scholarly journals Water resources management and dynamic changes in water politics in the transboundary river basins of Central Asia

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 3281-3299
Author(s):  
Xuanxuan Wang ◽  
Yaning Chen ◽  
Zhi Li ◽  
Gonghuan Fang ◽  
Fei Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Gini Coefficient ◽  
River Basins ◽  
Cooperative Networks ◽  
Degree Centrality ◽  
Water Politics ◽  
Transboundary River ◽  
Stable Period ◽  
Political Events ◽  
Transboundary River Basins

Abstract. The growing water crisis in Central Asia (CA) and the complex water politics over the region's transboundary rivers have attracted considerable attention; however, they are yet to be studied in depth. Here, we used the Gini coefficient, water political events, and social network analysis to assess the matching degree between water and socio-economic elements and analyze the dynamics of water politics in the transboundary river basins of CA. Results indicate that the mismatch between water and land resources is a precondition for conflict, with the average Gini coefficient between water and population, gross domestic product (GDP), and cropland measuring 0.19 (highly matched), 0.47 (relatively mismatched), and 0.61 (highly mismatched), respectively. Moreover, the Gini coefficient between water and cropland increased by 0.07 from 1997 to 2016, indicating an increasing mismatch. In general, a total of 591 water political events occurred in CA, with cooperation accounting for 89 % of all events. Water events have increased slightly over the past 70 years and shown three distinct stages, namely a stable period (1951–1991), a rapid increase and decline period (1991–2001), and a second stable period (2001–2018). Overall, water conflicts mainly occurred in summer and winter. Among the region's transboundary river basins, the Aral Sea basin experienced the strongest conflicts due to the competitive utilization of the Syr and Amu Darya rivers. Following the collapse of the former Soviet Union, the density of water conflictive and cooperative networks in CA increased by 0.18 and 0.36, respectively. Uzbekistan has the highest degree centrality in the conflictive network (6), while Kazakhstan has the highest degree centrality in the cooperative network (15), indicating that these two countries are the most interconnected with other countries. Our findings suggest that improving the water and land allocation systems and strengthening the water cooperative networks among countries will contribute to the elimination of conflicts and promotion of cooperation in CA.

scholarly journals Water resources management and dynamic changes in water politics in the transboundary river basins of Central Asia

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xuanxuan Wang ◽  
Yaning Chen ◽  
Zhi Li ◽  
Gonghuan Fang ◽  
Fei Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Gini Coefficient ◽  
River Basins ◽  
Dynamic Changes ◽  
Water Politics ◽  
Transboundary River ◽  
Stable Period ◽  
Political Events ◽  
Transboundary River Basins ◽  
Matching Degree

Abstract. The growing water crisis in Central Asia (CA) and the complex water politics of the region's transboundary rivers are a hot topic for research, while the dynamic changes of water politics in CA have yet to be studied in depth. Based on the Gini coefficient, water political events and Social Network Analysis, we assess the matching degree between water and socio-economic elements in CA and analyse the dynamics of water politics in transboundary river basins. Results indicate that the uneven matching degree of water and land resources are the preconditions for conflicts, with the average Gini coefficient between water and population, GDP, and cropland measuring 0.19 (completely matched), 0.47 (reasonably matched) and 0.61 (completely mismatched). Moreover, the Gini coefficient between water and cropland increased by 0.07 over the past two decades, indicating a worsening degree. In general, a total of 591 water political events occurred in CA with cooperation accounting for 89 %. Water events have increased slightly (0.08/a) and shown three distinct stages: a stable period (1951–1991), a rapid increase and decline (1991–2000), and a second stable period (2000–2018). Overall, water conflicts mainly occurred in summer and winter, and the Aral Sea Basin experienced the strongest conflicts of the transboundary river basins due to the competitive utilization of the Syr and Amu Darya rivers. The density of water conflictive and cooperative networks in CA increased by 0.18 and 0.36 following the disintegration of the Soviet Union, and Uzbekistan has highest degree centrality in conflictive network (6) while Kazakhstan has highest in cooperative network (15), indicating that they have more contact with others. The findings suggest that enhancing states' cooperation and trust and seeking support from international organizations will be helpful to eliminate conflicts and strengthen cooperation in CA.

Environmental Water Stress in Transboundary River Basins

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tales Carvalho-Resende
Keyword(s):  
Water Stress ◽  
Surface Water ◽  
Environmental Water ◽  
River Basins ◽  
Water Quantity ◽  
Natural Flow Regime ◽  
Transboundary River ◽  
Transboundary River Basins ◽  
Natural Flow ◽  
Water Uses

The Environmental Water Stress in Transboundary River Basins indicator focuses on the water quantity aspect and considers hydrological alterations from monthly dynamics of the natural flow regime due to anthropogenic water uses and dam operations. For more information, visit: http://twap-rivers.org/ Basin Stress Surface water Transboundary

Gestion des bassins hydrographiques transfrontaliers et institutionnalisation

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 54-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucile Medina
Keyword(s):  
El Salvador ◽  
River Basins ◽  
Border Area ◽  
Logical Approach ◽  
Transboundary River ◽  
Cross Border ◽  
Shared Management ◽  
Transboundary River Basins ◽  
Transboundary Watersheds ◽  
Del Rio

