Your search found 14 records
1 Gill, T.; Ruff, J.; Ward, J.. 2000. Development of water management software tools for Julesburg Irrigation District. In Davids, G. G.; Anderson, S. S. (Eds.), Benchmarking irrigation system performance using water measurement and water balances: Proceedings from the 1999 USCID Water Management Conference, San Luis Obispo, California, March 10-13, 1999. Denver, CO, USA: USCID. pp.157-166.
Water management ; Computer software ; Computer techniques ; Water delivery / USA / Colorado / Julesburg / South Platte River
(Location: IWMI-HQ Call no: 631.7.1 G000 DAV Record No: H027953)
2 Dillon, P.; Pavelic, P.; Page, D.; Beringen, H.; Ward, J.. 2009. Managed aquifer recharge: an introduction. Canberra, Australia: National Water Commission. 65p. (Waterlines Report Series 13)
Aquifers ; Recharge ; Water storage ; Recycling ; Water resource management ; Water governance ; Urban areas ; Rural areas ; Water supply ; Development projects / Australia
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H042544)
(2.29 MB)
This document summarises at an introductory level the relevant information needed to consider managed aquifer recharge (MAR), alongside other better-known alternatives, as a prospective new water supply for drinking or non-potable uses. It contains information on economics of MAR and some governance issues that has not previously been published. The document outlines the opportunities that MAR may provide, primarily for cities but also in rural and regional areas. It does not attempt to describe the many technical issues that are covered in the scientific literature accessible from the sources referenced here.
3 Dillon, P.; Gale, I.; Contreras, S.; Pavelic, Paul; Evans, R.; Ward, J.. 2009. Managing aquifer recharge and discharge to sustain irrigation livelihoods under water scarcity and climate change. In Bloschl, G.; van de Giesen, N.; Muralidharan, D.; Ren, L.; Seyler, F.; Sharma, U.; Vrba, J. (Eds.). Improving integrated surface and groundwater resources management in a vulnerable and changing world: proceedings of Symposium JS.3 at the Joint Convention of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS) and the International Association of Hydrogeologists (IAH), Hyderabad, India, 6-12 September 2009. Wallingford, UK: International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS). pp.1-12. (IAHS Publication 330)
Hydrogeology ; Water scarcity ; Aquifers ; Groundwater recharge ; Climate change ; Water supply ; Case studies ; Farmer-led irrigation ; Farmer managed irrigation systems / Australia / India / Philippines / Queensland / Angas-Bremer Rivers / Adelaide / Tamil Nadu / Andhra Pradesh / Gujarat / Ilocos Norte
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H042539)
http://ks360352.kimsufi.com/redbooks/a330/iahs_330_0001.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H042539.pdf
https://vlibrary.iwmi.org/pdf/H042539.pdf
(0.54 MB)
Decreasing mean annual rainfall, and the increasing rainfall intensity, temperature and evaporation, forecast for semi-arid parts of the world where water supplies are already stressed will require storage capacity to be increased or more stable resources to be harnessed to maintain security of water supplies at current levels. Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) to enhance below-ground storage of water is considered a positive contribution to stabilising drinking water supplies in cities subject to climate change. However, this paper shows that in rural irrigation areas where groundwater levels are already dropping due to an imbalance between extraction and natural recharge, unless favourable conditions permit sufficient recharge enhancement, MAR will need to be supplemented by discharge management to be successful in sustaining irrigation supplies. In fractured rock aquifers with low storage capacity, the symptoms of excessive demand are accelerated. In some cases MAR may give false hope where the benefits only accrue to the wealthiest landholders with deepest wells, or landholders closest to recharge facilities. This paper contains theoretical examples and case studies from Australia and India to illustrate a spectrum of approaches involving different contributions of recharge enhancement and discharge management to reduce groundwater deficits. A model for farmer-led groundwater demand management in the Philippines is anticipated to be effective in constraining consumption and preventing coastal saline intrusion in northern Luzon where aquifers are at an early stage of development. Similarly, models are proposed to reduce demand on aquifers that are already showing advanced symptoms of stress, while equitably supporting livelihoods at their maximum sustainable value.
