Hydrology and Best Practices for Managing Water Resources in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands

Author(s):  
Samwel N. Marigi

This chapter provides a critical analysis and evaluation of the water issues relevant to Kenya's ASALs. This has particularly been centred on the current resource development and management, future resource demand as well as extent of its vulnerability to climate variability and change. The water development policy interventions have also been evaluated. The analysis has revealed that water resources are being utilized to satisfy a myriad of demands and that in-fact a water shortage already exists in these ASALs. A number of factors including population pressure, poor resource use and management and other socio-economic activities have been noted to increase the vulnerability of the available water to the impacts of climate change. A raft of recommendations for purposes of ensuring the sustainable utilization of this vital resource has therefore, been proposed.

Author(s):  
Samwel N. Marigi

This chapter provides a critical analysis and evaluation of the water issues relevant to Kenya's ASALs. This has particularly been centered on the current resource development and management, future resource demand, as well as extent of its vulnerability to climate variability and change. The water development policy interventions have also been evaluated. The analysis has revealed that water resources are being utilized to satisfy a myriad of demands and that in fact a water shortage already exists in these ASALs. A number of factors including population pressure, poor resource use and management, and other socio-economic activities have been noted to increase the vulnerability of the available water to the impacts of climate change. Recommendations for purposes of ensuring the sustainable utilization of the vital water resource have been proposed.


10.26458/1845 ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 75-93
Author(s):  
Viorica Jelev

 This paper presents the existing situation at national and world level considering the available water resources, their vulnerability especially in the mountains areas, the impact of climate changes, the possible conflicts regarding the intensification of water shortage in some regions of the world. I also present a case study on forests in Romania. Beginning with the general data mentioned above, we point out the specific peculiarities of the mountain area hydrology for identifying some aspects which are specific to the mountain water relationship. The analysis is necessary as no specifications regarding the mountain hilly or plain areas are done in the activity regarding waters management. Waters are managed unitary on river basins considering some general principles, unanimously recognized, well reflected into the national and international regulations. As a first stage, traditional economic activities are identified in the relationship of the mountain areas inhabitants with water but also some present approaches. The way the mountain areas inhabitants knew how to live together and capitalize water resources represents a model and impulse for coming back to such sustainable solutions but capitalizing the advantages of modern technologies. Each of these activities referring to waters which take place in the mountains area can represent ways for the research activity and future thorough studies from the technical, economic, social, cultural-traditional point of view and also for environment protection. A main preoccupation might have connection with the evolution of agricultural activities in the mountains area considering the climate changes and a possible “migration” towards higher areas of some agricultural practices specific to lower areas. The paper also shows a small example of the regaining by the locals of a community of an important resource for their lives in the hands of corporations: the forests defaced by HOLZINDUSTRIE SCHWEIGHOFER and stop flooding villages. 


1991 ◽  
Vol 23 (1-3) ◽  
pp. 11-18
Author(s):  
Tamon Ishibashi

Recently, problems of water shortage are becoming global in both developed and developing countries. This is due to tremendous population increases and also urbanization and industrialization. In this paper, countermeasures for future water shortages are described.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Liying Liu

AbstractThis paper presents the assessment of water resource security in the Guizhou karst area, China. A mean impact value and back-propagation (MIV-BP) neural network was used to understand the influencing factors. Thirty-one indices involving five aspects, the water quality subsystem, water quantity subsystem, engineering water shortage subsystem, water resource vulnerability subsystem, and water resource carrying capacity subsystem, were selected to establish an evaluation index of water resource security. In addition, a genetic algorithm and back-propagation (GA-BP) neural network was constructed to assess the water resource security of Guizhou Province from 2001 to 2015. The results show that water resource security in Guizhou was at a moderate warning level from 2001 to 2006 and a critical safety level from 2007 to 2015, except in 2011 when a moderate warning level was reached. For protection and management of water resources in a karst area, the modes of development and utilization of water resources must be thoroughly understood, along with the impact of engineering water shortage. These results are a meaningful contribution to regional ecological restoration and socio-economic development and can promote better practices for future planning.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1673
Author(s):  
Adolfo F. L. Baratta ◽  
Laura Calcagnini ◽  
Abdoulaye Deyoko ◽  
Fabrizio Finucci ◽  
Antonio Magarò ◽  
...  

This paper presents the results of a three-year research project aimed at addressing the issue of water shortage and retention/collection in drought-affected rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa. The project consisted in the design, construction, and the upgrade of existing barrages near Kita, the regional capital of Kayes in Mali. The effort was led by the Department of Architecture of Roma Tre University in partnership with the Onlus Gente d’Africa (who handled the on-the-ground logistics), the Department of Architecture of the University of Florence and the École Supérieure d’Ingénierie, d’Architecture et d’Urbanisme of Bamako, Mali. The practical realization of the project was made possible by Romagna Acque Società delle Fonti Ltd., a water utility supplying drinking water in the Emilia-Romagna region (Italy) that provided the financing as well as the operational contribution of AES Architettura Emergenza Sviluppo, a nonprofit association operating in the depressed areas of the world. The completion of the research project resulted in the replenishment of reservoirs and renewed presence of water in the subsoil of the surrounding areas. Several economic activities such as fishing and rice cultivation have spawned from the availability of water. The monitoring of these results is still ongoing; however, it is already possible to assess some critical issues highlighted, especially with the progress of the COVID-19 pandemic in the research areas.


1997 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 201-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. V. N. Rao ◽  
M. V. Rao ◽  
K. S. Ramasastri ◽  
R. N. P. Singh

The young Himalayas have a serious problem of soil erosion and consequent sedimentation in river reaches downstream. The study revealed the high rates of sedimentation in Chenab basin and its effect on an existing reservoir. Correct estimation of sediment yield at any given point in space and time is of vital importance for water resources development and management. In the present study data of 17 to 27 years were used to develop statistically significant spatial models to estimate sediment yield in the Chenab basin (22,000 km2) using geomorphological, climatic and landuse parameters. The sediment yield was estimated for total and fine sediment for monsoon, premonsoon seasons and the year.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 42
Author(s):  
O. S. Fagundes ◽  
L. C. A. Oliveira ◽  
O. M. Yamashita ◽  
I. V. Silva ◽  
M. A. C. Carvalho ◽  
...  

Water scarcity has become one of the main global problems, since of all the water of the terrestrial surface, only 2.5% represents fresh water, and of this, only 0.3% corresponds to the water of the rivers and lakes that are available to supply the demand for food production and other uses. The present work consisted in surveying the scenario related to the global water crisis and presenting evidence that even Brazil being abundant in the amount of water available, tends to face serious problems because of its scarcity, affecting two of the main economic pillars, agribusiness and industry. It was observed that the main negative effects on water resources occur due to urban occupation and agricultural practices in a disorderly way, causing destruction of natural resources through the discharge of domestic sewage, industrial effluents and agrochemicals. In general, the lack of control of the use of the water directed to the productive processes is one of the major generators of the water shortage, since 69% of the water derived from rivers, lakes and aquifers underground is turned to irrigated agriculture, using 70 times more water than for domestic purposes. Thus, it is necessary to adopt policies aimed at the conservation and efficient use of water resources, to value water as a social, social and environmental good, since their scarcity can generate instability in economic sectors such as agriculture, generating production insecurity in industry, as well as affecting the supply of drinking water, basic sanitation and public health.


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