WEAP: Water Evaluation And Planning System

(United States, California) 2001-2004
Effects of Climate Change on Ecosystem Services in California: WEAP is used to better understand the combined effects of climate change and other stressors on the goods and services provided by aquatic ecosystems in the San Francisco Bay Watershed. Through a series of scenarios with varying climate, demographics and land use, WEAP is used to identify and evaluate the likely impacts of climate change and other stressors on the provision of aquatic ecosystem services such as water for agriculture, recreation, hydropower generation, water for municipal and industrial use, habitat function and health, biodiversity, and water purification. http://cfpub.epa.gov/gcrp/recordisplay.cfm?deid=19886
(Mexico) 1993-1994
Water and Environment in the Rio San Juan: WEAP was used in an integrated water resources assessment of the Rio San Juan basin in Mexico, including the industrial center of Monterey. The study included the development of a supply and demand balance for the watershed, and the identification of alternative water development strategies and their environmental implications. The analysis also estimated the true cost of water in the region, reflecting opportunity costs, marginal costs, and scarcity costs.
(United States, Texas) 1995
Supply Augmentation in Texas: WEAP was used in a firm yield analysis Texas, which included an assessment of water supply augmentation through an inter-basin transfer. A WEAP based analysis determined how the existing and future supply options could be used together to maximize the system firm yield. By prioritizing the supply withdrawals between the two sources, the study predicted a ten percent increase in combined firm yield compared to original estimates which had simply added the two individual firm yields. As a result of this preliminary analysis, the region moved forward to the design stage.
(United States, Southeast U.S.) 1991-1997
Integrated Assessment of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin: The entire Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River Basin was modeled in WEAP. The states of Alabama, Florida, and Georgia rely on the surface water and groundwater from the entire basin and conflicts are emerging between upstream and downstream users. After training in WEAP, the team analyzed water use and allocation scenarios among the states to establish sustainable and equitable allocation of the regions water resources. Chattahoochee.pdf
(United States, California) 1995
Model Building for the Hydrologic Engineering Center: The Hydrologic Engineering Center (HEC) of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers contracted SEI-Boston for enhancements to WEAP for use in the U.S. An international leader in water modeling, the HEC has developed numerous water resources models since the 1960s, known as the HEC model series. The HEC models have been used throughout the world. WEAP was selected for its unique design philosophy stressing integration, flexibility, and the environment. HEC has used WEAP in water resources planning cases in the United States.
(United States, California) 1997-2009
Water Planning for the State of California: The California Water Plan provides a framework for water managers, legislators, and the public to consider options and make decisions regarding California’s water future. The Plan, which is updated every five years, presents basic data and information on California’s water resources including water supply evaluations and assessments of agricultural, urban, and environmental water uses to quantify the gap between water supplies and uses. The Plan also identifies and evaluates existing and proposed statewide demand management and water supply augmentation programs and projects to address the State’s water needs. To support DWR in this effort, SEI is developing an application of the WEAP model that will be used as the analytical foundation for the California Water Plan Update process. This application will be used to conduct integrated scenarios analysis, wherein various management strategies are assessed within the context of a range of uncertainty relating to future trends in water demand and climate.
(West Africa) 2002-2003
ADAPT - Adaptation to Changing Environments: Water, Climate, Food, and Nature: As part of the ADAPT project, WEAP was used to develop and evaluate adaptation strategies in the Sacramento Basin (California, USA) and in the Volta Basin (primarily in Burkina Faso and Ghana) to alleviate negative impacts of climate change and variability. A variety of adaptation strategies were analyzed with WEAP to address the tradeoffs between water allocations that prioritize the environment and food security under changing climate and land-use conditions. http://www.geo.vu.nl/users/ivmadapt/index.htm AdaptVolta.pdf
(Middle East) 2004-2011
GLOWA Jordan River: The GLOWA Jordan River (GLOWA JR) project, a collaboration of Israeli, Palestinian, Jordanian, German, Swedish and US scientists, provides tools and information to test and assess different scenarios of water resources development and management. WEAP is being used for integration, mapping and visualization of available information for current and future scenario conditions, for regional models as well as detailed local or country models. http://www.glowa-jordan-river.de/
(Central Asia) 1990-1992
Strategies for Water Use in the Aral Sea Region: SEI-Boston joined the Russian Institute of Geography in a major research project in the Aral Sea region. The Aral is shrinking as a result of intensive withdrawals from its two feed rivers, primarily for agricultural development. Regional impacts include severe ecological degradation and deterioration of public health. WEAP was applied to the two major rivers feeding the Aral. Scenarios of water demand and supply provided a framework for evaluating future conditions and policies for amelioration. This was the first comprehensive analysis of water accounts for the Aral region. aralsea.pdf
(India, Nepal) 1999
Capacity Building in India and Nepal: Four water development NGOs from India and Nepal trained in application of WEAP to evaluate water supply and conservation options in the diverse water conditions in their regions. http://www.crdi.ca/esaro/ev-83012-201_100361-1-IDRC_ADM_INFO.html
(Central Asia) 2002-2003
ADAPT - Adaptation to Changing Environments: Water, Climate, Food, and Nature: As part of the ADAPT project, WEAP was used to develop and evaluate adaptation strategies in the Syr Darya Basin (Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan) to alleviate negative impacts of climate change and variability. WEAP was used to evaluate several adaptation strategies including increasing grain production, abandoning crops highly dependent on irrigation, and developing water conservation technologies. http://www.geo.vu.nl/users/ivmadapt/index.htm AdaptSyrDarya.pdf
(China) 2001-2005
Beijing - Hebei Eco-Region Programme: The project is designed to provide the basis for achieving co-operation on water-related issues, involving upstream stakeholders in 14 Counties of Hebei Province and downstream stakeholders in 6 counties in Beijing. WEAP is being used to develop scenarios to support this effort.
