scholarly journals Spatial analysis of water stress and application of water poverty index in the Mahakali River Basin, Sudurpaschim Province, Nepal

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 85-94
Author(s):  
Lalit Pathak ◽  
Ramesh Raj Pant ◽  
Udhab Raj Khadka ◽  
Jharana Nepal ◽  
Sudip Poudel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Resource Availability ◽  
Water Sources ◽  
Upstream Region ◽  
Poverty Index ◽  
Use Of Resources ◽  
Socioeconomic Drivers ◽  
Water Poverty Index

Water Poverty Index (WPI) is an effective tool to assess water stress by linking physical approximations of water availability with socioeconomic drivers of poverty at household and community levels. It also helps in determining the priority needs for interventions and makes the better use of water resources without compromising the environmental integrity at the policy level. This study presents a comparative analysis of WPI to assess the water stress in two local units i.e., Mahakali Municipality-4 (Upstream) and Bhimdatt Municipality-13 (Downstream) of the Darchula and Kanchanpur districts, respectively along the Mahakali River Basin (MRB), Sudurpaschim Province, Nepal. Five components, i.e., resource availability, use of resources, capacity to utilize water sources, accessibility to water sources, and environment were applied to appraisal the water poverty. Under these components, 28 indicators were selected to visualize the water poverty condition. The information for acquiring these indicators was collected by making the field visit, semi-structured questionnaire survey, and secondary information from relevant sources. The results showed that the downstream segment has a higher WPI value (65.43) in comparison to the upstream segment (52.60) of the MRB, indicating relatively water-advantaged and stressed situations in down- and up-streams, respectively. Interestingly, despite having higher resource availability, the upstream region exhibited more stressed situations reflecting spatial heterogeneity in terms of capacity, environmental conditions, and infrastructure development to use the available water resources. Thus, in order to reduce the water stress conditions, priorities for intervention must be given to the water use capacity, especially in the upstream segment of the MRB. This study could be useful for academia and policymakers for the sustainable use of water resources in the MRB, Susurpaschim Province, Nepal.

The assessment of water stress with the Water Poverty Index in the Shiyang River Basin in China

2012 ◽  
Vol 67 (7) ◽  
pp. 2155-2160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruijun Zhang ◽  
Zhenghu Duan ◽  
Mingliang Tan ◽  
Xiaohong Chen
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Poverty Index ◽  
Shiyang River Basin ◽  
Water Poverty Index

Application of the Water Poverty Index at the Districts of Yellow River Basin

2011 ◽  
Vol 250-253 ◽  
pp. 3469-3474 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xin Li ◽  
Jun Wan ◽  
Jie Lin Jia
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Water Resource Management ◽  
Yellow River ◽  
Yellow River Basin ◽  
Assessment Method ◽  
Paper Analysis ◽  
Poverty Index ◽  
Resources Management ◽  
Water Poverty Index

As one assessment method of the water resources, Water Poverty Index has become an available tool in water resources management for it simply calculation process, comprehensive understanding of the results. This paper introduces the concept of the Water Poverty Index, and applies it at these districts of Yellow River Basin by using equal weightings methodology. During the process of calculating it, some component variables of the WPI have been improved and the data addressed standardization. The result shows that the water resources of Shandong is safe, Sichuan and Henan province is middling safe and low safe, while the WPI of the other six provinces is so low which reflects water resources shortage is very severe. The same time, this paper analysis the main reasons of water poverty, which provides the access to improve the water resource management in these districts.

scholarly journals Application of Water Poverty Index (WPI) in Spatial Analysis of Water Stress in Koshi River Basin, Nepal

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 727 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saroj Koirala ◽  
Yiping Fang ◽  
Nirmal Mani Dahal ◽  
Chenjia Zhang ◽  
Bikram Pandey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Data Availability ◽  
Poverty Index ◽  
Low Degree ◽  
Water Poverty Index ◽  
Access To Water ◽  
Koshi River Basin

Water and poverty interface is strongly interconnected and a robust assessment of water stress is crucial to identify needy areas and develop appropriate intervention for poverty reduction. Water Poverty Index (WPI) provides an interdisciplinary tool to assess water stress by linking physical estimates of water availability with socio-economic drivers of poverty. This study presents an application of Water Poverty Index (WPI) to estimate and compare the level of water stress in 27 districts of Koshi River Basin in Nepal. Based on data availability, relevance to the study area and review of literatures, 12 indicators were selected under five key components outlined by WPI. The study result shows medium-low degree (WPI = 54.4) of water poverty in the Koshi River Basin in Nepal. The WPI score varies widely (from 49.75 to 69.29) along the districts and it was found that districts in Tarai regions and urban areas were more water stressed compared to the districts in mid-hill and high-hill regions. Priorities for intervention must be given to the districts in Tarai regions and urban areas with a low WPI score, explicitly on the sector regarding access to water and sanitation to address water poverty in the basin.

scholarly journals Application of a revised Water Poverty Index to target the water poor

2011 ◽  
Vol 63 (6) ◽  
pp. 1099-1110 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Giné Garriga ◽  
A. Pérez Foguet
Keyword(s):  
Water Resources ◽  
Policy Making ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Poverty Index ◽  
Index Construction ◽  
Policy Tool ◽  
Water Poverty Index ◽  
Decision Making Processes

