Application of the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) Model to Assess Future Water Demands and Resources in the Olifants Catchment, South Africa

Application of the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) Model to Assess Future Water Demands and Resources in the Olifants Catchment, South Africa PDF Author: Roberto Arranz
Publisher: IWMI
ISBN: 9290906545
Category : Olifants River Watershed (South Africa)
Languages : en
Pages : 104

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Book Description
The Olifants catchment is one of 19 Catchment Management Areas in South Africa. Different water users (i.e., rural, urban, mining, subsistence and commercial irrigated agriculture, commercial forestry, industry and power generation) are present in the catchment. Rising population andincreasing water provision in rural areas, in conjunction with the development of the mining industry, the construction of new power generation plants, the implementation of environmental flows andthe need to meet international flow requirements are going to greatly exacerbate the complexity of future water resources management in what is already a water-stressed catchment. Being able to assess the ability of the catchment to satisfy potential water demands is crucial in order to plan for the future and make wise decisions. In this study, a scenario analysis approach was used in conjunction with the Water Evaluation And Planning model, in order to assess the impacts of possible water demands on the water resources of the Olifants catchment in 2025. Foreach scenario, the water resource implications were compared to a 1995 “baseline.” The model enabled analyses of unmet water demands, streamflows and water storage for each scenario. The model results show that for the different scenarios considered in this study the implementation of the Environmental Reserve (an instream requirement to guarantee the health of the riverine ecosystems) will increase the shortages for other sectors. The construction of the main water storage infrastructure proposed by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, in conjunction with the application of Water Conservation and Demand Management practices, can reduce the unmet demands and shortfalls to levels lower than, or similar to, those experienced in the 1995 baseline. However, in all cases these interventions will be insufficient to completely meet the demands of all the sectors. A tight control of the growth in future demands is essential, although this may be difficult in a rapidly developing country like South Africa.

Application of the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) Model to Assess Future Water Demands and Resources in the Olifants Catchment, South Africa

Application of the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) Model to Assess Future Water Demands and Resources in the Olifants Catchment, South Africa PDF Author: Roberto Arranz
Publisher: IWMI
ISBN: 9290906545
Category : Olifants River Watershed (South Africa)
Languages : en
Pages : 104

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Book Description
The Olifants catchment is one of 19 Catchment Management Areas in South Africa. Different water users (i.e., rural, urban, mining, subsistence and commercial irrigated agriculture, commercial forestry, industry and power generation) are present in the catchment. Rising population andincreasing water provision in rural areas, in conjunction with the development of the mining industry, the construction of new power generation plants, the implementation of environmental flows andthe need to meet international flow requirements are going to greatly exacerbate the complexity of future water resources management in what is already a water-stressed catchment. Being able to assess the ability of the catchment to satisfy potential water demands is crucial in order to plan for the future and make wise decisions. In this study, a scenario analysis approach was used in conjunction with the Water Evaluation And Planning model, in order to assess the impacts of possible water demands on the water resources of the Olifants catchment in 2025. Foreach scenario, the water resource implications were compared to a 1995 “baseline.” The model enabled analyses of unmet water demands, streamflows and water storage for each scenario. The model results show that for the different scenarios considered in this study the implementation of the Environmental Reserve (an instream requirement to guarantee the health of the riverine ecosystems) will increase the shortages for other sectors. The construction of the main water storage infrastructure proposed by the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, in conjunction with the application of Water Conservation and Demand Management practices, can reduce the unmet demands and shortfalls to levels lower than, or similar to, those experienced in the 1995 baseline. However, in all cases these interventions will be insufficient to completely meet the demands of all the sectors. A tight control of the growth in future demands is essential, although this may be difficult in a rapidly developing country like South Africa.

Future Water Demands and Resources in the Olifants Catchment, South Africa

Future Water Demands and Resources in the Olifants Catchment, South Africa PDF Author: Roberto Arranz
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Water management
Languages : en
Pages : 282

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Book Description


Evaluation of historic, current and future water demand in the Olifants River Catchment, South Africa

Evaluation of historic, current and future water demand in the Olifants River Catchment, South Africa PDF Author: McCartney, Matthew P., Arranz, Roberto
Publisher: IWMI
ISBN: 9290906723
Category : Olifants River Watershed (South Africa)
Languages : en
Pages : 51

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Book Description
Water resource development has played a significant role in the expansion of agriculture and industry in the Olifants River Catchment. However, currently water deficit is one of the major constraints hampering development in the catchment; both the mining and agricultural sectors are producing below optimal levels because of their reliance on insufficient supplies. In this study, the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) model was used to evaluate scenarios of historic, current and future water demand in the catchment. For each scenario, the WEAP model was used to simulate demand in five different sectors (rural, urban, mining, commercial forestry and irrigation) over a 70-year period of varying rainfall and hydrology. Levels of assured supply were estimated for each sector and the economic cost of failing to provide water was predicted. For the future scenarios, the impact of infrastructure development and water conservation measures were assessed. The study illustrates how a relatively simple model can provide useful insight for resource planning and management.

