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Water shortages worsened by reservoir effects

Author

Listed:
  • Giuliano Di Baldassarre

    (Uppsala University
    Centre of Natural Hazards and Disaster Science, CNDS)

  • Niko Wanders

    (Utrecht University)

  • Amir AghaKouchak

    (University of California, Irvine
    University of California, Irvine)

  • Linda Kuil

    (Vienna University of Technology)

  • Sally Rangecroft

    (University of Birmingham)

  • Ted I. E. Veldkamp

    (Water and Climate Risk Department, VU Amsterdam)

  • Margaret Garcia

    (Arizona State University)

  • Pieter R. van Oel

    (Wageningen University)

  • Korbinian Breinl

    (Uppsala University
    Centre of Natural Hazards and Disaster Science, CNDS)

  • Anne F. Van Loon

    (University of Birmingham)

Abstract

The expansion of reservoirs to cope with droughts and water shortages is hotly debated in many places around the world. We argue that there are two counterintuitive dynamics that should be considered in this debate: supply–demand cycles and reservoir effects. Supply–demand cycles describe instances where increasing water supply enables higher water demand, which can quickly offset the initial benefits of reservoirs. Reservoir effects refer to cases where over-reliance on reservoirs increases vulnerability, and therefore increases the potential damage caused by droughts. Here we illustrate these counterintuitive dynamics with global and local examples, and discuss policy and research implications.

Suggested Citation

  • Giuliano Di Baldassarre & Niko Wanders & Amir AghaKouchak & Linda Kuil & Sally Rangecroft & Ted I. E. Veldkamp & Margaret Garcia & Pieter R. van Oel & Korbinian Breinl & Anne F. Van Loon, 2018. "Water shortages worsened by reservoir effects," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 1(11), pages 617-622, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natsus:v:1:y:2018:i:11:d:10.1038_s41893-018-0159-0
    DOI: 10.1038/s41893-018-0159-0
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    Cited by:

    1. Zhang, Yi & Cheng, Chuntian & Cai, Huaxiang & Jin, Xiaoyu & Jia, Zebin & Wu, Xinyu & Su, Huaying & Yang, Tiantian, 2022. "Long-term stochastic model predictive control and efficiency assessment for hydro-wind-solar renewable energy supply system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 316(C).
    2. Elisa Savelli & Maurizio Mazzoleni & Giuliano Baldassarre & Hannah Cloke & Maria Rusca, 2023. "Urban water crises driven by elites’ unsustainable consumption," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 6(8), pages 929-940, August.
    3. Palomo-Hierro, Sara & Loch, Adam & Pérez-Blanco, C. Dionisio, 2022. "Improving water markets in Spain: Lesson-drawing from the Murray-Darling Basin in Australia," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 259(C).
    4. Barbour, Emily J. & Sarfaraz Gani Adnan, Mohammed & Borgomeo, Edoardo & Paprocki, Kasia & Shah Alam Khan, M. & Salehin, Mashfiqus & W. Hall, Jim, 2022. "The unequal distribution of water risks and adaptation benefits in coastal Bangladesh," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 113320, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    5. Yao Li & Gang Zhao & George H. Allen & Huilin Gao, 2023. "Diminishing storage returns of reservoir construction," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    6. Schmitt, Rafael Jan Pablo & Rosa, Lorenzo, 2024. "Dams for hydropower and irrigation: Trends, challenges, and alternatives," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    7. Paulilo Brasil & Pedro Medeiros, 2020. "NeStRes – Model for Operation of Non-Strategic Reservoirs for Irrigation in Drylands: Model Description and Application to a Semiarid Basin," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 34(1), pages 195-210, January.
    8. Villani, Lorenzo & Castelli, Giulio & Piemontese, Luigi & Penna, Daniele & Bresci, Elena, 2022. "Drought risk assessment in Mediterranean agricultural watersheds: A case study in Central Italy," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 271(C).
    9. Prasad, Pooja & Damani, Om P. & Sohoni, Milind, 2022. "How can resource-level thresholds guide sustainable intensification of agriculture at farm level? A system dynamics study of farm-pond based intensification," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 264(C).
    10. Zhang, Yi & Cheng, Chuntian & Yang, Tiantian & Jin, Xiaoyu & Jia, Zebin & Shen, Jianjian & Wu, Xinyu, 2022. "Assessment of climate change impacts on the hydro-wind-solar energy supply system," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).

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