Exploring water indices and associated parameters: a case study approach

Abstract

Abstract:In the past twenty years, over 50 water indices have been developed to characterize human-water systems within the frameworks of water scarcity, water poverty, water vulnerability, and water security. This study compares existing water indices in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to better understand which parameters (or lack thereof) contribute to the usefulness of water indices. Drawing on knowledge about humanwater interactions in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, this exploration of indices at the parameter level has highlighted missing parameters, inadequate consideration of complex relationships among parameters, and inconsistencies in index nomenclature and units. This study reveals both the benefits and shortcomings of water indices and provides recommendations for researchers and water managers to consider when selecting indices to assess and support their water policy goals.Additional Information: Question ResponseThe word limit for Water Policy is 9,000 words. Abstract:In the past twenty years, over 50 water indices have been developed to characterize human-water systems within the frameworks of water scarcity, water poverty, water vulnerability, and water security. This study compares existing water indices in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to better understand which parameters (or lack thereof) contribute to the usefulness of water indices. Drawing on knowledge about human-water interactions in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, this exploration of indices at the parameter level has highlighted missing parameters, inadequate consideration of complex relationships among parameters, and inconsistencies in index nomenclature and units. This study reveals both the benefits and shortcomings of water indices and provides recommendations for researchers and water managers to consider when selecting indices to assess and support their water policy goals.

Measuring global water security towards sustainable development goals

“…Unfortunately, human-water systems are traditionally viewed through the lens of physical 'water scarcity' (Gunda et al 2015), either demand driven water scarcity (water stress) or population driven scarcity (water shortage). The demand-driven scarcity is measured by calculating the ratio of estimated annual freshwater demand to availability, with a threshold set exceeding 0.4 (Vörösmarty et al 2005).…”

“…Examples are the water-poverty index (Sullivan 2002), water-vulnerability index (Hamouda et al 2009, Sullivan 2011, Giupponi et al 2013, Aleksandrova et al 2016, and risk index (Gain and Giupponi 2015, Gain et al 2015b. The interactions between humans and water have recently been viewed comprehensively in terms of 'water security' (Gunda et al 2015). Vörösmarty et al (2010) assessed global threats to water security rather than water security per se.…”

Comprehensive Evaluation of Water Resource Security: Case Study from Luoyang City, China

“…At present, academic research of water resource security assessments mainly involves the vulnerability of water resources [15], water poverty indexes [16,17], and water resource carrying capacity [8]. The construction of evaluation indexes has gradually changed from the traditional viewpoint of "water shortages" to the more comprehensive evaluation of water resource security [18,19]. For example, Lautze and Manthrithilake considered five dimensionalities (i.e., basic demand, agricultural production, environment, risk management and independence) in the evaluation of water security in the Asia-Pacific region [20].…”

Natural Capital Accounting Informing Water Management Policies in Europe

“…Besides this, through natural capital accounting, policymakers can evaluate the impact of measures on specific ecosystem services, identify the stakeholders that are affected by water status changes, and assess the unintended consequences of policy responses [141]. In addition to that, environmental indices created to measure the interaction of society to environmental resources [142] such as the water resource vulnerability index [143] can complement the natural capital accounting by deepening our understanding of ecosystem changes [144,145].…”