize progressively human, informational, financial and material resources, as well as the various sectors private and public to research concrete and measurable results, for water and ecosystems those are associated and that people wanted to see protected and restored.

Integrated Water Resources Management in the Sandougou Catchment Area(Senegal):Going beyond Soil Defence and Restoration(SDR)

The Sandougou River is the last major right bank tributary of the Gambia River.It has a catchment area of 11,668 km² and is located in Senegalese territory.The flow in this sloping basin(1‰)is favoured by the conservation of soils and vegetation.Since 1970,global rainfall trends(below the average of 800 mm)have shown a drought affecting the whole basin with an average deficit of 100 mm per year.In addition,erosion phenomenon combined with high rainfall intensities explains the rapid run-off.This constitutes a considerable loss of water resources,up to 20%in the Sandougou basin.In this rural area where primary activities predominate,anthropogenic pressure is considerable.Indeed,overexploitation of firewood,resulting from the strong dependence of local populations on this resource,is at the origin of deforestation in the Sandougou basin.Such a situation contributes to environmental degradation and also has repercussions on soil erosion.Erosion affects the water retention capacity of the soil making it more susceptible to extreme conditions such as drought.The impact of soil erosion on more remote sites is not always as apparent as the impact of erosion on the site itself.Sediment reaching watercourses can accelerate slope erosion,silt up drainage ditches and streams,silt up reservoirs,cover spawning areas and reduce water quality.Fertilizers frequently transported with soil particles can contaminate or pollute water sources.To cope with this dynamic,soil defence and restoration(SDR)techniques have long been considered as the solution to the problems.However,the multifaceted nature of environmental problems and their persistence leads to the consideration of a more holistic approach.In the Sandougou catchment area,the application of article R50 of the Senegalese Forestry Code,the implementation of planning tools(AP-IWRM),institutional development in the framework of integrated water resources management(IWRM)prove the interest of such an approach for the protection of water resources.

The Local Process of Governance in Integrated Water Resource Management： An Example of the Wadi El K^bir Watershed （Northeast of Algeria）

Alternatives to the sectoral and public policies and regulations of environmental and water resources＇ protection, and the experiments of integrated management have been rapidly multiplied since the year 1990. Water constitutes a principal stake of these environmental policies in the majority of the countries and especially in the countries of North Africa as Algeria, where this resource is threatened by repeated dryness and by the impact of the climate change. The integrated water resource management reflects today the world tendency of the governments to exploit and preserve this resource by a way based on a process of governance, which passes by the dialog of diversified actors （various sectors）. According to this policy and to the promulgation of the Algerian National Report on State effective implementation and coordination mechanisms are required. How this principle of integrated water management will be executed with various scenarios in Algeria and what are the main difficulties that can be met？ Or, more exactly, what are the variables that can influence the operation of the local water process governorship？ This analysis will be carried out through the example of the Wadi El K6bir watershed located in the northeast of Algeria, which is real natural area of water supply that feeds the communities, the natural and artificial basins, and preserves the perenniality of the existing natural ecosystems especially the one of the natural park classified by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization （U.N.E.S.C.O） in 1989 as the inheritance of humanity and six other sites classified according to the Ramsar convention as wetlands of international importance to be preserved.

Improving Water Quantity and Quality Supply Security by Managed Artificial Recharge Technologies in the Lower Llobregat Aquifers Integrated into a Conjunctive Surface and Groundwater Management Scheme for Barcelona,Spain

The large concentration of human population,industry and services in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona has to confront scarce water resources,serious seasonal and inter-annual variations and quality deficiencies in the sources.A large fraction of these water resources are in the medium-size Llobregat River basin and the remaining ones correspond to a surface water transfer,seawater desalination and wastewater reclamation.Groundwater dominated water resources availability before 1950.Afterwards,water supply has evolved progressively to integrated water resources management,which includes serious water quality concerns to deal with population density,river pollution,seawater intrusion in the main aquifer,and brine generation in the mid Llobregat basin due to old mining of saline minerals.The role of the alluvial aquifers has progressively evolved from being the main water source to reserve storage to cope with seasonal and drought water resources availability.River-enhanced recharge and artificial recharge are needed to assure enough groundwater storage before surface water becomes scarce and/or suffers a serious temporal loss of quality.Enhanced river recharge started in 1950.Treated river water injection in dual-purpose wells was put into operation in the early 1970s.Basin and pond recharge was added later,as well as a deep well injection barrier along the coast to reduce seawater intrusion and to allow increased groundwater abstraction in moments of water scarcity.There is a progressive evolution from solving water quantity problems to consideration of water quality improvement during recharge,with attention to emergent concern pollutants in river water and in reclaimed water to be considered for artificial recharge.Improvement of artificial recharge operation activities has been introduced and research is being carried out on the difficult behavior to degrade organic pollutants during infiltration and in the terrain.This paper presents the different activities carried out and presents the research activities,and comments on the economic,social and administrative issues involved as well.