(China) 1993-1997
Beijing Environmental Master Planning: SEI-Boston developed the Beijing Environmental Master Plan Application System (BEMPAS) for the Beijing Municipal Environmental Planning Bureau. WEAP along with SEI-Boston's energy and solid waste planning models (LEAP and WASTEPLAN), were used as the core planning model for BEMPAS. Main tasks included consultation on Beijing's environmental planning needs, building an integrated assessment tool, and training.
(United States, California) 2002-2003
ADAPT - Adaptation to Changing Environments: Water, Climate, Food, and Nature: As part of the ADAPT project, WEAP was used to develop and evaluate adaptation strategies in the Sacramento Basin (California, USA) and in the Volta Basin (primarily in Burkina Faso and Ghana) to alleviate negative impacts of climate change and variability. A variety of adaptation strategies were analyzed with WEAP to address the tradeoffs between water allocations that prioritize the environment and food security under changing climate and land-use conditions. http://www.geo.vu.nl/users/ivmadapt/index.htm adapt_sacramento.pdf
(South Africa) 2002-2003
Water demand management scenarios in a water-stressed basin in South Africa: Like the majority of the river basins in South Africa, water resources in the Olifants River Basin are almost fully allocated. WEAP was used to build a model allowing for the simulation and analysis of various water allocation scenarios and, above all, scenarios of users’ behavior. Water demand management was considered in scenarios and simulations for diverse climatic situations from dry years to normal years were conducted. Olifants.pdf
(United States, Massachusetts) 1996
Massachusetts Watershed Initiative: Neponset River: The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection selected WEAP as part of their water planning toolbox. The water planning toolbox is a set of computer models and other tools to promote watershed planning within communities in Massachusetts. As part of the Massachusetts Watershed Initiative, WEAP was applied to the Neponset River. Several different supply and demand scenarios were compared to current 'base case' conditions in the Neponset. As part of this application, WEAP imported GIS data to characterize the watershed.
(United States, New Hampshire) 1996-1997
Contoocook River Water Planning: WEAP was applied to the Contoocook River (New Hampshire), a tributary to the Merrimack River, as part of the Merrimack River Initiative. Various water withdrawal scenarios were simulated on the Contoocook to look at their effects on the Merrimack River.
(Egypt, Cairo) 1993
Training Sessions: Tellus staff conducted a WEAP training workshop on integrated water resources planning. WEAP was used to assist engineers and water planners from the Water Research Center and the Ministry of Public Works and Water Resources of the government of Egypt.