The Grupo Gestor Binacional de la Cuenca del Río Goascorán (GGBCG) was created in 2007 as an original initiative managing a shared basin in the Eastern part of El Salvador-Honduras boundary. In less than twenty years, the issue of confrontation in this border area has led to a logical approach to reconciliation and cooperation through shared management of the Río Goascorán basin. This article analyzes the ways in which the actors involved understand this cooperation. The initiative that is studied is part of a regional context that is of interest for the management of transboundary river basins. Several elements relevant to the analyzed case are addressed, including the difficulty of cross-border action and shared management, the turnover of the actors involved, and the forms of institutionalization on which the management of transboundary watersheds can be based. Spanish Este artículo se interesa en la conformación del Grupo de Gestión Binacional de la Cuenca del Río Goascorán (GGBCG) en el año 2007, como una iniciativa original de gestión de una cuenca compartida en la parte oriental de la frontera Honduras-El Salvador. El artículo muestra cómo en menos de veinte años, la problemática de enfrentamiento en este sector fronterizo dio lugar a una lógica de acercamiento y de cooperación por medio de la gestión compartida de la cuenca del Río Goascorán. También se analizan las formas en que los actores involucrados conciben la cooperación alrededor de la cuenca. El presente artículo resalta varios elementos de reflexión a través del caso analizado: la dificultad de la acción transfronteriza y de la gestión compartida; la renovación de los actores involucrados; así como las formas de institucionalización sobre las cuales puede basarse la gestión de cuencas transfronterizas que invitan a interrogarse sobre la conformación del GGBCG. French Cet article s'intéresse à la constitution depuis 2007 d'un Grupo Gestor Binacional de la Cuenca del Río Goascorán (GGBCG) comme initiative originale de gestion d'un bassin partagé sur la partie orientale de la frontière Honduras-El Salvador. L'article montre comment, en moins de vingt ans, la problématique d'affrontement sur ce secteur frontalier longtemps en litige a laissé la place à une logique de rapprochement et de coopération par le biais de la gestion partagée du bassin du Río Goascorán. Il analyse également les formes sous lesquelles les acteurs impliqués conçoivent la coopération autour du bassin. L'initiative étudiée s'inscrit dans un contexte régional d'intérêt pour la gestion des bassins hydrographiques transfrontaliers. Cet article met en lumière plusieurs éléments de réflexion à travers le cas analysé : la difficulté de l'action transfrontalière et de la gestion partagée ; le renouvellement des acteurs mobilisés ; les formes d'institutionnalisation sur lesquelles peut reposer la gestion de bassins transfrontaliers, que la création du GGBCG invite à interroger.

Do treaties matter? Climate change, water variability, and cooperation along transboundary river basins

2019 ◽  
Vol 69 ◽  
pp. 162-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shlomi Dinar ◽  
David Katz ◽  
Lucia De Stefano ◽  
Brian Blankespoor
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
River Basins ◽  
Transboundary River ◽  
Transboundary River Basins

scholarly journals A coupled modeling framework for sustainable watershed management in transboundary river basins

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (12) ◽  
pp. 6275-6288 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hassaan Furqan Khan ◽  
Y. C. Ethan Yang ◽  
Hua Xie ◽  
Claudia Ringler
Keyword(s):  
River Basin ◽  
Watershed Management ◽  
Water Resource ◽  
Ecosystem Health ◽  
Water System ◽  
River Basins ◽  
System Model ◽  
Transboundary River ◽  
Transboundary River Basins ◽  
Water Uses

Abstract. There is a growing recognition among water resource managers that sustainable watershed management needs to not only account for the diverse ways humans benefit from the environment, but also incorporate the impact of human actions on the natural system. Coupled natural–human system modeling through explicit modeling of both natural and human behavior can help reveal the reciprocal interactions and co-evolution of the natural and human systems. This study develops a spatially scalable, generalized agent-based modeling (ABM) framework consisting of a process-based semi-distributed hydrologic model (SWAT) and a decentralized water system model to simulate the impacts of water resource management decisions that affect the food–water–energy–environment (FWEE) nexus at a watershed scale. Agents within a river basin are geographically delineated based on both political and watershed boundaries and represent key stakeholders of ecosystem services. Agents decide about the priority across three primary water uses: food production, hydropower generation and ecosystem health within their geographical domains. Agents interact with the environment (streamflow) through the SWAT model and interact with other agents through a parameter representing willingness to cooperate. The innovative two-way coupling between the water system model and SWAT enables this framework to fully explore the feedback of human decisions on the environmental dynamics and vice versa. To support non-technical stakeholder interactions, a web-based user interface has been developed that allows for role-play and participatory modeling. The generalized ABM framework is also tested in two key transboundary river basins, the Mekong River basin in Southeast Asia and the Niger River basin in West Africa, where water uses for ecosystem health compete with growing human demands on food and energy resources. We present modeling results for crop production, energy generation and violation of eco-hydrological indicators at both the agent and basin-wide levels to shed light on holistic FWEE management policies in these two basins.

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