Water resource management in ancient Iran with emphasis on technological approaches: a cultural heritage

Water is an essential component in the history of Iran. Due to the unfavorable distribution of surface water and the fluctuation of yearly seasonal streams, to fulfill water demands, ancient Iranians have tried to provide a better condition for utilization of water. Accordingly, elegant designs like qanats became an indispensable element of hydraulic systems, while institutional frameworks were innovated to be combined with in water resource management. Evidence shows that hydraulic structures and water establishments date back thousands of years known as cultural heritage. Besides, the ancient Iranians have realized the importance of an organization to supervise irrigation and water conveyance. Thus, during the Achaemenid and Sasanian Empires, water engineering was developed significantly through the whole territory. The governmental endorsements associated with contemporary engineered structures have made extensive innovations in water systems, such as canals, watermills, water treatment, water storage, piping and construction. The infrastructure fulfilled a wide range of necessities of a civilized country and assisted in achieving its golden era. Consequently, this paper is aimed at studying ancient water resource management and technological approaches in Iran.

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On inclusion of water resource management in Earth System models – Part 1: Problem definition and representation of water demand

Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Discussions ◽

10.5194/hessd-11-8239-2014 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. 8239-8298 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

A. Nazemi ◽

H. S. Wheater

Keyword(s):

Resource Management ◽

Water Resource ◽

Water Demand ◽

Water Resource Management ◽

Large Scale ◽

Earth System ◽

Water Demands ◽

The Earth ◽

Scale Models ◽

Earth System Models

Abstract. Human activities have caused various changes in the Earth System, and hence, the interconnections between humans and the Earth System should be recognized and reflected in models that simulate the Earth System processes. One key anthropogenic activity is water resource management that determines the dynamics of human–water interactions in time and space. There are various reasons to include water resource management in Earth System models. First, the extent of human water requirements is increasing rapidly at the global scale and it is crucial to analyze the possible imbalance between water demands and supply under various scenarios of climate change and across various temporal and spatial scales. Second, recent observations show that human–water interactions, manifested through water resource management, can substantially alter the terrestrial water cycle, affect land-atmospheric feedbacks and may further interact with climate and contribute to sea-level change. Here, we divide the water resource management into two interdependent elements, related to water demand as well as water supply and allocation. In this paper, we survey the current literature on how various water demands have been included in large-scale models, including Land Surface Schemes and Global Hydrological Models. The available algorithms are classified based on the type of demand, mode of simulation and underlying modeling assumptions. We discuss the pros and cons of available algorithms, address various sources of uncertainty and highlight limitations in current applications. We conclude that current capability of large-scale models in terms of representing human water demands is rather limited, particularly with respect to future projections and online simulations. We argue that current limitations in simulating various human demands and their impact on the Earth System are mainly due to the uncertainties in data support, demand algorithms and large-scale models. To fill these gaps, the available models, algorithms and data for representing various water demands should be systematically tested, intercompared and improved and human water demands should be considered in conjunction with water supply and allocation, particularly in the face of water scarcity and unknown future climate.

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Proposal of a typology of karst systems functioning based on relevant indicators of karst springs hydrodynamics

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-4009 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Guillaume Cinkus ◽

Naomi Mazzilli ◽

Hervé Jourde

Keyword(s):