4 Ogilvie, A.; Mahe, G.; Ward, J.; Serpantie, G.; Lemoalle, J.; Morand, P.; Barbier, B.; Diop, A. T.; Caron, A.; Namarra, Regassa; Kaczan, D.; Lukasiewicz, A.; Paturel, J-E.; Lienou, G.; Clanet, J. C. 2010. Water, agriculture and poverty in the Niger River Basin. Water International, 35(5):594-622. (Special Issue on "Water, Food and Poverty in River Basins, Part 1" with contributions by IWMI authors). [doi: https://doi.org/ 10.1080/02508060.2010.515545]
River basins ; Climate ; Water resource management ; Water availability ; Water productivity ; Irrigated farming ; Rainfed farming ; Institutions ; Livestock ; Fisheries ; Poverty ; Water poverty / West Africa / Nigeria / Mali / Niger / Burkina Faso / Ivory Coast / Niger River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: PER Record No: H043335)
(6.38 MB)
Livelihoods in the Niger River basin rely mainly on rainfed agriculture, except in the dry extreme north. Low yields and water productivity result from low inputs, short growing seasons, dry spells, and excessive water. The overlap of traditional and modern rules impedes secure access to water and investments in agriculture by generating uncertain land tenure. Improved agriculture and water management require technical, sociological, and regulatory changes to address the wider causes of poverty. Illiteracy and poor water quality, both correlated with high infant mortality, are pressing problems. Rapidly increasing population, climatic changes and dam construction contribute to rural vulnerability.
5 Kemp-Benedict, E.; Cook, S.; Allen, S. L.; Vosti, S.; Lemoalle, J.; Giordano, Mark; Ward, J.; Kaczan, D. 2011. Connections between poverty, water and agriculture: evidence from 10 river basins. Water International, 36(1):125-140. (Special issue on "Water, food and poverty in river basins, Part 2: Cross-basin analysis and synthesis" with contributions by IWMI authors). [doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/02508060.2011.541015]
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: PER Record No: H043965)
(0.27 MB)
The authors analysed livelihood conditions in 10 river basins over three continents to identify generalizable links between water, agriculture and poverty. There were signi cant variations in hydrological conditions, livelihood strategies and institutions across basins, but also systematic patterns across levels of economic development. At all levels, access to water is in uenced by local, regional or national institutions, while the importance of national versus local institutions and livelihood strategies vary with economic development. The cross-basin analysis suggests a framework for thinking about ater–agriculture–poverty links that can inform future research and policy development.
6 Ogilvie, A.; Mahe, G.; Ward, J.; Serpantie, G.; Lemoalle, J.; Morand, P.; Barbier, B.; Diop, A. T.; Caron, A.; Namara, Regassa; Kaczan, D.; Lukasiewicz, A.; Paturel, J.-E.; Lienou, G.; Clanet, J. C. 2012. Water, agriculture and poverty in the Niger River Basin. In Fisher, M.; Cook, Simon (Eds.). Water, food and poverty in river basins: defining the limits. London, UK: Routledge. pp.131-159.
Water management ; River Basins ; Agricultural production ; Rainfed farming ; Irrigated farming ; Poverty ; Social aspects ; Living conditions ; Indicators ; Water productivity ; Water availability ; Rain ; Mapping ; Agroclimatic zones ; Land tenure ; Livestock ; Fisheries ; Corporate culture / West Africa / Niger River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H044842)
(2.24 MB)
7 Kemp-Benedict, E.; Cook, Simon; Allen, S. L.; Vosti, S.; Lemoalle, J.; Giordano, Mark; Ward, J.; Kaczan, D. 2012. Connections between poverty, water and agriculture: evidence from 10 river basins. In Fisher, M.; Cook, Simon (Eds.). Water, food and poverty in river basins: defining the limits. London, UK: Routledge. pp.363-378.