(Korea) 2003-2009
Water Planning in Republic of Korea: The Korea Institute of Construction Technology has adopted WEAP as a tool to aid in their long-term water supply planning for the Republic of Korea (South Korea). Enhancements include translation of the software into Korean, addition of a 5-day time step, surface water quality modeling, benefit-cost analysis, and improved reporting and mapping. http://www.drought.re.kr/k-weap
(Benin: Oueme River Basin) 2004-2007
Sustainable Development, Global Change and Ecosystems: The project 'RIVERTWIN' aims in adjusting, testing and implementing an integrated regional model for the strategic planning of water resources management in twinned river basins under contrasting ecological, social and economic conditions. The regional model will take into account the impacts of demographic trends, economic and technological development, the effects of global climate and land use changes on the availability and quality of water bodies in humid temperate, subhumid tropical as well as semiarid regions. The existing integration framework will be first tested in a European river basin (Neckar basin, Germany) with high data availability and data density. The transferability of the model to other regions with different economic level, ecological standards and with low data availability will be jointly tested by the project team and river basin organizations in two river basins in West Africa (Oueme, Benin) and Uzbekistan (Chirchik, Uzbekistan). Here, the problem of adequate human resources and the uncertainties of input data for the implementation of computer based decision support tools will be addressed. http://www.rivertwin.org
(Germany: Neckar River Basin) 2004-2007
Sustainable Development, Global Change and Ecosystems: The project 'RIVERTWIN' aims in adjusting, testing and implementing an integrated regional model for the strategic planning of water resources management in twinned river basins under contrasting ecological, social and economic conditions. The regional model will take into account the impacts of demographic trends, economic and technological development, the effects of global climate and land use changes on the availability and quality of water bodies in humid temperate, subhumid tropical as well as semiarid regions. The existing integration framework will be first tested in a European river basin (Neckar basin, Germany) with high data availability and data density. The transferability of the model to other regions with different economic level, ecological standards and with low data availability will be jointly tested by the project team and river basin organizations in two river basins in West Africa (Oueme, Benin) and Uzbekistan (Chirchik, Uzbekistan). Here, the problem of adequate human resources and the uncertainties of input data for the implementation of computer based decision support tools will be addressed. http://www.rivertwin.org
(Uzbekistan: Chirchik River Basin) 2004-2007
Sustainable Development, Global Change and Ecosystems: The project 'RIVERTWIN' aims in adjusting, testing and implementing an integrated regional model for the strategic planning of water resources management in twinned river basins under contrasting ecological, social and economic conditions. The regional model will take into account the impacts of demographic trends, economic and technological development, the effects of global climate and land use changes on the availability and quality of water bodies in humid temperate, subhumid tropical as well as semiarid regions. The existing integration framework will be first tested in a European river basin (Neckar basin, Germany) with high data availability and data density. The transferability of the model to other regions with different economic level, ecological standards and with low data availability will be jointly tested by the project team and river basin organizations in two river basins in West Africa (Oueme, Benin) and Uzbekistan (Chirchik, Uzbekistan). Here, the problem of adequate human resources and the uncertainties of input data for the implementation of computer based decision support tools will be addressed. http://www.rivertwin.org
(Mexico) 2004
Water Planning in Mexico: WEAP was translated into Spanish and used for integrated water resources planning in several river basins in Mexico.
(Southern Africa: Limpopo River Basin) 2004-2008
Planning and evaluating ensembles of small, multi-purpose reservoirs for the improvement of smallholder livelihoods and food security: tools and procedures: This project involved working in the Sao Francisco River Basin (Brazil), the Volta River Basin (Ghana), and the Limpopo River Basin (Southern Africa) on planning and evaluation of small, multi-purpose reservoirs for the improvement of smallholder livelihoods and food security. Tens of thousands of rural communities in Africa and Latin America rely upon water from small multi-purpose reservoirs for their households, livestock, and irrigation schemes. In collaboration with local and regional stakeholders, we are in the process of developing tools for small reservoir analysis and design, improving methods for institutional, financial, and economic analysis, and building confidence in a science-based approach to planning reservoir systems. Building upon this foundation, decision-makers at the basin and national scale, together with local communities, will collaborate to ensure the long-term sustainability of local water supplies and adequate downstream flows. Well-sited, multi-purpose reservoirs making water available to smallholders are vital, allowing smallholders to realize the ultimate goals of increasing the production of food, reducing poverty, ensuring human health, and improving rural livelihoods. http://www.smallreservoirs.org
(Brazil: Saõ Francisco River Basin) 2004-2008