Game Modeling and Strategic Behavior Analysis in Public Goods Provision： Evidence From Water Resources Management

The utility of public goods vary with the behaviors of stakeholders （players）, and it is appropriate to study effective supply and management of public goods with game modeling and analysis. The comparison effect is the key issue of public good provision both in theoretical analysis and in practice. One major contribution of the paper is the extension of Clarke-Groves mechanism, to achieve which strategic behavior analysis is applied through the analysis and the comparison effect among various stakeholders in different stages is created and highly emphasized. In the first section of this paper, the definition of integrated water resources management （IWRM）, the importance of stakeholder participation as well as some models and methods that have been applied are illustrated. Following this, the framework of analysis is elaborated, in which the scenario and aims are shown, and it is claimed that game theory is the main approach, which includes both cooperative games and non-cooperative games. To achieve the aims of the public project, five approaches from game theory are able to cover the entire process of the project, and the fourth approach on interest compensation mechanism is the highlight of the research. After this, the interest compensation mechanism is demonstrated in the model section, and is proved to be an incentive compatible mechanism that makes each stakeholder choose to behave in accordance with the interest of the entire project. The Clarke-Groves mechanism is applied and extended in establishing the model, and the utility change by the comparison among stakeholders （defined as the comparison effect） is involved. In the application section, a water project is analyzed in consideration of various stakeholders, and other possible applications are also indicated.

An Analysis of the Value of Additional Information Provided by Water Quality Measurement Network

European Community policy concerning water is placing increasing demands on the acquisition of information about the quality of aquatic environments. The cost of this information has led to a reflection on the rationalization of monitoring networks and, therefore, on the economic value of information produced by these networks. The aim of this article is to contribute to this reflection. To do so, we used the Bayesian framework to define the value of additional information in relation to the following three parameters: initial assumptions (prior probabilities) on the states of nature, costs linked to a poor decision (error costs) and accuracy of additional information. We then analyzed the impact of these parameters on this value, particularly the combined role of prior probabilities and error costs that increased or decreased the value of information depending on the initial uncertainty level. We then illustrated the results using a case study of a stream in the Bas-Rhin department in France.

Integrated water resources management for emergency situations： A case study of Macao

Integrated urban water management （IUWM） is a useful tool that can be used to alleviate water resource shortages in developing regions like Macao, where 98% of the raw water comes from China's Mainland. In Macao, scarce water resources deteriorate rapidly in emergency situations, such as accidental chemical spills upstream of the supply reservoir or salty tides. During these times, only the water from the two freshwater reservoirs in Macao can be used. In this study, we developed urban water management optimization models that integrated the raw water supply from the two reservoirs with various proposed governmental policies （wastewater reuse, rainwater collection, and water saving）. We then determined how various water resource strategies would influence the urban water supply in Macao in emergency situations. Our results showed that, without imported raw water, the water supply from only the two Macao reservoirs would last for 7.95 days. However, when all the government policies were included in the model, the supply could be extended to 13.79 days. Out of the three non-conventional water resources, wastewater reuse is the most beneficial for increasing the Macao water supply, and rainwater collection also has great potential.

A review of inexact optimization modeling and its application to integrated water resources management

Water is crucial in supporting people＇s daily life and the continual quest for socio-economic development. It is also a fundamental resource for ecosystems. Due to the associated complexities and uncertainties, as well as intensive competition over limited water resources between human beings and ecosystems, decision makers are facing increased pressure to respond effectively to various water-related issues and conflicts from an integrated point of view. This quandary requires a focused effort to resolve a wide range of issues related to water resources, as well as the associated economic and environmental implications. Effective systems analysis approaches under uncertainty that successfully address interactions, complexities, uncertainties, and changing conditions associated with water resources, human activities, and ecological conditions are desired, which requires a systematic investigation of the previous studies in relevant areas. Systems analysis and optimization modeling for integrated water resources management under uncertainty is thus comprehensively reviewed in this paper. A number of related methodologies and applications related to stochastic, fuzzy, and interval mathematical optimization modeling are examined. Then, their applica- tions to integrated water resources management are presented. Perspectives of effective management schemes are investigated, demonstrating many demanding areas for enhanced research efforts, which include issues of data availability and reliability, concerns over uncertainty, necessity of post-modeling analysis, and the usefulness of the development of simulation techniques.

