scholarly journals An Integrated Multicriteria Analysis Tool for Evaluating Water Resource Management Strategies

Water ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1795 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angelos Alamanos ◽  
Nikitas Mylopoulos ◽  
Athanasios Loukas ◽  
Dimitrios Gaitanaros

Water is involved, directly or indirectly, with many activities and needs that have to be met. The large scale and importance of water projects, the investments needed, the difficulty in predicting the results, and the irreversible character of the decisions have made decision making a complex scientific process. This paper presents a multicriteria analysis (MCA) tool for evaluating water resource management (WRM) strategies and selecting the most appropriate among them, using as an example a Greek area based on agricultural economy, which faces water scarcity problems. Seven alternative strategies were evaluated under hydrological and economic criteria. Four techniques were used—multi attribute utility theory (MAUT), analytic hierarchy process (AHP), elimination and choice expressing reality (ELECTRE), and technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS)—based on the main MCA techniques (utility theory, analytical hierarchy, outranking theory, and classification theory, respectively), to compare their performance, and to reach the most appropriate and ‘fitting’ method for the examined problem. The weightings extracted from two samples, (i) a sample of decision makers/stakeholders and (ii) a group of WRM experts, were used to compare the results. The process was carried out for each questionnaire, and thus the model shows the uncertainty of each sample group and of each method, as well as the overall uncertainty. The results illustrate the reality of the WRM problems of the watershed, enlighten their roots, and have further strengthened our conviction that the cooperation between the scientific community and the authorities is vital for more sustainable and efficient WRM.

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 8239-8298 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Nazemi ◽  
H. S. Wheater

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.


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arie Herlambang

In the national water resource management, the data is the basis for the calculation of water reserves. In a large scale and wide, searching the data will require substantial funding, as well as with the updates. Data colecting becomes a problem and not useful if not managed with the system efficiently and effectively. Technology occupies an important role in accelerating the work, such as remote sensing technology using a satellite to determine the condition of forests and water, or a weather that can see the concentration of clouds and wind movement. Determination of catchment areas of water and protected areas, may of them using remote sensing technology. Water treatment technologies for drinking water and the development of efficient recycling technology of waste water, is very supportive in increasing water use efficiency. Technological developments also influence government policy and the implementation of water resource management. National Policy of Water Resource Management is influenced by economic factors, environmental sustainability and socio-cultural conditions. The role of technology are  facilitate, accelerate and improve the efficiency of the process, so that the process can be more economical and environmental impact is reduced, and does not conflict with the socio-cultural conditions. Keywords : Kebijakan nasional sumber daya air, potensi sda, teknologi pengolahan air


Author(s):  
D. N. Kinyanjui

Aims: This study sought to evaluate the adoption of water resource management strategies in hotels in an attempt to attain water sustainability. Specifically, the research sought to assess the current structural and non-structural water resource management strategies adopted by selected hotels in the environs of Lake Naivasha; establish the perceived effectiveness of both the structural and non-structural water resource management strategies adopted to enhance water sustainability; and compare the structural and non-structural water management strategies in terms of their effectiveness in promoting water sustainability in hotels within environs of Lake Naivasha. Study Design: The study adopted a case study design. Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted in hotels within the environs of Lake Naivasha between May and December 2010. Methodology: A census of 30 Class (A) registered hotels was conducted, and purposive sampling was used to select 120 respondents from the management staff within the selected hotels. Convenience sampling was used to select 8 managers of water management bodies who acted as key informants during personal interviews. Primary data was collected from the hotel management staff using questionnaires and from managers of water management through personal interviews. Data from questionnaires were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) to derive descriptive statistics on the implementation of WRM strategies. Results: Findings revealed that a majority of the sampled hotels had embraced water resource management strategies through the development of alternative water resources, use of water saving technology, treatment of recycled water and use of water saving manuals. Further, the structural water resource management strategies were perceived to be more effective as they impacted more on reducing the operating costs, promoted environmental conservation and were more preferred than the non- structural strategies despite being more expensive to implement.  Conclusion: It is concluded that water sustainability is however achievable through a combination of a variety of WRM strategies.