Planning and evaluating ensembles of small, multi-purpose reservoirs for the improvement of smallholder livelihoods and food security: tools and procedures: This project involved working in the Sao Francisco River Basin (Brazil), the Volta River Basin (Ghana), and the Limpopo River Basin (Southern Africa) on planning and evaluation of small, multi-purpose reservoirs for the improvement of smallholder livelihoods and food security. Tens of thousands of rural communities in Africa and Latin America rely upon water from small multi-purpose reservoirs for their households, livestock, and irrigation schemes. In collaboration with local and regional stakeholders, we are in the process of developing tools for small reservoir analysis and design, improving methods for institutional, financial, and economic analysis, and building confidence in a science-based approach to planning reservoir systems. Building upon this foundation, decision-makers at the basin and national scale, together with local communities, will collaborate to ensure the long-term sustainability of local water supplies and adequate downstream flows. Well-sited, multi-purpose reservoirs making water available to smallholders are vital, allowing smallholders to realize the ultimate goals of increasing the production of food, reducing poverty, ensuring human health, and improving rural livelihoods. http://www.smallreservoirs.org
(Ghana: Volta River Basin) 2004-2008
Planning and evaluating ensembles of small, multi-purpose reservoirs for the improvement of smallholder livelihoods and food security: tools and procedures: This project involved working in the Sao Francisco River Basin (Brazil), the Volta River Basin (Ghana), and the Limpopo River Basin (Southern Africa) on planning and evaluation of small, multi-purpose reservoirs for the improvement of smallholder livelihoods and food security. Tens of thousands of rural communities in Africa and Latin America rely upon water from small multi-purpose reservoirs for their households, livestock, and irrigation schemes. In collaboration with local and regional stakeholders, we are in the process of developing tools for small reservoir analysis and design, improving methods for institutional, financial, and economic analysis, and building confidence in a science-based approach to planning reservoir systems. Building upon this foundation, decision-makers at the basin and national scale, together with local communities, will collaborate to ensure the long-term sustainability of local water supplies and adequate downstream flows. Well-sited, multi-purpose reservoirs making water available to smallholders are vital, allowing smallholders to realize the ultimate goals of increasing the production of food, reducing poverty, ensuring human health, and improving rural livelihoods. http://www.smallreservoirs.org
(Sri Lanka)
Water and Livelihoods in Sri Lanka: The aim of the research is to assess the capability of linking the livelihoods framework and WEAP. If the impact of changes in water availability are more formalized in terms of the livelihood framework, then more consistent assessments could be effected and the linkage between WEAP as a resource assessment and management tool and SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS as end-user impacts or condition framework could be carried out in a more integrated way and would allow livelihood impacts to be determined as part of the scenario development process.
(Oman) 2003
Oman: The Sultant of Oman and the National Center for Atmospheric Research conducted a rainfall enhancement feasibility study in October, 2003. The study looked at the meterological feasibility of hygroscopic cloud seeding of summertime convective rainfall. Using data sources from the Sultant, WEAP was used to investigate the potential water resource benefits of a operational rainfall enhancement program.
(Southern Africa: Okavango River Basin)
Sharing Water: A USAID-funded project to look broadly at issues of water allocation in the Okavango basin.
(United States, Philadelphia) 2002-2005
Decision Support System for Sustainable Water Supply Planning for US Utilities: This research focuses on developing a decision support system (DSS) for three urban water utilities in the U.S. (Austin, Texas, Portland, Oregon, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) to facilitate long-term management of water supplies in balance with water demands, using a transparent set of tools that explicitly include analyses of the full range of issues and uncertainties that may be faced by utilities in the coming decades. WEAP is a central component of this DSS, providing a framework that is accessible to strategic planners, stakeholders and decision-makers. Two elements of this research objective distinguish this effort from the water supply planning efforts that drinking water utilities have pursued for decades: the long planning horizon and the focus on sustainability. The critical set of activities pursued by the research team in developing the Water Balance Tool centered around substantial and sustained interactions with drinking water utility planners in three test sites (Austin, Texas; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Portland, Oregon) that were structured specifically to identify the features that needed to be added to WEAP in order to create a broadly useful DSS. In addition, these interactions provided the research team with a forum to test the system’s responsiveness to actual on-the-ground, long-range water supply planning challenges facing utility planners at each of the three test site locations.
(United States, Portland, Oregon) 2002-2005
Decision Support System for Sustainable Water Supply Planning for US Utilities: This research focuses on developing a decision support system (DSS) for three urban water utilities in the U.S. (Austin, Texas, Portland, Oregon, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) to facilitate long-term management of water supplies in balance with water demands, using a transparent set of tools that explicitly include analyses of the full range of issues and uncertainties that may be faced by utilities in the coming decades. WEAP is a central component of this DSS, providing a framework that is accessible to strategic planners, stakeholders and decision-makers. Two elements of this research objective distinguish this effort from the water supply planning efforts that drinking water utilities have pursued for decades: the long planning horizon and the focus on sustainability. The critical set of activities pursued by the research team in developing the Water Balance Tool centered around substantial and sustained interactions with drinking water utility planners in three test sites (Austin, Texas; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Portland, Oregon) that were structured specifically to identify the features that needed to be added to WEAP in order to create a broadly useful DSS. In addition, these interactions provided the research team with a forum to test the system’s responsiveness to actual on-the-ground, long-range water supply planning challenges facing utility planners at each of the three test site locations.