Poverty ; Water poverty ; Water scarcity ; Water productivity ; Agriculture ; River basin development ; Social aspects ; Living conditions ; Hydrology ; Economic development ; Institutions / South America / Asia / Africa / Iran / Limpopo River Basin / Niger River Basin / Nile River Basin / Volta River Basin / Ganges River Basin / Karkeheh River Basin / Mekong River Basin / Yellow River Basin / Andes River Basins
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H044851)
(1.19 MB)
8 Qureshi, M. E.; Hanjra, Munir A.; Ward, J.. 2013. Impact of water scarcity in Australia on global food security in an era of climate change. Food Policy, 38:136-145. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2012.11.003]
Water scarcity ; Food security ; Climate change ; Drought ; Irrigated farming ; Wheat ; Rice ; Agricultural production ; Exports ; Food prices ; Water use ; Water allocation ; Land use ; River basins ; Models ; Policy / Australia / Murray–Darling Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H046016)
(0.57 MB)
Australia is a major food exporting country. Recent droughts reduced dryland farming production and the volume of water allocated to irrigated agriculture, with a resulting decline in aggregate agricultural production and exports. This paper analyses the possible impact of increased water scarcity on Australian agricultural production and the magnitude of subsequent impacts on global food security. Using the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data on land and water use coupled with a hydro-economic stochastic modelling approach, the impacts of reduced agricultural production in the southern Murray–Darling Basin, and more generally for Australia, are analysed. Changes in agricultural activity, reduction in agricultural exports and altered composition of products exported attributed to the severe 2000–2009 drought are also analysed to highlight the implications for global food security. The impact of climate change on food production is examined. The analysis shows that climate change, when modelled as the extreme case, along with other factors such as land use, will impact Australian food exports. Despite its relatively small contribution to total global food supply, Australia’s contribution to international trade in wheat, meat and dairy products is substantial and could affect global food prices. Furthermore, Australia’s agricultural exports are of disproportionate importance within the South- and South–East Asian and Oceania region, both in terms of volume and for strategic reasons. Adaptation along with investment in agriculture production is needed to maintain Australian agricultural production and enhance global food security.
9 Maheshwari, B.; Varua, M.; Ward, J.; Packham, R.; Chinnasamy, Pennan; Dashora, Y.; Dave, S.; Soni, P.; Dillon, P.; Purohit, R.; Hakimuddin; Shah, Tushaar; Oza, S.; Singh, P.; Prathapar, Sanmugam; Patel, A.; Jadeja, Y.; Thaker, B.; Kookana, R.; Grewal, H.; Yadav, K.; Mittal, H.; Chew, M.; Rao, P. 2014. The role of transdisciplinary approach and community participation in village scale groundwater management: insights from Gujarat and Rajasthan, India. Water, 6(11):3386-3408. [doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/w6113386]
Community involvement ; Groundwater management ; Groundwater recharge ; Water table ; Water use ; Sustainability ; Watersheds ; Rain ; Villages ; Farmers ; Households ; Living standards ; Socioeconomic environment ; Gender / India / Gujarat / Rajasthan / Meghraj watershed / Dharta watershed
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H046716)
(1.38 MB) (1.39 MB)
Sustainable use of groundwater is becoming critical in India and requires effective participation from local communities along with technical, social, economic, policy and political inputs. Access to groundwater for farming communities is also an emotional and complex issue as their livelihood and survival depends on it. In this article, we report on transdisciplinary approaches to understanding the issues, challenges and options for improving sustainability of groundwater use in States of Gujarat and Rajasthan, India. In this project, called Managed Aquifer Recharge through Village level Intervention (MARVI), the research is focused on developing a suitable participatory approach and methodology with associated tools that will assist in improving supply and demand management of groundwater. The study was conducted in the Meghraj watershed in Aravalli district, Gujarat, and the Dharta watershed in Udaipur district, Rajasthan, India. The study involved the collection of hydrologic, agronomic and socio-economic data and engagement of local village and school communities through their role in groundwater monitoring, field trials, photovoice activities and education campaigns. The study revealed that availability of relevant and reliable data related to the various aspects of groundwater and developing trust and support between local communities, NGOs and government agencies are the key