Taking a livelihood perspective to building urban water resilience: Potential and challenges in Addis Ababa

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 235-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liku Workalemahu Habtemariam ◽  
KetemaAbebe Tufa ◽  
Lise Byskov Herslund ◽  
Patience Mguni
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Urban Agriculture ◽  
Stormwater Management ◽  
Addis Ababa ◽  
Green Spaces ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Water Infrastructure ◽  
Farming Community ◽  
Policy Frameworks

This article explores how livelihoods in two typical communities, condominium housing and urban agriculture cooperatives, in Addis Ababa manage water resources and green spaces in order to identify key challenges and potentials for building water-resilient livelihoods. Results show that livelihoods in the two communities are heavily affected by water stress. Being dependent on natural assets makes the farming community vulnerable, but also more flexible than people in condominiums who are locked into a malfunctioning water infrastructure. However, there is potential for building water-resilient livelihoods, if broader policy frameworks are bottom-linked with locally specific situations using landscape-based stormwater management.

scholarly journals Assessment of the Urban Water Security in a Severe Water Stress Area–Application to Palestinian Cities

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 2060
Author(s):  
Samah Jabari ◽  
Isam Shahrour ◽  
Jamal El Khattabi
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Water Governance ◽  
Water Security ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Water Services ◽  
Security Assessment ◽  
Water Losses ◽  
Severe Water Stress

This paper presents an assessment of the urban water security in a severe water stress area using a semi-quantitative risk-based approach. Water security indicators are selected according to the recommendations of international institutions, the literature review and the opinion of a panel of water experts. Selected indicators cover three fields: water resources, water services and water governance. The field of water resources is described by indicators related to the water resources availability, annual precipitation and the ratio of treated water, while the water services field is described by indicators related to the water service coverage, water losses and the continuity of water supply. Water governance includes three indicators: role and responsibility, access to water information and stakeholder engagement. Water security assessment is conducted in three stages: (i) data collection for five Palestinian cities in the West Bank of Jordan, (ii) determination of the risk score for each indicator using collected data and an expert’s opinion, (iii) determination of the global water security score and water security index using the matrix risk assessment and the wise weight assessment ratio analysis (SWARA) methods. Results show that water risk is ranked as extreme for all cities. Risk related to water resources is a major contributor to global risk, followed by water governance.

Biscogniauxia (Hypoxylon) Canker or Dieback in Trees

EDIS ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudia Paez ◽  
Jason A. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
Tree Species ◽  
Soil Compaction ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Root Disease ◽  
Poor Health ◽  
Green Spaces ◽  
Opportunistic Pathogens ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Quercus Spp

Biscogniauxia canker or dieback (formerly called Hypoxylon canker or dieback) is a common contributor to poor health and decay in a wide range of tree species (Balbalian & Henn 2014). This disease is caused by several species of fungi in the genus Biscogniauxia (formerly Hypoxylon). B. atropunctata or B. mediterranea are usually the species found on Quercus spp. and other hosts in Florida, affecting trees growing in many different habitats, such as forests, parks, green spaces and urban areas (McBride & Appel, 2009).  Typically, species of Biscogniauxia are opportunistic pathogens that do not affect healthy and vigorous trees; some species are more virulent than others. However, once they infect trees under stress (water stress, root disease, soil compaction, construction damage etc.) they can quickly colonize the host. Once a tree is infected and fruiting structures of the fungus are evident, the tree is not likely to survive especially if the infection is in the tree's trunk (Anderson et al., 1995).

Urban Water Resources Toolbox - Integrating Groundwater into Urban Water Management

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (0) ◽  
pp. 9781780402437-9781780402437 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Wolf ◽  
B. Morris ◽  
S. Burn
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Urban Water Management

Study on Calculation of Ecological Footprint Model Parameters of Beijing Urban Water Resources

2011 ◽  
Vol 374-377 ◽  
pp. 105-108
Author(s):  
Li Ying ◽  
Ting Ting Guo ◽  
Pan Pan Li
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Ecological Footprint ◽  
Unit Area ◽  
Water Yield ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Footprint Model ◽  
Ecological Carrying Capacity ◽  
Yield Factor ◽  
Balance Factor

The conception and study status of ecological footprint of water resource were summarized and the research of two ecological footprint model parameters, ie equilibrium factors and yield factors were analyzed and compared. On this basis, the calculation of ecological footprint model parameters of the Beijing urban water resources, ie balance factor and yield factor were proposed. Water balance factors of Beijing urban water resources and water yield per unit area and water yield factor of Beijing Fangshan, Pinggu, Yanqing were calculated, thus provide reference for appraisal of ecological carrying capacity of Beijing urban water resources.