(United States, Austin, Texas) 2002-2005
Decision Support System for Sustainable Water Supply Planning for US Utilities: This research focuses on developing a decision support system (DSS) for three urban water utilities in the U.S. (Austin, Texas, Portland, Oregon, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) to facilitate long-term management of water supplies in balance with water demands, using a transparent set of tools that explicitly include analyses of the full range of issues and uncertainties that may be faced by utilities in the coming decades. WEAP is a central component of this DSS, providing a framework that is accessible to strategic planners, stakeholders and decision-makers. Two elements of this research objective distinguish this effort from the water supply planning efforts that drinking water utilities have pursued for decades: the long planning horizon and the focus on sustainability. The critical set of activities pursued by the research team in developing the Water Balance Tool centered around substantial and sustained interactions with drinking water utility planners in three test sites (Austin, Texas; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Portland, Oregon) that were structured specifically to identify the features that needed to be added to WEAP in order to create a broadly useful DSS. In addition, these interactions provided the research team with a forum to test the system’s responsiveness to actual on-the-ground, long-range water supply planning challenges facing utility planners at each of the three test site locations.
(United States, Georgia) 1994
Accounting for Water Supply and Demand: Application of the Computer Program WEAP to the Upper Chattahoochee River Basin: The Hydrologic Engineering Center of the US Army Corps of Engineers, in conjunction with a number of local planning agencies, used WEAP in an analysis of the Upper Chattahoochee River Basin in Georgia. The study modeled the water supply and demand of the water stressed basin and provided federal, state, and local water agencies with a comprehensive look at the total water resource of the watershed. The results were used in resolving interstate conflicts on water allocation.
(India, Rajastha) 1991-92
Development Studies in Rajasthan, Inda: Rajasthan is located in Northwest India and includes the vast Thar Desert. The Rajasthan water crisis is characterized by mixed features: arid climate with limited natural water resources, heavy but primitive-level crop production as the economic mainstay, high population density and severe poverty, a hierarchical but grid locked institution system, and long-civilized but strongly indigenous culture, to name a few. In collaboration with the Jaipur Institute for Development Studies, located in Rajasthan, WEAP was used to model alternative water resources development strategies in order to re-orient Rajasthan towards sustainable water development.
(Kenya: Lake Naivasha Basin) 2003-2004
Integrated Water Resources Management for Lake Naivasha, Kenya: The study focused on developing, for the first time in the Lake Naivasha Basin, an integrated water resource management model to assess the situation in the whole catchment, identify where problems and weaknesses exist and seek their improvement. The main problem was determined not to be a shortage of water, but rather the management of the lake. It was recommended that a basin-wide legally mandated body (involving all levels) be established to oversee water use. Other strategies included capacity building of stakeholders on water natural resources management policies, water rights and enforcement of laws. naivasha.pdf
(United States, California) 2004-2006
Climate Change Information To Affect Decision Outcomes In The San Francisco Bay Watershed: This project will develop a comprehensive inventory of environmental decisions related to water quality and quantity and/or aquatic species and ecosystem heath that are sensitive to climate change in this watershed. From this inventory, four case studies will be selected to introduce related climate research in an attempt to improve decision-making processes. We will seek input from participants in defining how climate change information could be used to set and attain targeted outcomes in their particular processes. We would solicit input on how DSS tools such as WEAP could be used or improved to attain desired outcomes. From the suggestions of this stakeholder dialogue, the study team will implement the recommendations into the project tools (e.g. reconfiguration of model schematic, refinement of model to reflect important components, additional climate change scenarios). The refined project tools would then be used to carry-out the analysis. As we engage the analytical process of each case study, we envision on ongoing dialogue between the study team and the decision making personnel of each case study.
(United States, Portland, Oregon) 2004-2006
Regional Solutions to Developing Water Supplies: To aid drinking water utilities in evaluating strategies for regionalization, this project seeks to develop a decision support system comprising (1) a set of matrices that identifies the key aspects of regionalization for utilities across a range of circumstances, and (2) a guidance document that will help utilities characterize the aspects of their utility, their community, and their circumstances related to regionalization to identify which of several matrices included in the decision analysis tool best describes their situation and to develop a tailored approach to consolidation and predict the success of various approaches to meeting utility and community needs.
(Asia: Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka)
Water and Poverty Initiative: SEI coordinates work on water and poverty relationships for the Asian Development Bank, with strong collaboration with a range of other partners. This includes the development of a conceptual framework and strategy on water and poverty, as well as work to develop a stronger poverty focus in water programs and projects in several countries in Asia, including Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka
(Southern Africa)
Smallholder system innovations in integrated watershed management: An integrated research programme funded by the Dutch and Swedish governments on innovations in water management, livelihoods and resilience building in Southern Africa. The programme is for five years and includes 10 PhD and Post Docs.
