scholarly journals Flood Risk Management with Transboundary Conflict and Cooperation Dynamics in the Kabul River Basin

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 1513
Author(s):  
Yar M. Taraky ◽  
Yongbo Liu ◽  
Ed McBean ◽  
Prasad Daggupati ◽  
Bahram Gharabaghi
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Risk Management ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Flood Risk ◽  
Hydraulic Modeling ◽  
Flood Risk Management ◽  
Flood Routing ◽  
Transboundary Water ◽  
Transboundary Water Management ◽  
Kabul River

The Kabul River, while having its origin in Afghanistan, has a primary tributary, the Konar River, which originates in Pakistan and enters Afghanistan near Barikot-Arandu. The Kabul River then re-enters Pakistan near Laalpur, Afghanistan making it a true transboundary river. The catastrophic flood events due to major snowmelt events in the Hindu Kush mountains occur every other year, inundating many major urban centers. This study investigates the flood risk under 30 climate and dam management scenarios to assess opportunities for transboundary water management strategy in the Kabul River Basin (KRB). The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) is a watershed-scale hydraulic modeling tool that was employed to forecast peak flows to characterize flood inundation areas using the river flood routing modelling tool Hydrologic Engineering Center - River Analysis System -HEC-RAS for the Nowshera region. This study shows how integrated transboundary water management in the KRB can play a vital catalyst role with significant socio-economic benefits for both nations. The study proposes a KRB-specific agreement, where flood risk management is a significant driver that can bring both countries to work together under the Equitable Water Resource Utilization Doctrine to save lives in both Afghanistan and Pakistan. The findings show that flood mitigation relying on collaborative efforts for both upstream and downstream riparian states is highly desirable.

Transboundary river basin organizations in Africa: assessing the secretariat

Water Policy ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 1053-1069 ◽  
Author(s):  
Davison Saruchera ◽  
Jonathan Lautze
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Transboundary Water ◽  
Transboundary River ◽  
Transboundary River Basin ◽  
Transboundary Water Management ◽  
Transboundary Basins ◽  
Governance Instruments

Secretariats are an increasingly common feature in Africa's transboundary river basin organizations (RBOs). Non-secretariat-based forms of transboundary RBOs nonetheless also exist, and such forms of cooperation have often functioned effectively. These realities drive questions about the rationale and role for secretariats. This paper employs two approaches to compare secretariat-based RBOs vis-à-vis RBOs without secretariats in Africa. First, we compared the degree to which five governance instruments, determined to enable effective transboundary water management, are contained in treaties creating secretariat-based RBOs versus treaties creating non-secretariat-based RBOs. Second, the costs and benefits of six African transboundary RBOs – three with secretariat and three without – were compared based on a survey of regular costs and volume and number of projects. Key findings are that RBOs with secretariats have achieved stronger governance and secured more investment than RBOs without secretariats. Costs associated with operating secretariats appear justified by their benefits. These findings help to lay an improved basis for selecting desired models of RBOs in Africa's transboundary basins.

scholarly journals Human health in systemic adaptation to climate change: insights from flood risk management in a river basin

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 427-443 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timo Assmuth ◽  
Tanja Dubrovin ◽  
Jari Lyytimäki
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Risk Management ◽  
Water Resources ◽  
Human Health ◽  
River Basin ◽  
Health Risks ◽  
Flood Risk ◽  
Flood Risk Management ◽  
Adaptation To Climate Change ◽  
Flood Risks

AbstractHuman health risks in dealing with floods in a river basin in South-Western Finland are analysed as an example of scientific and practical challenges in systemic adaptation to climate change and in integrated governance of water resources. The analysis is based on case reports and plans, on literature studies and on conceptual models of risks and risk management. Flood risks in the Northern European study area are aggravated by melt- and storm-water runoff, ice jams and coastal flooding. Flood risk assessment is linked with management plans based on EU directives as applied in the case area. National risk management policies and procedures of increasing scope and depth have been devised for climate change, water resources and overall safety, but an integrated approach to health risks is still largely missing. The same is true of surveys of perceived flood risks, and participatory deliberation and collaborative planning procedures for flood risk management in the case area, specifically for adaptive lake regulation. Health impacts, risks and benefits, socio-economic and systemic risks, and over-arching prevention, adaptation and compensation measures are not fully included. We propose a systematic framework for these extensions. Particular attention needs to be given to health risks due to flooding, e.g. from water contamination, moist buildings, mental stress and infrastructure damage and also from management actions. Uncertainties and ambiguities about risks present continuing challenges. It is concluded that health aspects of flooding are complex and need to be better included in assessment and control, to develop more integrated and adaptive systemic risk governance.

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