Water accounting in the Awash River Basin


Book Description

This report provides the water accounting study for Awash River basin in Ethiopia carried out by IHE-Delft using the Water Productivity (WaPOR) data portal of the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). The Awash River Basin is the most utilized river basin in Ethiopia hosting most of the industrial activities in the country, a number of small to large scale irrigation schemes and the main population centres of the country with more than 18.6 million people (2017 estimate). The basin faces high water stress during the peak of the irrigation season and frequent flooding in rainy seasons. The Water Accounting Plus (WA+) system designed by IHE Delft with its partners FAO and IWMI has been applied to gain full insights into the state of the water resources in the basin for the period 2009 to 2018. The WA+ framework is a reporting mechanism for water flows, fluxes and stocks that are summarized by means of WA+ sheets. The role of land use and land cover on producing and consuming water is described explicitly.




Water Accounting in the Litani River Basin


Book Description

This report provides the water accounting study for Litani River basin in Lebanon carried out by IHE Delft using the Water Productivity open data portal (WaPOR) of the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). The Litani River basin is one of the key river basins in Lebanon and it is experiencing water scarcity with annual renewable water resources being 606.9 mm3/yr. With an estimated population of 375 000 in 2010 and doubled by 2016 due to the Syrian refugee crisis, the total per capita water availability is around 800 m3/cap/yr indicating water shortage. Increasing challenges such as growing population, climate change, groundwater over-exploitation and inter-basin transfers have put the available water resources in the basin under stress. The completeness and quality of the hydro-meteorological records are insufficient to draw an appropriate picture of the water resources conditions. However, the Water Accounting Plus (WA+) system designed by IHE Delft with its partners FAO and IWMI has been applied to gain full insights into the state of the water resources in the basin for the period 2010 to 2016. The WA+ framework is a reporting mechanism for water flows, fluxes and stocks that are summarized by means of WA+ sheets.




WATER ACCOUNTING FOR WATER GOVERNANCE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT


Book Description

There is growing interest in water accounting, why it is needed, what benefits it brings, and equally important, how it can be put into practice. Water accounting is not a new idea, yet it is an alarmingly simple one. It is about quantifying water resources and uses of water, much like financial accounts provide information on income and expenditure. Interest in water accounting is based on the premise that ‘We cannot plan and manage what we do not measure’ – a statement that few would disagree with. However, given the current focus on water as a precious and limiting resource, the risks of extreme floods and droughts, and water’s central role in the 2030 Agenda, it is difficult to understand why so little attention is given to water accounting and to making sure we have enough water. Indeed, estimates suggest that by 2050, if we continue with our current approach to water management, global water demand will exceed supply by over 40%, which would put at risk 45% of global GDP, 52% of the world’s population, and 40% of grain production (WWDR, 2016). This concern is supported by the World Economic Forum that consistently ranks water crises as a top global risk (WEF, 2015). Reports from South Africa (January 2018) suggesting that Cape Town may be the world’s first major city to face the prospect of running out of water following severe drought, is a timely ‘wake-up call’ for everyone to focus on accounting for water.




OECD Studies on Water Water Resources Allocation Sharing Risks and Opportunities


Book Description

Capturing information from 27 OECD countries and key partner economies, the report presents key findings from the OECD Survey of Water Resources Allocation and case studies of successful allocation reform.




System of Environmental-economic Accounting for Water


Book Description

The System of Environmental-Economic Accounting for Water, commonly referred to as SEEA-Water, is a conceptual framework for the organization of physical and economic information, developed with the purpose of providing an integrated conceptual framework to support water policy design and evaluation. It uses concepts, definitions and classifications coherent with those of the System of National Accounts. SEEA-Water is a subsystem of the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting (SEEA), which provides internationally agreed standards for the compilation of measures about the environment and its interactions with the economy. After a rigorous consultation process, SEEA-Water was adopted in 2007 by the United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC). Part I of SEEA-Water has been adopted as an interim international statistical standard subject to re-evaluation when the SEEA is adopted as an international statistical standard.