to moving towards a dialogue to decide on what to do to achieve sustainable use of groundwater. The analysis of long-term water table data indicated considerable fluctuation in groundwater levels from year to year or a net lowering of the water table, but the levels tend to recover during wet years. This provides hope that by improving management of recharge structures and groundwater pumping, we can assist in stabilizing the local water table. Our interventions through Bhujal Jankaars (BJs), (a Hindi word meaning “groundwater informed” volunteers), schools, photovoice workshops and newsletters have resulted in dialogue within the communities about the seriousness of the groundwater issue and ways to explore options for situation improvement. The BJs are now trained to understand how local recharge and discharge patterns are influenced by local rainfall patterns and pumping patterns and they are now becoming local champions of groundwater and an important link between farmers and project team. This study has further strengthened the belief that traditional research approaches to improve the groundwater situation are unlikely to be suitable for complex groundwater issues in the study areas. The experience from the study indicates that a transdisciplinary approach is likely to be more effective in enabling farmers, other village community members and NGOs to work together with researchers and government agencies to understand the groundwater situation and design interventions that are holistic and have wider ownership. Also, such an approach is expected to deliver longer-term sustainability of groundwater at a regional level.
10 Jadeja, Y.; Maheshwari, B.; Packham, R.; Hakimuddin; Purohit, R.; Thaker, B.; Goradiya, V.; Oza, S.; Dave, S.; Soni, P.; Dashora, Y.; Dashora, R.; Shah, Tushaar; Gorsiya, J.; Katara, P.; Ward, J.; Kookana, R.; Dillon, P.; Prathapar, Sanmugam; Chinnasamy, Pennan; Varua, M. 2015. Participatory groundwater management at village level in India – empowering communities with science for effective decision making. Paper Presented at the Australian Groundwater Conference 2015, Canberra, Australia, 3-5 November 2015. 20p.
Participatory approaches ; Groundwater management ; Water resources ; Watersheds ; Rural communities ; Villages ; Empowerment ; Decision making ; Drinking water ; Capacity building ; Hydrogeology ; Training ; Land resources ; Stakeholders ; Mapping / India / Gujarat / Rajasthan
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047332)
(0.68 MB)
There are many reasons behind the worsening groundwater situation that have led to a scarcity of quality water supply for sustaining lives and livelihoods in India, as well as in other parts of the world. The lack of a proper scientific understanding of this situation by the various stakeholders has been identified as one of the important gaps in the sustainable management of groundwater. This paper shares experiences from Gujarat and Rajasthan in western India where scientists, NGOs, government agencies and village leaders have worked together to explore strategies for sustainable groundwater management. The study involved a total of eleven villages in Gujarat and Rajasthan, India. The study’s main aim was to educate these communities through an intensive capacity building of (mainly) rural youth, called Bhujal Jaankars (BJs), a Hindi word meaning ‘groundwater informed’. The BJs were trained in their local settings through relevant theory and practical exercises, so that they could perform a geo-hydrological evaluation of their area, monitor groundwater and share their findings and experiences with their village community. The BJs went through a training program of a series of sessions totalling 45-days that covered mapping, land and water resource analysis, geo-hydrology, and water balance analysis, and finally groundwater management strategies. This approach has highlighted important learning that can be replicated in other parts of the two states and beyond. There are now 35 trained BJs who regularly monitor groundwater and rainfall in the two study watersheds, and provide data to both scientific and their own rural communities. This study has demonstrated that BJ capacity building has helped to provide a scientific basis for village level groundwater dialogue. This is now leading the communities and other stakeholders to improve their decision making regarding groundwater use, crop selection, agronomy, recharge strategies and other aspects of sustainable groundwater management. Although the BJ program has been successful and BJs can act as a valuable interface between local communities and other stakeholders, there still exists some challenges to the BJ programme, such as the need for mechanisms and funding sources that will sustain the BJs over the longer term; wider acceptance of BJs among scientific communities and policy makers; and the acceptance of the role and involvements of BJs in natural resources management programs of the State and Central governments in India.