Hydrology and water resources development in the Olifants River Catchment

Hydrology and water resources development in the Olifants River Catchment PDF Author: M.P. McCartney
Publisher: IWMI
ISBN: 9290905638
Category : Olifants River Watershed (South Africa)
Languages : en
Pages : 58

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Book Description
The Olifants River is one of the major tributaries of the Limpopo River. Approximately 3,400,000 people live in its catchment and a considerable proportion of South Africa’s mining, power production and agricultural activities are concentrated there. The catchment also encompasses important tourist destinations (e.g., the Kruger National Park). Consequently, in terms of the national economy it is one of the country’s most significant waterways. The catchment is one of the first in South Africa for which a Catchment Mangement Agency (CMA) is planned.

Analysis of Sectoral Water Demands and Optimal Water Allocation in the Middle Olifants Sub-Basin of South Africa: The Case of Mining and Irrigation

Analysis of Sectoral Water Demands and Optimal Water Allocation in the Middle Olifants Sub-Basin of South Africa: The Case of Mining and Irrigation PDF Author: Teresa Walter
Publisher: Cuvillier Verlag
ISBN: 3736935862
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 220

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Book Description


Decision Support Systems for Large Dam Planning and Operation in Africa

Decision Support Systems for Large Dam Planning and Operation in Africa PDF Author: Matthew P. McCartney
Publisher: IWMI
ISBN: 9290906626
Category : Dams
Languages : en
Pages : 52

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Book Description
Supported by many International agencies.

Evaluation of current and future water resources development in the Lake Tana Basin, Ethiopia

Evaluation of current and future water resources development in the Lake Tana Basin, Ethiopia PDF Author: McCartney M. , Alemayehu T. , Shiferaw A. , Awulachew S.
Publisher: IWMI
ISBN: 9290907215
Category : Tana, Lake (Ethiopia)
Languages : en
Pages : 44

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Book Description
Lake Tana, located in the headwaters of the Blue Nile, is valuable for many people including the communities who live around the lakeshore and those who live immediately downstream. The area has been identified as a region for hydropower and irrigation development, vital for economic growth in Ethiopia. A multidisciplinary study was conducted to assess the possible impacts of this development. This study found that current development has benefited some local people but adversely affected others. Future development will exacerbate pressure on the lake. Hard choices must be made about how the water is best utilized. It is important that all stakeholders, including local people, are involved in the decision-making process.

Dams and Development

Dams and Development PDF Author: United Nations Environment Programme. Division of Environmental Policy Implementation. Dams and Development Project
Publisher: UNEP/Earthprint
ISBN: 9789280728163
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 196

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Book Description
This is a compilation of relevant practices of dealing with environmental and social issues during the planning, design and management of dams. The Compendium covers 9 topics selected by the multistakeholder Dams and Development Forum. It discusses the state of the art regarding dealing with the topics around the world. It shows how they are captured by regulatory frameworks and provides a number of examples illustrating how they have been implemented on the ground.--Publisher's description.

Climate change impacts on hydrology and water resources of the Upper Blue Nile River Basin, Ethiopia

Climate change impacts on hydrology and water resources of the Upper Blue Nile River Basin, Ethiopia PDF Author: Kim, U., Kaluarachchi, J. J., Smakhtin, V. U.
Publisher: IWMI
ISBN: 9290906960
Category : Climate change mitigation
Languages : en
Pages : 31

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Book Description
The report evaluates the impacts of climate change on the hydrological regime and water resources of the Blue Nile River Basin in Ethiopia. It starts from the construction of the climate change scenarios based on the outcomes of several general circulation models (GCMs), uses a simple hydrological model to convert theses scenarios into runoff, and examines the impacts by means of a set of indices. The results, however uncertain with existing accuracy of climate models, suggest that the region is likely to have the future potential to produce hydropower, increase flow duration, and increase water storage capacity without affecting outflows to the riparian countries in the 2050s.

Policies, Legislation and Organizations Related to Water in South Africa, with Special Reference to the Olifants River Basin

Policies, Legislation and Organizations Related to Water in South Africa, with Special Reference to the Olifants River Basin PDF Author: H. Thompson
Publisher: IWMI
ISBN: 9290904410
Category : Irrigation
Languages : en
Pages : 94

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Book Description
The study is reported in two Working Papers. Working Paper 17 reports the findings of the HIM exercise. This paper contains the policies, legislation and organizations relevant for understanding of the HIM for the Olifants river basin. It also includes the historical development of the institutional framework in the basin, as this history has left a profound imprint on the South African society at large and is still dictating, in many cases, the interactions between the different organizations. This background on previous and current institutions and policies at the different government levels is used to shed light on the current relationships between different organizations in the basin. Although focusing on the Olifants, the description provided is applicable to the rest of South Africa in broad terms.