The Niger River Basin


Book Description

The Niger River Basin, home to 100 million people, is a vital yet complex asset for West and Central Africa. It is the continent's third largest river basin, traversing nine countries -Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, C©þte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria. The River embodies both these nations' livelihoods and their geopolitics. It is not simply water but rather an origin of identity, a route for migration and commerce, a source of conflict, and a catalyst for cooperation. Cooperation among decision-makers and users is crucial to address the threats to water resources. The Niger.




Water accounting in the Niger River Basin


Book Description

The Niger River Basin is a transboundary basin covering nine riparian countries to the Niger River that are increasingly putting pressure on the available water resources as their populations expand. Yet, the nine countries are also among the poorest in the world and adequate exploitation of the water of the basin could be part of a broader strategy for poverty reduction in these countries. Major challenges to that end are the lacking water infrastructure and growing vulnerability to extreme weather hazards as the climate changes. In that context, a better understanding of the state of water resources in the basin is a crucial departure point for any measures towards the sustainable use of water. The Water Accounting Plus (WA+) system designed by IHE Delft with its partners FAO and IWMI has been applied to gain full insights into the state of the water resources in the basin.




Water accounting in the Nile River Basin


Book Description

This report describes the water accounting study for the Nile River Basin carried out by IHE-Delft using the Water Productivity (WaPOR) data portal of the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). The Nile River Basin faces a huge challenge in terms of water security. With an expected doubling of the population in the basin in the next twenty-five years, water supply in the basin will be further depleted as demands for agriculture, domestic and industry continues to grow. Water availability in the basin will also be threatened by climate change and variability and pollution from increased agricultural and industrial activities and from urban areas. However with limited up-to-date ground observations, in terms of duration, completeness, and quality of the hydro-meteorological records it is difficult to draw an appropriate picture of the water resources conditions. The Water Accounting Plus (WA+) system designed by IHE Delft with its partners FAO and IWMI has been applied to gain full insights into the state of the water resources in the basin.




Integrated Water Resources Management: A Systems Perspective of Water Governance and Hydrological Conditions


Book Description

This thesis presents analysis of the status of IWRM implementation along with the challenges with regards to policy and institutional measures as well as the required basin information and management instruments. The research entailed a detailed analysis of water resources systems based on a case study from the Awash River Basin in Ethiopia, covering the historical and present state of the challenges and gaps in policies, institutional arrangements and management instruments. The status quo of practical water management, implications of plausible management alternatives in terms of their impact to future water availability, demand fulfilment, patterns of use, and sustainability of the environment were examined. Moreover, the interlinkages and dynamics between key water dependent resources sectors, broadly categorized into water, energy, food, and ecosystems (WEFE) was explored to identify key tradeoffs and synergies. This was deliberated as to improving the synchronization of sectoral plans and resources management programs, thereby fast-tracking the coordination process in IWRM. Overall, the research provides a clearer understanding of the system-wide problems, structural challenges and possible future consequences regarding the management and sustainability of the entire water resource system. Ultimately the purpose is to set in motion new strategies and mechanisms to improve the implementation of the currently applied IWRM framework in the context of the SDGs.




Water accounting & auditing guidelines


Book Description

In many regions of the world, sustainable and reliable delivery of water services has become increasingly complex and problematic. Complexities that are very likely to increase, considering the unprecedented confluence of pressures linked to demographic, economic, dietary trends, and climate change. Particularly if overall demand for freshwater exceeds supply, the delivery of water services is often less about engineering, although engineering is still required, and more about politics, governa nce, managing and protecting sources, resolving conflicts about water, ensuring rights to water are respected, and so on. It is also about understanding and monitoring the hydrological cycle at the appropriate scale of analysis. This is where water accounting and auditing can play a crucial role. The rationale behind this water accounting and auditing sourcebook is that scope exists worldwide to improve water-related sectoral and inter-sectoral decision-making at local, regional and national le vels. Water accounting and auditing are recommended by FAO and others as being fundamental to initiatives that aim to cope with water scarcity. This sourcebook aims to provide practical advice on the application and use of water accounting and auditing, helping users planning and implementing processes that best fit their needs.