Chinese Water Resource Management and Application of the Harmony Theory

Chinese water resource management （CWRM） has passed through four stages： infancy, initial development, rapid development, and formation. In the last of these stages some problems persist and will affect management performance. CWRM was a decentralised, imperfectly codified and weakly implemented system that lacked a sound market policy, rational water prices, water conservation awareness, technical support and a performance appraisal system. The government of China proposed two new strategies in 2009： the Three Red Lines and the Interconnected River System Network （IRSN）. This paper analyses these two strategies and reflects on new CWRM concepts. Both strategies strive for the sustainable utilisation of water resources and human-water harmony. The concepts, quantification method and application of harmony theory to water resources management is discussed. Applications of harmony theory to water resources management include （i） harmony between humans and nature; （ii） a harmony strategy for water resources management; （iii） a rational allocation model for water resources among different areas and departments based on harmony theory; （iv） harmony-based water allocation issues associated with transboundary rivers; （v） harmony-based interbasin water transfer problems; and （vi） harmony-based control of pollution discharge. We conclude by discussing how harmony theory and its applications provide an appropriate pathway for water resource management in China.

Bridging gaps between environmental flows theory and practices in China

In recent decades,a series of policies and practices for environmental flows(e-flows)have been implemented in China,with the sustainable development goal of balancing the utilization and protection of water resources among social,economic,and ecological needs.The aims of this study were to determine the main challenges and issues in e-flows implementation at different scales by analyzing policies and practices for eflows in China,and to propose some recommendations for bridging the gaps between the science and implementation of e-flows.The gaps between the science and implementation of e-flows were found after review of literature,policies,and practices,and it was found that ecological flow was a more widely used term by the government,rather than e-flows,in implementation.The plans and effects of e-flows implementation are discussed in this paper and challenges of e-flows implementation are recognized:(1)limited water resources and uneven spatial and temporal distribution,(2)a weak scientific basis for e-flows implementation,(3)poor operability of e-flows science,and(4)ineffective supervision and guarantee measures.The recommendations are(1)to strengthen the scientific foundation of e-flows,(2)to improve effectiveness in application of e-flows science,and(3)to propose operable and effective supervision and guarantee measures.This paper elaborates the current understanding of e-flows science and provides practical recommendations for implementing e-flows and for improving the effectiveness in e-flows implementation.To bridge the gaps between science and implementation of e-flows and improve the operability of policies in future practices,more scientific research on practices is recommended through adaptive management.

Changing Forestry Policy by Integrating Water Aspects into Forest/Vegetation Restoration in Dryland Areas in China

Restoration forestry （forest rehabilitation） or re-vegetation is one effective measure to solve environmental problems, notably soil erosion. It may be further stimulated by the Clean Development Mechanism for carbon sequestration. However, there is an intensive and on-going debate about the adverse effects arising from afforestation in dryland areas, such as soil drying up which may cause further damage to the success of forest restoration, and the water yield reduction from watershed which may harm the regional development. On other hand, some preliminary studies showed a possibility that these adverse effects may be diminished more or less by properly designing the system structure and spatial distribution of forest/vegetation in a watershed. However, it is urgent to develop an evidence-based and sustainable new forestry policy for harmonizing forest-water interrelation. As a leading country in afforestation, China is beginning to develop a more trans-disciplinary and cross-sectoral forestry policy for harmonizing forestry development with water management. The main points of the changing new forestry policy should include： （1） Establishing a regional development strategy focusing on harmonized forest-water relations; （2） Taking forest-water interactions as an important part of evaluation; （3） Reducing the ＇eco-water＇ quota of forests through technical advancement; （4） Developing and extending water-adaptive forest management practices; （S） Strengthening forest ecohydrological research and decision support ability.