11 Varua, M. E.; Ward, J.; Maheshwari, B.; Ozac, S.; Purohit, R.; Hakimuddin; Chinnasamy, Pennan. 2016. Assisting community management of groundwater: irrigator attitudes in two watersheds in Rajasthan and Gujarat, India. Journal of Hydrology, 537:171-186. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2016.02.003]
Community management ; Groundwater management ; Groundwater recharge ; Water use ; Watershed management ; Water availability ; Water use ; Living standards ; Aquifers ; Irrigation ; Sustainability ; Institutions ; Farming systems ; Farmers ; Households ; Income ; Poverty ; Agriculture ; Land ownership / India / Rajasthan / Gujarat / Meghraj Watershed / Dharta Watershed
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047490)
(1.82 MB)
The absence of either state regulations or markets to coordinate the operation of individual wells has focussed attention on community level institutions as the primary loci for sustainable groundwater management in Rajasthan and Gujarat, India. The reported research relied on theoretical propositions that livelihood strategies, groundwater management and the propensity to cooperate are associated with the attitudinal orientations of well owners in the Meghraj and Dharta watersheds, located in Gujarat and Rajasthan respectively. The research tested the hypothesis that attitudes to groundwater management and farming practices, household income and trust levels of assisting agencies were not consistent across the watersheds, implying that a targeted approach, in contrast to default uniform programs, would assist communities craft rules to manage groundwater across multiple hydro-geological settings. Hierarchical cluster analysis of attitudes held by survey respondents revealed four statistically significant discrete clusters, supporting acceptance of the hypothesis. Further analyses revealed significant differences in farming practices, household wealth and willingness to adapt across the four groundwater management clusters. In conclusion, the need to account for attitudinal diversity is highlighted and a framework to guide the specific design of processes to assist communities craft coordinating instruments to sustainably manage local aquifers described.
12 Ward, J.; Varua, M. E.; Maheshwari, B.; Oza, S.; Purohit, R.; Hakimuddin; Dave, S. 2016. Exploring the relationship between subjective wellbeing and groundwater attitudes and practices of farmers in rural India. Journal of Hydrology, 540:1-16. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2016.05.037]
Groundwater management ; Farmers attitudes ; Living standards ; Social welfare ; Watersheds ; Irrigation practices ; Aquifers ; Recharge ; Community organizations ; Rural areas ; Villages ; Households ; Human behaviour ; Participatory approaches ; Statistical methods / India / Gujarat / Rajasthan / Meghraj Watershed / Dharta Watershed
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H047716)
(1.85 MB)
Failure to effectively coordinate opportunistic extractions by individual well owners with groundwater recharge has led to increasing Indian groundwater scarcity, affecting future opportunities for improved rural livelihoods and household wellbeing. Investigation of the relationship between groundwater institutions, management attitudes and subjective wellbeing of Indian rural households has substantial potential to reveal initiatives that jointly improve aquifer sustainability and household wellbeing, yet has received limited attention. Subjective wellbeing was calculated as an index of dissatisfaction (IDS), revealing ranked importance and the level of dissatisfaction of individual factors selected from economic, environmental and social/relational wellbeing dimensions. High economic and environmental IDS scores were calculated for respondents in the Meghraj and Dharta watersheds, India, respectively. We tested an exploratory hypothesis that observed IDS differences were correlated with differences in life circumstances, (household attributes, income and assets) and psychological disposition (life guiding values and willingness to adapt). The distribution of ranked IDS wellbeing scores was estimated across four statistically distinct clusters reflecting attitudes towards sustainable groundwater management and practice. Decision tree analysis identified significantly different correlates of overall wellbeing specific to cluster membership and the watershed, supporting the research hypothesis. High income IDS scores were weakly correlated with actual total household income (r < 0.25) consistent with international studies. The results suggest a singular reliance on initiatives to improve household income is unlikely to manifest as improved individual subjective wellbeing for the Dharta and Meghraj watersheds. In conclusion, correlates were tabulated into a systematic decision framework to assist the design of participatory processes at the village level, by targeting specific factors likely to jointly improve aquifer sustainability and household wellbeing.