The Water Poverty Index (WPI) has been recognized as a useful tool in policy analysis. The index integrates various physical, social and environmental aspects to enable more holistic assessment of water resources. However, soundness of this tool relies on two complementary aspects: (i) inadequate techniques employed in index construction would produce unreliable results, and (ii) poor dissemination of final outcome would reduce applicability of the index to influence policy-making. From a methodological point of view, a revised alternative to calculate the index was developed in a previous study. This paper is therefore concerned not with the method employed in index construction, but with how the composite can be applied to support decision-making processes. In particular, the paper examines different approaches to exploit the index as a policy tool. A number of alternatives to disseminate achieved results are presented. The implications of applying the composite at different spatial scales are highlighted. Turkana District, in Kenya has been selected as initial case study to test the applicability and validity of the index. The paper concludes that the WPI approach provides a relevant tool for guiding appropriate action and policy-making towards more equitable allocation of water resources.

Conflict Intensity in African Water Basins: Water Stress and the Effectiveness of Water Management Strategies

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Boyce
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Water Stress ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Water Sources ◽  
Nile River ◽  
Social Stability ◽  
Lake Turkana ◽  
Conflict Intensity ◽  
Zambezi River

Access to cross-border water sources in the African regions of the Nile River, Zambezi River, and Lake Turkana Basins becomes less certain as global population, human consumption, and climate change increase. Uncertainty during periods of high demand for water in agro-dependent economies creates circumstances of water stress, where social stability is low as stakeholders compete over scarce water sources. Longstanding traditions of political power, such as colonial rule and the status of regional superpowers, reinforce the unequal resource distribution. All three regions encounter water stress in the form of floods or droughts. They rely on dam projects that modify water distribution and basin agreements that reallocate political power to manage stress. The basins vary, however, in conflict intensity and effectiveness of water management strategies. The Nile River Basin exhibits low-intensity conflict and has institutionalized collaborative management strategies; the Zambezi River Basin demonstrates medium-intensity conflict with theoretically collaborative initiatives that fall short in practice; the Lake Turkana Basin exemplifies high-intensity conflict, lacking collaborative agreements. In order to address the discrepancy in outcomes, this study asks: what factors contribute to the intensity of conflict surrounding water stress? And, to what extent are water management practices effective in promoting cooperation and preventing conflict? The study concludes that the most intense conflicts occur in rural localities, where social instability is high and resource distribution is uneven. Collaborative agreements and international involvement in water management initiatives increase social stability and decrease conflict intensity by institutionalizing equitable distribution of water in a changing environment. 

scholarly journals The temporal–spatial assessment of water scarcity with the Water Poverty Index: a study in the middle basin of the Heihe River, northwest China

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 1266-1276 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xia Tang ◽  
Qi Feng
Keyword(s):  
River Basin ◽  
Water Scarcity ◽  
Northwest China ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Variation ◽  
Heihe River ◽  
Local Policy ◽  
Poverty Index ◽  
Inland River ◽  
Water Poverty Index ◽  
Reasonable Approach

This paper details an application of the Water Poverty Index (WPI) to evaluate the state of water resources in an inland river basin using a case study of the Heihe River Basin (HRB) located in northwest China. The WPI includes five components (resources, access, capacity, use, and environment) and has 13 indicators; each indicator is assigned an equal weighting. The selected set of components and indicators was used to discuss the spatial and temporal variation of the water scarcity situation in the middle of the HRB for a 10-year assessment period. The results show that the water scarcity situation of the HRB is generally evolving in a positive way from 2001 to 2010. However, the WPI varied widely (from 24.6 to 66.5) at a spatial scale. The water situation was best maintained in Jiayuguan City, and it was most severe in Jiuquan City. These variations suggest that different cities require different policy intervention to improve the overall water situation. Overall, the WPI appears to be a reasonable approach to examine the water scarcity situation and help decision makers to better devise local policy.

scholarly journals Spatial-Temporal Relationship between Water Resources and Economic Development in Rural China from a Poverty Perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 1540
Author(s):  
Zhaorunqing Liu ◽  
Wenxin Liu
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Theoretical Foundation ◽  
Rural China ◽  
Economic Assistance ◽  
Poverty Index ◽  
Temporal Perspective ◽  
Policy Interventions ◽  
Water Poverty Index ◽  
Research Findings

Guaranteeing sustainable development is a pressing issue in China. To this end, balancing economic development and the protection of limited water resources enables healthy and orderly economic development. This study details the application of a water poverty index and sustainable livelihoods approach using 25 indicators to evaluate the water situation and the economic situation in rural China from 1997 to 2019. The analysis results suggest the need for location-specific policy interventions. In addition, we determined whether the water poverty and economic poverty or their spatial types featured the phenomenon of agglomeration. This study also proposes a harmonious development (HD) model and found a significant relationship between water poverty and economic poverty. Next, we adopted a spatial and temporal perspective to analyze the causes of variation in HD level using the modified Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) model and defined four HD levels using a classification method. The results revealed that the overall HD level was higher in the east than in the west. In conclusion, water poverty is associated with economic poverty; thus, there is a need for water and economic assistance strategies in pro-poor policies. The research findings also serve as a theoretical foundation for policies aimed at resolving conflicts between water use and economic development in rural China.

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