Water use efficiency in an arid watershed: a case study

Integrated Water Resource Management （IWRM） becomes increasingly important in arid watersheds, where water resources are scarce and demands are rising under increased population pressure. In this case study, we present the results from the Elqui Valley in Chile, where water resources are shared between agriculture, mining operations, hydropower generation and drinking water for nearby cities. An IWRM model was applied to visualize water resources distribution in the catchment and determine irrigation and water use efficiencies. After calibration with observed surface and groundwater measurements, the model showed large differ- ences in efficiencies between different irrigation sectors. Most notably, irrigation sectors with the highest irrigation security, i.e., higher water rights per hectare, were characterized with lower water use efficiencies. Frequent water deficits were present in sec- tors downstream of the main reservoir, which was related to limited water rights per hectare, lower irrigation efficiencies and higher water demands due to larger agricultural areas. In subsequent scenario analyses, the model was used to evaluate the impact of improved irrigation and water use efficiencies in these downstream sectors, to confirm an important reduction in water deficits, except for drought years when surface water resources are insufficient. In a third scenario, groundwater resources were allowed to compensate for water deficits, effectively reducing these in most irrigation sectors, especially during droughts. Expansion of the current agricultural area by 37% was evaluated, as a future scenario, and was found to be unsustainable, as aquifer levels are low- ered to such levels that make annual recharge insufficient.

How Water-Development Nexus Can Reunite Central Asia?

The following article has been retracted due to the fact that it cannot be accepted by the author’s university as a scientific peer-reviewed publication. The Editorial Board takes a very strong respect to the author’s situation on this matter. This paper published in World Journal of Engineering and Technology Vol.2 No.3B, September 2014, has been removed from this site.

对复杂水资源系统管理的认知与思考

通过提升管理能力进一步缓解水资源供需矛盾,应对水、经济、社会、生态等关联系统之间的不确定性已经成为新时期水资源可持续发展的必然要求。面对我国水资源系统存在的新老问题,亟须开展新时期反映复杂水资源系统特征的管理研究。基于此,梳理我国水资源管理模式的发展历程,指出我国已经进入面向关联要素的水资源系统综合管理阶段,多属性、全过程和多要素是目前复杂水资源系统管理的基本特征。从管理目标、管理对象和管理路径3个方面对复杂水资源系统管理的基本框架进行详细阐述。最后,对复杂水资源系统管理的关键支撑技术进行探讨,提出水资源监测技术、水循环模拟技术、水资源配置与调度技术、水生态环境过程模拟技术是我国水资源科学管理的关键支撑。

Toward a socio-political approach to water management: successes and limitations of IWRM programs in rural northwestern China

In rural north-western China,the tension between economic growth and ecological crises demonstrates the limitations of dominant top-down approaches to water management.In the 1990s,the Chinese government adopted the Integrated Water Resources Management(IWRM)approach to combat the degradation of water and ecological systems throughout its rural regions.While the approach has had some success at reducing desertification,water shortage,and ecological deterioration,there are important limitations and obstacles that continue to impede optimum outcomes in water management.As the current IWRM approach is instituted through a top-down centralized bureaucratic structure,it often fails to address the socio-political context in which water management is embedded and therefore lacks a complete treatment of how power is embedded in the bureaucracy and how it articulates through economic growth imperatives set by the Chinese state.The approach has relied on infrastructure heavy and technocratic solutions to govern water demand,which has worked to undermine the focus on integration and public participation.Finally,the historical process through which water management mechanisms have been instituted are fraught with bureaucratic fragmentation and processes of centralization that work against some of its primary goals such as reducing uncertainty and risk in water management systems.This article reveals the historical,social,political,and economic processes behind these shortcomings in water management in rural northwestern China by focusing on the limitations of a top-down approach that rely on infrastructure,technology,and quantification,and thereby advances a more holistic,socio-political perspective for water management that considers the state-society dynamics inherent in water governance in rural China.

Watershed science:Linking hydrological science with sustainable management of river basins

Over the past decades,a number of water sciences and management programs have been developed to better understand and manage the water cycles at multiple temporal and spatial scales for various purposes,such as ecohydrology,global hydrology,sociohydrology,supply management,demand management,and integrated water resources management(IWRM).At the same time,rapid advancements have also been taking place in tracing,mapping,remote sensing,machine learning,and modelling technologies in hydrological research.Despite those programs and advancements,a water crisis is intensifying globally.The missing link is effective interactions between the hydrological research and water resource management to support implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs)at multiple spatial scales.Since the watershed is the natural unit for water resources management,watershed science offers the potential to bridge this missing link.This study first reviews the advances in hydrological research and water resources management,and then discusses issues and challenges facing the global water community.Subsequently,it describes the core components of watershed science:(1)hydrological analysis;(2)water-operation policies;(3)governance;(4)management and feedback.The framework takes into account water availability,water uses,and water quality;explicitly focuses on the storage,fluxes,and quality of the hydrological cycle;defines appropriate local water resource thresholds through incorporating the planetary boundary framework;and identifies specific actionable measures for water resources management.It provides a complementary approach to the existing water management programs in addressing the current global water crisis and achieving the UN SDGs.