Time Series ◽

Resource Management ◽

Water Resource ◽

Water Resource Management ◽

Spring Discharge ◽

Karst Water ◽

Discharge Time ◽

Wide Range ◽

Karst Systems ◽

Hydrological Functioning

<p>10% of the world&#8217;s population is dependent on karst water resources for drinking water. Understanding the functioning of these complex and heterogeneous systems is therefore a major challenge for long term water resource management. Over the past century, different methods have been developed to analyse hydrological series, and subsequently characterize the functioning of karst systems. These methods can be considered as a preliminary step in the development and design of hydrological models of karst functioning for sustainable water resource management. Recent progress in analytical tools, as well as the emergence of data bases of discharge time series (e.g. the French SNO KARST database and the WoKaS database at global scale) allow reconsidering former typology of karst system hydrodynamic responses. Ten karst systems and associated spring discharge time series were considered for developing the typology. The systems are well-known with a high-quality monitoring and they cover a wide range of hydrological functioning, which ensure the relevance of the analyses. The methodology for the assessment and the development of the typology consisted in (i) the analysis of springs discharge time series according to four different methods, (ii) the selection or proposal of the most relevant indicators of karst systems hydrodynamics, and (iii) the interpretation of the information from these indicators based on principal component analysis and clustering techniques. A typology of karst systems accounting for 6 different classes is finally proposed, based on 3 aspects of functioning: the capacity of dynamic storage, the draining dynamic of the capacitive function and the variability of the hydrological functioning. The typology was applied to a wider dataset composed of spring discharge of 78 karst systems. The results show a relevant distribution of the systems among the different classes.</p>

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How is Baseflow Index (BFI) impacted by water resource management practices?

Hydrology and Earth System Sciences ◽

10.5194/hess-25-5355-2021 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 25 (10) ◽

pp. 5355-5379

Author(s):

John P. Bloomfield ◽

Mengyi Gong ◽

Benjamin P. Marchant ◽

Gemma Coxon ◽

Nans Addor

Keyword(s):

Resource Management ◽

Surface Water ◽

Water Resource ◽

Water Resource Management ◽

Low Flow ◽

Minor Importance ◽

Groundwater Abstraction ◽

Large Sample ◽

Water Abstraction ◽

Wide Range

Abstract. Water resource management (WRM) practices, such as groundwater and surface water abstractions and effluent discharges, may impact baseflow. Here the CAMELS-GB large-sample hydrology dataset is used to assess the impacts of such practices on Baseflow Index (BFI) using statistical models of 429 catchments from Great Britain. Two complementary modelling schemes, multiple linear regression (LR) and machine learning (random forests, RF), are used to investigate the relationship between BFI and two sets of covariates (natural covariates only and a combined set of natural and WRM covariates). The LR and RF models show good agreement between explanatory covariates. In all models, the extent of fractured aquifers, clay soils, non-aquifers, and crop cover in catchments, catchment topography, and aridity are significant or important natural covariates in explaining BFI. When WRM terms are included, groundwater abstraction is significant or the most important WRM covariate in both modelling schemes, and effluent discharge to rivers is also identified as significant or influential, although natural covariates still provide the main explanatory power of the models. Surface water abstraction is a significant covariate in the LR model but of only minor importance in the RF model. Reservoir storage covariates are not significant or are unimportant in both the LR and RF models for this large-sample analysis. Inclusion of WRM terms improves the performance of some models in specific catchments. The LR models of high BFI catchments with relatively high levels of groundwater abstraction show the greatest improvements, and there is some evidence of improvement in LR models of catchments with moderate to high effluent discharges. However, there is no evidence that the inclusion of the WRM covariates improves the performance of LR models for catchments with high surface water abstraction or that they improve the performance of the RF models. These observations are discussed within a conceptual framework for baseflow generation that incorporates WRM practices. A wide range of schemes and measures are used to manage water resources in the UK. These include conjunctive-use and low-flow alleviation schemes and hands-off flow measures. Systematic information on such schemes is currently unavailable in CAMELS-GB, and their specific effects on BFI cannot be constrained by the current study. Given the significance or importance of WRM terms in the models, it is recommended that information on WRM, particularly groundwater abstraction, should be included where possible in future large-sample hydrological datasets and in the analysis and prediction of BFI and other measures of baseflow.