13 Smajgl, A.; Ward, J.. 2017. Dynamic, cross-sectoral analysis of the water-energy-food nexus: investigating an emerging paradigm. In Salam, P. A.; Shrestha, S.; Pandey, V. P.; Anal, A. K. (Eds.). Water-energy-food nexus: principles and practices. Indianapolis, IN, USA: Wiley. pp.31-41.
Water resources ; Energy resources ; Energy demand ; Food resources ; Food security ; Nexus ; Investment ; Natural resources / Southeast Asia / China / Myanmar / Lao People's Democratic Republic / Thailand / Cambodia / Vietnam / Mekong River Basin
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: IWMI Record No: H048735)
14 Jadeja, J.; Maheshwari, B.; Packham, R.; Bohra, H.; Purohit, R.; Thaker, B.; Dillon, P.; Oza, S.; Dave, S.; Soni, P.; Dashora, Y.; Dashora, R.; Shah, Tushaar [IWMI]; Gorsiya, J.; Katara, P.; Ward, J.; Kookana, R.; Singh, P. K.; Chinnasamy, Pennan; Goradiya, V.; Prathapar, Sanmugam; Varua, M.; Chew, M. 2018. Managing aquifer recharge and sustaining groundwater use: developing a capacity building program for creating local groundwater champions. Sustainable Water Resources Management, 4(2):317-329. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40899-018-0228-6]
Groundwater management ; Groundwater extraction ; Groundwater recharge ; Groundwater development ; Water use ; Water quality ; Water availability ; Water resources ; Water management ; Water levels ; Aquifers ; Monitoring ; Capacity building ; Sustainability ; Training ; Villages ; Rural communities ; Stakeholders ; Farmers ; Participatory approaches ; Cooperatives / India
(Location: IWMI HQ Call no: e-copy only Record No: H048906)
Participatory groundwater management is increasingly being recognised for its ability to address the challenges of equity, efficiency and sustainability. It can particularly help with effective engagement at the grassroots level for monitoring, recharging and managing the groundwater as a common pool resource. The main aim of this article is to discuss the training and management process used and the lessons learnt from a participatory groundwater management project, titled Managing Aquifer Recharge and Sustainable Groundwater Use through Village-level Intervention (MARVI). In this project, researchers, rural development facilitators and local villagers worked together to initiate participatory groundwater monitoring in 11 villages from the Dharta and Meghraj watersheds in Rajasthan and Gujarat, India. The study involved educating villagers through an intensive program of capacity building, wherein the villagers who participated in the program were called Bhujal Jaankars (BJs), a Hindi word meaning ‘groundwater informed’. The BJs were trained in their local settings through relevant theory and practical exercises, so that they could perform a geo-hydrological evaluation of their area, monitor groundwater and share their findings and experiences with their village community. The study has highlighted that with a well-designed program of capacity building and on-going support through training and nurturing, BJs can play an important role in monitoring watertable depth and other data for estimating groundwater recharge, leading to a sharing of the groundwater information with the local village community to influence the sustainable use of groundwater. Overall they can act as local champions for groundwater futures. Further, this study has demonstrated that BJ capacity building can help to provide a scientific basis for village level groundwater dialogue and assist village communities and other stakeholders to improve their decision making regarding groundwater use, crop selection, agronomy, recharge strategies and other aspects of sustainable groundwater management. Although the BJ program has been successful and BJs can act as a valuable interface between local communities and other stakeholders managed aquifer recharge activities, there still exists some challenges to the BJ programme, such as the need for mechanisms and funding sources that will sustain the BJs over the longer term; wider acceptance of BJs among scientific communities and policy makers; and the acceptance of the role and involvements of BJs in natural resources management programs of the State and Central governments in India.
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