(Viet Nam)
Review of Rural Water Supply and Sanitation: the joint GoV-donor review is sponsored by Danida, AusAid, UNICEF and the ADB and will produce an analysis of the present status of rural water supply and sanitation in Viet Nam, a 10 year strategy for the sector and a Memorandum of Understanding to be signed by major donors and the government of Viet Nam.
(Bangladesh)
Managing Industrial Pollution from Small and Medium-Scale Industries: This project aims to reduce pollution and improve water quality in receiving waters. This is being achieved by working closely with industrialists to develop a materials balance approach to identify pollution and more efficient, alternative production options. The project is supporting effective practices and technologies to treat the remaining effluent; and is working with buyers to develop improved protocols for factory assessment and for providing support to factories implementing alternative operating processes to reduce pollution
(Asia: Thailand)
Establishing methodologies for water allocation in Bang Pakong River Basin: A collaboration among IWMI South East Asia, Thai Department of Water Resources; Kasetsart University, Bang Pakong River Basin Committee. To strengthen the work of integrated water resources management in the river basin and to strengthen the capacity of the river basin committee to fulfill its mandate in reducing conflicts within the river basin. http://www.adb.org/Documents/PDAs/THA/Inception-Report-THA-Bang-Pakong-Dialogue.pdf
(Mexico, United States)
Physical Assessment Project: The “Physical Assessment” project comprises a consortium of U.S. and Mexican universities, NGOs and governmental agencies to explore water management options for the Rio Grande/Bravo system that respond to the growing pressure on this important resource. The project is creating and utilizing a “whole basin” hydrologic planning model of the shared river system to enable both the public and private water managers and stakeholders to identify the range of improvements in the management of the system that are hydrologically feasible and mutually beneficial to the affected stakeholders throughout the basin. Alternatives that pass this test will be subjected to economic, legal and institutional feasibility analysis in subsequent phases of the project. Alternatives that emerge will represent clear “winners” for future implementation http://www.riogrande.org
(Asia: Southeast Asia) 2005-2008
WEAP as a Regional Tool for Sustainable Water Analysis in the Mekong: Seeks to assess the current status of WEAP as applied in the Mekong and identify key priority areas for improvement. It is envisaged that the project will be implemented in five phases over five years. In 2007 the first phase has focused on identifying priority areas to be enhanced, a pilot development of the regional irrigation water-demand module, and on developing the capacity of SEI Asia and its external partners in Thailand.
(United States, California) 2008
Agricultural Adaptation Strategies to Climate Change in the San Joaquin Valley, California: Under an executive order from the governor, the state of California is required to complete an assessment every two years of the impacts of climate change on California’s water supply, public health, agriculture, coastline, and forestry. Included in the assessment are reports on mitigation and adaptation strategies that may combat the anticipated negative effects of climate change. SEI was invited to participate in the most recent assessment, in 2008, and asked to evaluate the impacts of climate change on managing water supplies within the Sacramento and San Joaquin River basins, which together account for the bulk of the state’s available water supplies and irrigated land. The focus of SEI’s research was to use WEAP to assess how changes in climate may impact water supply reliability for irrigated agriculture, which represents the largest water user in the state. Since initial investigations suggested that climate change will make it increasingly difficult to meet agricultural water demands, this work was extended to consider how agricultural management practices could change in response to changing water supplies such that water shortages were minimized.
(United States, Massachusetts) 2007-2008
Application of WEAP for Holistic Water Resources Management in Massachusetts: A Pilot Study in the Town of Sharon: In making investment decisions about water supply development and wastewater management, towns in Massachusetts typically employ traditional engineering cost benefit analysis. These analyses typically externalize the costs and benefits associated with the implications of a particular plan on aquatic ecosystems. If these costs where internalized then perhaps towns would make water management decisions with less impact on the environment. SEI made some modifications to WEAP that allow for this sort of more holistic analysis and has tested the upgrade through a WEAP application in the Town of Sharon. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts will now promote WEAP to other towns in order to encourage this sort of planning.
(United States, California) 2006-2008
Eco-Regional Change in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California Due to Climate Change and its Implications of the Management of Hydropower Facilities and Aquatic Ecosystems: The Sierra Nevada Mountain Range is the water tower of California. The accumulation of snow during the winter months, and the progressive melting of that snow during the late spring and early summer, provides a supply of water to which water management systems in California have been finely tuned. This includes a large number of hydropower facilities which provide a significant amount of power during the hot dry summer but which create many problems for the managers of aquatic ecosystems within the zone of water storage, diversion and release associated with hydropower production. The expectation in California is that climate change will result in a significant reduction in the amount of snow accumulating in the Sierra Nevada. This project is using a WEAP application of the entire Sierra Nevada Range to investigate how best to balance hydropower production and ecosystem management on an eco-regional basis in the face of climate change.