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A 24 GHz hydrology radar system capable of wide‐range surface velocity detection for water resource management applications

Microwave and Optical Technology Letters ◽

10.1002/mop.32479 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 62 (11) ◽

pp. 3463-3475

Author(s):

Yo‐Sheng Lin ◽

Shang‐Feng Chiu ◽

Chi‐Ho Chang

Keyword(s):

Resource Management ◽

Water Resource ◽

Water Resource Management ◽

Radar System ◽

Surface Velocity ◽

Wide Range ◽

24 Ghz

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Perspective: The challenge of ecologically sustainable water management

Water Policy ◽

10.2166/wp.2006.057 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 8 (5) ◽

pp. 475-479 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Emily Bernhardt ◽

StuartE. Bunn ◽

David D. Hart ◽

Björn Malmqvist ◽

Timo Muotka ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Water Management ◽

Resource Management ◽

Water Resource ◽

Water Resource Management ◽

Environmental Water ◽

Sustainable Water Management ◽

Goods And Services ◽

Water Demands ◽

Key Issues ◽

Ecologically Sustainable

Sustainable water resource management is constrained by three pervasive myths; that societal and environmental water demands always compete with one another; that technological solutions can solve all water resource management problems; and that environmental solutions to protect and maintain freshwater resources are more expensive and less dependable than technological solutions. We argue that conservation and good stewardship of water resources can go a long way toward meeting societal demands and values. Furthermore, water requirements to sustain ecosystem health and biodiversity in rivers and their associated coastal systems can be well aligned with options for human use and deliver a suite of ecosystem goods and services to society. However, to achieve ecologically sustainable water management, we propose several key issues that must be addressed. The objective of this opinion paper is to stimulate discussion across traditional discipline boundaries with the aim of forging new partnerships and collaborations to meet this pressing challenge of ecologically sustainable water management.

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On inclusion of water resource management in Earth system models – Part 1: Problem definition and representation of water demand

Hydrology and Earth System Sciences ◽

10.5194/hess-19-33-2015 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

pp. 33-61 ◽

Cited By ~ 90

Author(s):

A. Nazemi ◽

H. S. Wheater

Keyword(s):

Resource Management ◽

Water Supply ◽

Water Resource ◽

Water Demand ◽

Water Resource Management ◽

Large Scale ◽

Earth System ◽

Water Demands ◽

Scale Models ◽

Earth System Models

Abstract. Human activities have caused various changes to the Earth system, and hence the interconnections between human activities and the Earth system should be recognized and reflected in models that simulate Earth system processes. One key anthropogenic activity is water resource management, which determines the dynamics of human–water interactions in time and space and controls human livelihoods and economy, including energy and food production. There are immediate needs to include water resource management in Earth system models. First, the extent of human water requirements is increasing rapidly at the global scale and it is crucial to analyze the possible imbalance between water demands and supply under various scenarios of climate change and across various temporal and spatial scales. Second, recent observations show that human–water interactions, manifested through water resource management, can substantially alter the terrestrial water cycle, affect land–atmospheric feedbacks and may further interact with climate and contribute to sea-level change. Due to the importance of water resource management in determining the future of the global water and climate cycles, the World Climate Research Program's Global Energy and Water Exchanges project (WRCP-GEWEX) has recently identified gaps in describing human–water interactions as one of the grand challenges in Earth system modeling (GEWEX, 2012). Here, we divide water resource management into two interdependent elements, related firstly to water demand and secondly to water supply and allocation. In this paper, we survey the current literature on how various components of water demand have been included in large-scale models, in particular land surface and global hydrological models. Issues of water supply and allocation are addressed in a companion paper. The available algorithms to represent the dominant demands are classified based on the demand type, mode of simulation and underlying modeling assumptions. We discuss the pros and cons of available algorithms, address various sources of uncertainty and highlight limitations in current applications. We conclude that current capability of large-scale models to represent human water demands is rather limited, particularly with respect to future projections and coupled land–atmospheric simulations. To fill these gaps, the available models, algorithms and data for representing various water demands should be systematically tested, intercompared and improved. In particular, human water demands should be considered in conjunction with water supply and allocation, particularly in the face of water scarcity and unknown future climate.

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