Water Supply and Scarcity

According to the United Nations, water scarcity is defined as the point at which the aggregate impact of all users impinges on the supply or quality of water. Water scarcity is a relative concept and can occur at any level of supply or demand. Scarcity may be socially-constructed or the consequence of altered supply patterns stemming from climate change. Resources available in this sub-theme include U.S. drought monitoring data, workshops for rural water supply systems, among other resources that support water supply and scarcity.

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Water Supply and Scarcity Resources

Solutions for a Water-Scarce Future

Published: 
October 22, 2013
Xylem, Inc.
Of the many challenges facing cities around the world, water scarcity is one of the most pervasive. Municipal authorities are well aware of the highly visible dangers of floods, mudslides, tsunamis, and storm surges that have captured headlines around the world. But just as dangerous to the future...Read more
Regional focus: 
IndiaSouth East Asia

Water Stress and Changing Hydrology in Glacier-Dependent Countries in Asia

Published: 
June 1, 2013
Skoll Global Threats FundU.S. Agency for International Development
Using data from FAO's global information system on water and agriculture (AQUASAT) and its own population estimates, the World Bank calculated the renewable water resources for 214 countries.Read more
Regional focus: 
South East Asia

USAID Country Profile: Property Rights and Resource Governance: Afghanistan

Published: 
August 26, 2010
U.S. Agency for International Development
Decades of conflict, population displacement within and outside of Afghanistan, changes in national political and economic ideologies, and variable climatic conditions (including drought) have resulted in a complex and unsettled land- ownership and management situation. Land rights are perceived to...Read more
Regional focus: 
AfghanistanSouth East Asia

Predicting Water Availability in Irrigation Tank Cascade Systems: The Cascade Water Balance Model

Published: 
January 1, 2001
U.S. Agency for International Development
This report presents "Cascade", a water balance model that can predict tank water availability in the Thirappane tank cascade system in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. The model determines tank water availability on a daily basis for the purpose of improving productive use of the water...Read more
Regional focus: 
Sri LankaSouth East Asia

Alternate Wet/Dry Irrigation in Rice Cultivation: A Practical Way to Save Water and Control Malaria and Japanese Encephalitis

Published: 
January 1, 2001
U.S. Agency for International Development
Due to increasing scarcity of freshwater resources that are available for irrigated agriculture, in the future it will be necessary to produce more food with less water. More irrigated land is devoted to rice than any other crop. One method to save water in irrigated rice cultivation is the...Read more
Regional focus: 
South East Asia

Basin-Level Use and Productivity of Water: Examples From South Asia

Published: 
January 1, 2001
U.S. Agency for International Development
Improving water productivity, especially by irrigated agriculture, is key to mitigating ongoing problems of water scarcity. This report discusses and illustrates concepts for improving water productivity within basins. Researchers applied a water accounting procedure to four sub-basins in South...Read more
Regional focus: 
South East Asia

A Global Perspective on Water Scarcity/Poverty: Achievements and Challenges for Water Resource Management

Published: 
January 1, 2000
U.S. Agency for International Development
Poverty eradication through sustainable development can be regarded as the central goal of CGIAR, of most agricultural research and development institutions in the developing world, and of the national governments that support their research in regions including sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast AsiaRead more
Regional focus: 
South East Asia

From Bucket to Basin: Managing River Basins to Alleviate Water Deprivation

Published: 
January 1, 2000
U.S. Agency for International Development
Today there are no agreed upon concepts on water poverty alleviation that: define the nature of the problem for poor people; capture the multiple aspects and linkages of poverty and water deprivation in a comprehensive way; analyze the different processes in society that contribute to the problem...Read more
Regional focus: 
South East Asia

Coping with Intermittent Water Supply: Problems and Prospects -- Dehra Dun, Uttar Pradesh, India

Published: 
October 1, 1996
U.S. Agency for International Development
This report summarizes the methodology and results of a water use survey and presents a prefeasibility study of options for improving water quality. The study was based on a random sample of 1,100 households in Dehra Dun in Uttar Pradesh, India, for the purpose of estimating the real costs of an...Read more
Regional focus: 
IndiaSouth East Asia

Water Production Functions as Related to Time and Amount of Irrigation and Rain

Published: 
May 29, 1990
U.S. Agency for International DevelopmentWinrock International
The workshop had the following objectives: 1. Consider the basic processes that determine crop water use and soil water balance characteristics. 2. Discuss the theoretical and experimental methods for evaluation of evapotranspiration (soil evaporation and transpiration). 3. Consider the effect...Read more
Regional focus: 
IndiaSouth East Asia

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