Evaluation of water demand scenarios for the Olifants River catchment, South Africa

Water resource development has played a key role in the expansion of agriculture, mining and industry in the Olifants River catchment, but the colonial and apartheid regimes have left a legacy of inequity. Currently water deficit is one of the major constraints hampering further development and dema...

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Main Authors: McCartney, Matthew P., Arranz, Roberto
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: 2009
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/40635
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author McCartney, Matthew P.
Arranz, Roberto
author_browse Arranz, Roberto
McCartney, Matthew P.
author_facet McCartney, Matthew P.
Arranz, Roberto
author_sort McCartney, Matthew P.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Water resource development has played a key role in the expansion of agriculture, mining and industry in the Olifants River catchment, but the colonial and apartheid regimes have left a legacy of inequity. Currently water deficit is one of the major constraints hampering further development and demand for water continues to grow. Against this background, the Water Evaluation And Planning model was used to provide a preliminary assessment of both the current situation and three plausible future scenarios. For each scenario the model was used to simulate water-use in five sectors (i.e., rural, urban, mining, irrigation and commercial forestry) over a 70-year period of varying rainfall and flow. Levels of assured supply were estimated and the economic cost of failing to supply water was predicted. Current shortfalls are estimated to be costing between US$ 6 and 50 million per year, depending on rainfall and, hence, river flows. If increases in demand are not checked this will increase significantly. Under a high demand scenario, the economic benefits increase greatly but, even with infrastructure development and improvements in demand management, the economic cost of insufficient water supply rises to US$ 10.5 million in most years and, in exceptionally dry years, up to US$ 312 million.
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spelling CGSpace406352023-09-23T17:51:47Z Evaluation of water demand scenarios for the Olifants River catchment, South Africa McCartney, Matthew P. Arranz, Roberto water demand evaluation river basin management water resource management river basins catchment areas infrastructure simulation models water use multiple use economic analysis water allocation water supply Water resource development has played a key role in the expansion of agriculture, mining and industry in the Olifants River catchment, but the colonial and apartheid regimes have left a legacy of inequity. Currently water deficit is one of the major constraints hampering further development and demand for water continues to grow. Against this background, the Water Evaluation And Planning model was used to provide a preliminary assessment of both the current situation and three plausible future scenarios. For each scenario the model was used to simulate water-use in five sectors (i.e., rural, urban, mining, irrigation and commercial forestry) over a 70-year period of varying rainfall and flow. Levels of assured supply were estimated and the economic cost of failing to supply water was predicted. Current shortfalls are estimated to be costing between US$ 6 and 50 million per year, depending on rainfall and, hence, river flows. If increases in demand are not checked this will increase significantly. Under a high demand scenario, the economic benefits increase greatly but, even with infrastructure development and improvements in demand management, the economic cost of insufficient water supply rises to US$ 10.5 million in most years and, in exceptionally dry years, up to US$ 312 million. 2009 2014-06-13T14:48:05Z 2014-06-13T14:48:05Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/40635 en Limited Access McCartney, Matthew; Arranz, R. 2009. Evaluation of water demand scenarios for the Olifants River catchment, South Africa. International Journal of River Basin Management, 7(4):379-390.
spellingShingle water demand
evaluation
river basin management
water resource management
river basins
catchment areas
infrastructure
simulation models
water use
multiple use
economic analysis
water allocation
water supply
McCartney, Matthew P.
Arranz, Roberto
Evaluation of water demand scenarios for the Olifants River catchment, South Africa
title Evaluation of water demand scenarios for the Olifants River catchment, South Africa
title_full Evaluation of water demand scenarios for the Olifants River catchment, South Africa
title_fullStr Evaluation of water demand scenarios for the Olifants River catchment, South Africa
title_full_unstemmed Evaluation of water demand scenarios for the Olifants River catchment, South Africa
title_short Evaluation of water demand scenarios for the Olifants River catchment, South Africa
title_sort evaluation of water demand scenarios for the olifants river catchment south africa
topic water demand
evaluation
river basin management
water resource management
river basins
catchment areas
infrastructure
simulation models
water use
multiple use
economic analysis
water allocation
water supply
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/40635
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