Sustainability of water transfer projects: A systematic review

Faúndez, Manuel; Alcayaga, Hernán; Walters, Jeffrey R.; Pizarro, Alonso; Soto, Marco Vinicio Gutiérrez

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160500

Cited by 11 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…According to statistics, there are currently over 160 water transfer projects worldwide [ 8 , 9 ], all of which have played an important role in flood control, alleviating water shortages in various regions. As a major water transfer project in China, the South-to-North Water Diversion Project has transferred 65.4 billion cubic meters of water since the completion of the main construction of the Middle Route Phase I and the Eastern Route, directly benefiting as many as 176 million people and replenished 10 billion cubic meters of water for ecological purposes [ 10 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Study on the methodology of emergency decision-making for water transfer project contingencies: A case-based reasoning and regret theory approach

Li,

Du,

Huang

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

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To tackle the global water imbalance problem, a multitude of inter-basin water transfer projects have been built worldwide in recent decades. Nevertheless, given the complexity and safety challenges associated with project operation, effective emergency decision-making is crucial for addressing unforeseen incidents. Hence, this research has developed a two-stage emergency decision-making framework to tackle the uncertainty in the development trends of emergencies in inter-basin water transfer projects. (1) The first stage mainly utilizes case-based reasoning techniques to extract historical case information and disposal plans for inter-basin water transfer projects. Subsequently, a holistic similarity model is built by employing structural similarity and local attribute similarity algorithms to identify highly similar historical cases. (2) The second stage involves the optimization and adjustment of decision-making plans based on the dynamic evolution characteristics of emergencies. It utilizes the theory of decision-makers regret psychology and combines it with practical case studies to verify the scientific rationality of the method. This enables it to achieve effective multidimensional expression and rapid matching of scenarios, satisfying the decision-making requirements of "scenario response". Finally, this study compares the results obtained from this method with those computed using the traditional TOPSIS method and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method, further validating its feasibility and effectiveness. In practice, this method can provide effective support for decision-makers work.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Study on the methodology of emergency decision-making for water transfer project contingencies: A case-based reasoning and regret theory approach

Li,

Du,

Huang

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

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“…It has been shown that IBWT projects have significantly enhanced the allocation and supply capacity of water resources in the receiving area, effectively mitigated water stress, and ensured the water demand for social and economic development [4][5][6][7]. However, do IBWT projects promote water use efficiency (WUE) in the receiving area?…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This aspect has received limited attention in existing studies because the majority of studies have primarily focused on its effectiveness in alleviating regional water scarcity [8] and associated ecological and environment impacts [9,10]. Some scholars argued that while IBWT projects have effectively alleviated water resource shortage, they do not guarantee the fundamental sustainable utilization of water resources and may even potentially reduce WUE as the scarcity of water resource is no longer a constraint [7]. To achieve sustainable water resource utilization, comprehensive measures must be implemented to manage the transferred areas.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do Water Transfer Projects Promote Water Use Efficiency? Case Study of South-to-North Water Transfer Project in Yellow River Basin of China

Ma,

Wang

2024

Water

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With a huge capital and labor input influx, inter-basin water transfer (IBWT) projects have been shown to effectively mitigate water stress and ensure the water demand for social and economic development in the receiving area. Whether they have promoted the improvement of regional water use efficiency (WUE) is crucial for sustainable management of regional water resources. Targeting the South-to-North Water Transfer Project (SNWTP), the largest and most ambitious inter-basin water transfer project in China, this study establishes quantitatively econometric models to analyze the impact of different water diversion projects, specifically the eastern route of the SNWTP (ER-SNWTP), middle route of the SNWTP (MR-SNWTP), and diversion from the main stream of the Yellow River (DYR), on the regional water consumption per unit of GDP; regional water stress, water use structure, economic structure, and urbanization level are used as control variables in different types of cities in the Yellow River Basin, and some intriguing results are found. While the overall water transfer project demonstrates a positive impact on water use efficiency, the effects of the three water transfer measures vary significantly. The ER-SNWTP does not exhibit a notable positive effect on regional water use efficiency, whereas the MR-SNWTP demonstrates a significant positive impact. Interestingly, the DYR has a notable negative influence on water use efficiency in developed cities. The water use structure, shaped by the pricing, scale, and policies of different projects, emerges as a pivotal factor in explaining these differences. Finally, this paper suggests that the impact of water transfer projects on the improvement of regional water use efficiency be viewed from a more comprehensive and developmental perspective.

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“…For instance, the Quebec Water Transfer Project in Canada has had significant socioenvironmental impacts on Indigenous populations due to displacement and anthropogenic pressure on tribal lands [21]. Furthermore, the implementation of water diversion projects can lead to reduced downstream water flows and altered hydrological conditions, which may have adverse effects on aquatic habitats [22]. For example, the California Water Transfer Project and the Delta Mendota Canal of the Central Valley Project reduced freshwater inflow to San Francisco Bay by 40%, resulting in an 80 km salinity gradient [23].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of Multi-Regional Comprehensive Benefits of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project in China

Yang,

Qin,

Zhu

et al. 2024

Water

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Inter-basin water transfer (IBWT) projects are an effective means of addressing regional water resource imbalances. However, owing to the long construction cycle, large investment amount, and wide impact range, water diversion projects exhibit delayed and complex benefits, often lacking clear comprehension. In this study, we established a multi-regional comprehensive benefit assessment framework for the IBWT, considering spatiotemporal and multi-dimensional value effects. Using the South-to-North Water Diversion Project (SNWDP) in China as an example, we assessed its comprehensive benefits from 2003 to 2020. The results showed that the comprehensive benefits of the project were USD 207 billion, encompassing economic and ecological benefits, accounting for 71.6% and 28.4%, respectively. In 2020, the benefits of the SNWDP amounted to USD 39.3 billion, with a per-unit area benefit range of USD −1.03 to 4.27. The operation of the SNWDP effectively alleviated groundwater overexploitation in water-receiving areas. However, without the SNWDP, the total loss caused by industrial development limitations due to water scarcity would have been USD 154.3 billion. These results indicate the importance of a practical framework for assessing IWBT project benefits, aiding managers in assessment tasks, and facilitating the prediction and adjustment of project benefits.

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Sustainability of water transfer projects: A systematic review

Cited by 11 publications

References 48 publications

Study on the methodology of emergency decision-making for water transfer project contingencies: A case-based reasoning and regret theory approach

Study on the methodology of emergency decision-making for water transfer project contingencies: A case-based reasoning and regret theory approach

Do Water Transfer Projects Promote Water Use Efficiency? Case Study of South-to-North Water Transfer Project in Yellow River Basin of China

Assessment of Multi-Regional Comprehensive Benefits of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project in China

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