(Asia: Southeast Asia) 2005-2008
Mekong Basin Focal Project: The project aimed to articulate scientifically the extent of water-related issues influencing levels of poverty in the Mekong Basin and to specify how the Challenge Program on Water and Food (CPWF) could enable significant and measurable impacts, at basin and global scales on poverty, health and environment through improvements in water productivity and other aspects of water resource management. SEI undertook the work in collaboration with the Mekong River Commission (MRC) and Commonwealth CSIRO. Key components of the project were to: Assess the current condition of water use within the basin in both biophysical and socio-economic dimensions. Water productivity and water poverty will be essential measures in this process; Analyse the opportunities and risks of change in water management that will influence water poverty; Identify appropriate research paths for promoting change, based on trend analysis, assessment of interventions and analysis of impact; Develop an integrated knowledge base to support change throughout and beyond the life of this program; Identify potential water-related interventions that could alleviate poverty in key hotspot areas in the basin. http://cpwfbfp.pbwiki.com/Mekong
(Yemen) 2006-2008
Netherlands Climate Assistance Project-Yemen Country Support: Water resources are critically vulnerable to climate change impacts in the arid nation of Yemen, and identifying adaptation strategies to meet these challenges will be key to developing sustainable livelihoods and addressing poverty in the country. Three distinct geographic/socio-economic case study areas have been selected for stakeholder consultation and analysis and integrated modelling of water resource vulnerability, potential adaptation strategies, and resilience. For each of the case study areas, WEAP was used to develop scenarios that investigate the feasibility and impact of adaptation strategies that have been identified and prioritized by stakeholders via a multi-criteria analysis methodological tool.
(Asia: Southeast Asia) 2005-2008
Water Poverty Modeling in the Mekong River Basin: This study assessed the current biophysical and socio-economic conditions of water use within the Mekong basin, focusing on water productivity and water poverty dimensions. Analyses will identify opportunities and risks of change in water management that will influence water poverty, with an emphasis on integrating across local to basin-wide scales. These analyses will utilize WEAP to integrate domestic, agricultural, and aquacultural water use and availability information at a basin-scale to inform development of scenarios outlined in the Basin Development Plan. Bayesian Belief Networks serve as the core of an innovative methodology to aid in determining likely livelihood impacts of proposed opportunities to increase water productivity in the basin. These impacts are measured in terms of changes to the five classes of livelihood asset profiles as defined under the Sustainable Livelihoods Framework. The study will attempt to implement a linked analytical framework incorporating the Bayesian Network, WEAP model, and the Knowledge Elicitation Tool (KnETs) to develop a robust decision support methodology for elucidating impacts and responses under a variety of water-centered livelihood strategies.
(Middle East) 2005-2009
WEAP in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA): Linking WEAP to MODFLOW and capacity building: In order to help promote integrated water resources planning in the MENA region, SEI is working closely with the Arab Centre for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands (ACSAD, based in Damascus) and the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) to build capacity in the use of WEAP. In addition, in order to better address the issues in the arid regions of MENA, particularly those of groundwater, WEAP has been enhanced to dynamically link to MODFLOW, a finite difference groundwater modeling system. http://www.bgr.bund.de/IWRM-DSS
(North Africa) 2005-2009
WEAP in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA): Linking WEAP to MODFLOW and capacity building: In order to help promote integrated water resources planning in the MENA region, SEI is working closely with the Arab Centre for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands (ACSAD, based in Damascus) and the German Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR) to build capacity in the use of WEAP. In addition, in order to better address the issues in the arid regions of MENA, particularly those of groundwater, WEAP has been enhanced to dynamically link to MODFLOW, a finite difference groundwater modeling system. http://www.bgr.bund.de/IWRM-DSS
(United States, California) 2007-2009
Innovative Management Options to Prevent Loss of Ecosystem Services Provided by Chinook Salmon in California: Overcoming the Effects of Climate Change: Chinook Salmon are the pinnacle species in the California’s riverine aquatic ecosystems. Historically these large fish spawned in most of the rivers and streams which flowed into the Pacific north Monterey Bay. Based on hydrologic and climatic conditions, individual streams accommodated genetically different salmon populations, or runs. The enormous amount of hydrologic manipulation in California over the course of over a century has lead to the decline of several of these runs, none more so than the Spring Run. Spring run salmon return form the ocean in March and April when the rivers are high and the water cold. They then swim up to deep pools where they hold over the hot Summer months before they spawn when the water cools in October or November. The extent of the spring run in California has been reduced to only a few streams, and these are a grave risk due to climate change. This project will use a WEAP application linked to model of salmon life cycles to investigate what management options are open to manage Spring run Chinook salmon and the implications for the total ecosystem if this pinnacle species is lost.