Author(s):  
Jane Hunter ◽  
Peter Becker ◽  
Abdulmonem Alabri ◽  
Catharine van Ingen ◽  
Eva Abal

The Health-e-Waterways Project is a multi-disciplinary collaboration between the University of Queensland, Microsoft Research and the South East Queensland Healthy Waterways Partnership (SEQ-HWP). This project develops the underlying technological framework and set of services to enable streamlined access to the expanding collection of real-time, near-real-time and static datasets related to water resource management in South East Queensland. More specifically, the system enables water resource managers to access the datasets being captured by the various agencies participating in the SEQ HWP Ecosystem Health Monitoring Program (EHMP). It also provides online access to the statistical data processing tools that enable users to analyse the data and generate online ecosystem report cards dynamically via a Web mapping interface. The authors examine the development of ontologies and semantic querying tools to integrate disparate datasets and relate management actions to water quality indicators for specific regions and periods. This semantic data integration approach enables scientists and resource managers to identify which actions are having an impact on which parameters and adapt the management strategies accordingly. This paper provides an overview of the semantic technologies developed to underpin the adaptive management framework that is the central philosophy behind the SEQ HWP.


Author(s):  
Arezoo Boroomandnia ◽  
Omid Bozorg-Haddad ◽  
Jimmy Yu ◽  
Mariam Darestani

Abstract Fast-growing water demand, population growth, global climate change, and water quality deterioration all drive scientists to apply novel approaches to water resource management. Nanotechnology is one of the state-of-the-art tools in scientists’ hands which they can use to meet human water needs via reuse of water and utilizing unconventional water resources. Additionally, monitoring water supply systems using new nanomaterials provides more efficient water distribution networks. In this chapter, we consider the generic concepts of nanotechnology and its effects on water resources management strategies. A wide range of nanomaterials and nanotechnologies, including nano-adsorbents, nano-photocatalysts, and nano-membranes, are introduced to explain the role of nanotechnology in providing new water resources to meet growing demand. Also, nanomaterial application as a water alternative in industry, reducing water demand in the industrial sector, is presented. Another revolution made by nanomaterials, also discussed in this chapter, is their use in water supply systems for monitoring probable leakage and leakage reduction. Finally, we present case studies that clarify the influence of nanotechnology on water resources and their management strategies. These case studies prove the importance and inevitable application of nanotechnology to satisfy the rising water demand in the modern world, and show the necessity of nanotechnology awareness for today's water experts.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (15) ◽  
pp. 8609
Author(s):  
Sarah Bunney ◽  
Elizabeth Lawson ◽  
Sarah Cotterill ◽  
David Butler

Water resource management in the UK is multifaceted, with a complexity of issues arising from acute and chronic stressors. Below average rainfall in spring 2020 coincided with large-scale changes to domestic water consumption patterns, arising from the first UK-wide COVID-19 lockdown, resulting in increased pressure on nationwide resources. A sector wide survey, semi-structured interviews with sector executives, meteorological data, water resource management plans and market information were used to evaluate the impact of acute and chronic threats on water demand in the UK, and how resilience to both can be increased. The COVID-19 pandemic was a particularly acute threat: water demand increased across the country, it was unpredictable and hard to forecast, and compounding this, below average rainfall resulted in some areas having to tanker in water to ‘top up’ the network. This occurred in regions of the UK that are ‘water stressed’ as well as those that are not. We therefore propose a need to look beyond ‘design droughts’ and ‘dry weather average demand’ to characterise the management and resilience of future water resources. As a sector, we can learn from this acute threat and administer a more integrated approach, combining action on the social value of water, the implementation of water trading and the development of nationwide multi-sectoral resilience plans to better respond to short and long-term disruptors.


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