scholarly journals Water on an urban planet: Urbanization and the reach of urban water infrastructure

2014 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
pp. 96-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert I. McDonald ◽  
Katherine Weber ◽  
Julie Padowski ◽  
Martina Flörke ◽  
Christof Schneider ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Urban Water ◽  
Water Infrastructure

scholarly journals Data and Information Systems Management for the Urban Water Infrastructure Condition Assessment

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nelson Carriço ◽  
Bruno Ferreira
Keyword(s):  
Information Systems ◽  
Condition Assessment ◽  
Water Utilities ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Water Infrastructure ◽  
Systems Management ◽  
Maturity Level ◽  
Information Systems Management ◽  
The World ◽  
Vital Component

Most of urban water infrastructure around the world were built several decades ago and nowadays they are deteriorated. So, the assets that constitute these infrastructures need to be rehabilitated. Since most of the assets are buried, water utilities face the challenge of deciding how, where and when to rehabilitate. Condition assessment is a vital component on plan rehabilitation actions and is mostly based on the data collected from the managed networks. This collected data need to be put together in order to be transformed into useful information. Nonetheless, the large amount of assets and data involved makes data and information management a challenging task for water utilities, especially in those with as lower digital maturity level. This paper highlights the importance of data and information systems' management for urban water infrastructure condition assessment based on the authors' experience.

scholarly journals Home range expansion in response to temperature by evening bats (Nycticeius humeralis) in an urban environment

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen Hall ◽  
Victoria Bennett
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Home Range ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Home Range Size ◽  
Range Size ◽  
Green Spaces ◽  
Activity Period ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Urban Green ◽  
Urban Green Spaces

Abstract Background: Despite the negative connotation of urban sprawl for bat populations, fragmented green spaces such as parks, cemeteries, and golf courses have the potential to provide necessary resources for bats. For example, water resources in these areas can include natural or semi-natural lakes, ponds, streams, and drainage ditches. Such water resources, however, are frequently ephemeral when subject to prolonged periods of high temperatures. We, therefore, hypothesize that bats will expand or shift their home ranges from these urban green spaces into the surrounding neighborhoods to access alternative resources, such as residential swimming pools. Methods: To explore whether bats expand their ranges from urban green spaces, we conducted a telemetry study in which we radio-tracked resident evening bats (Nycticeius humeralis) in a local park system during their summer activity period from 2017-2019 in Fort Worth, Texas, USA. From radio-tracking surveys, we measured home range size using a k-LoCoH method and the percentage of these home ranges that fell within the park system. We compared these variables using linear and non-linear regressions with temperature. Results: We successfully tracked a total of 30 bats over the 3-year period and found a positive correlation between home range size and temperature. Furthermore, we observed that home ranges increased 6 times in size when temperatures exceeded 30ºC. Conclusions: Our study indicates the importance of urban neighborhoods surrounding green spaces in providing alternative resources, such as water, for bats. If managed appropriately, these urban areas have the potential to act as urban oases for bat populations, which in turn can contribute to their conservation.

scholarly journals Urban Water Utilization Scheme: an Analysis of Information Systems of Innovative Management

2019 ◽  
Vol 2018 (4) ◽  
pp. 157-163
Author(s):  
Каринэ Фонтана ◽  
Karine Fontana ◽  
Баграт Ерзнкян ◽  
Bagrat Yerznkyan
Keyword(s):  
Information Systems ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Water Supply ◽  
Sustainable Urban Development ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Urban Water Supply ◽  
Water Utilization ◽  
Sustainable Water Supply ◽  
Innovative Management ◽  
Utilization Scheme

The paper features some relevant issues of developing an adequate policy in the field of urban water supply. The authors analyze the information systems of innovative management of organizations of the urban water utilization scheme, recycling of water resources and sewage. They identify the specifics of information systems from the point of view of their use in the Russian practice of sustainable water supply. The research involved analytical and logical methods, as well as theoretical developments in the field of management of urban organizations. As a result, the authors managed to identify the tools for the strategy of sustainable urban water utilization scheme. They prove that its development is hindered by the lack of comprehensive and reliable information to support strategic development, policy development, and management decisions. Based on the analysis of information systems, they point out topical issues that need to be addressed at various levels and introduce new principles for the urban water utilization scheme. Sustainable urban development is inextricably linked with the solution of the water supply problem, including recycling of water resources and sewage. The paper offers some provisions for a sustainable urban water supply strategy.

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