(United States, California) 2007-2009
Sharpening Drought Plans to Consider Climate, the Watershed, the Regulatory Environment, and the Forces of Change: SEI has established collaboration with the El Dorado Irrigation District, a water purveyor on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, to investigate the potential impacts of climate change on a water system that depends to a large degree on the accumulation of snow at high elevation during the winter and the progressive melting of this snow during the late spring and early summer. A WEAP application of the system has already been developed in order to test drought management triggers and actions that were defined by the district assuming that historic hydrologic patterns will be representative of future conditions. Climate change calls this assumption into question. This project will attempt to help introduce notions of uncertainty and risk management into the definition of drought plan triggers and actions adopted by the district, as well as other long-term actions being contemplated by the district.
(Peru) 2008-2009
Water Management Adaptation to the Loss of Glaciers in the Andes of Peru: This project focuses on assessing potential changes in the watersheds of the Andes Mountains in Peru associated with the loss of glaciers due to climate change. An effort is underway to develop a module within WEAP that represents the evolution of glaciers under different future climate scenarios. This module will be used to developed WEAP applications of three Peruvian watersheds: the Santa; the Rimac; and the Mantaro. These applications will be run using climate scenarios developed for the region to investigate the water management implications of the loss of glaciers and possible water management adaptations.
(Dominican Republic) 2007
Haina Basin, Dominican Republic: Model developed for WEAP training workshop session.
(Dominican Republic) 2007
Yaque del Sur, Dominican Republic: Model developed as part of the Plan Hidrologico Nacional.
(Guatemala) 2007
San Jose and El Naranjo basins, Guatemala: Models developed to estimate climate change vulnerability as part of the NCAP funded project.
(Chile) 2008-2009
Limari Basin, Chile: Model developed to estimate climate change impacts on a semi-arid snowmelt dominated basin.
(Ecuador) 2009
Paute Basin, Ecuador: Model developed for a basin generating 50% of electricity in the country. Used for climate change impact assessment.
(Middle East)
GLOWA Jordan River: The GLOWA Jordan River (GLOWA JR) project, a collaboration of Israeli, Palestinian, Jordanian, German, Swedish and US scientists, provides tools and information to test and assess different scenarios of water resources development and management. WEAP is being used for integration, mapping and visualization of available information for current and future scenario conditions, for regional models as well as detailed local or country models. http://www.glowa-jordan-river.de/
(Middle East)
GLOWA Jordan River: The GLOWA Jordan River (GLOWA JR) project, a collaboration of Israeli, Palestinian, Jordanian, German, Swedish and US scientists, provides tools and information to test and assess different scenarios of water resources development and management. WEAP is being used for integration, mapping and visualization of available information for current and future scenario conditions, for regional models as well as detailed local or country models. http://www.glowa-jordan-river.de/
(Central Asia)
ADAPT - Adaptation to Changing Environments: Water, Climate, Food, and Nature: As part of the ADAPT project, WEAP was used to develop and evaluate adaptation strategies in the Syr Darya Basin (Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan) to alleviate negative impacts of climate change and variability. WEAP was used to evaluate several adaptation strategies including increasing grain production, abandoning crops highly dependent on irrigation, and developing water conservation technologies.
(Central Asia)
ADAPT - Adaptation to Changing Environments: Water, Climate, Food, and Nature: As part of the ADAPT project, WEAP was used to develop and evaluate adaptation strategies in the Syr Darya Basin (Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan) to alleviate negative impacts of climate change and variability. WEAP was used to evaluate several adaptation strategies including increasing grain production, abandoning crops highly dependent on irrigation, and developing water conservation technologies.
(Asia: Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka)
Water and Poverty Initiative: SEI coordinates work on water and poverty relationships for the Asian Development Bank, with strong collaboration with a range of other partners. This includes the development of a conceptual framework and strategy on water and poverty, as well as work to develop a stronger poverty focus in water programs and projects in several countries in Asia, including Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka
(Asia: Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka)
Water and Poverty Initiative: SEI coordinates work on water and poverty relationships for the Asian Development Bank, with strong collaboration with a range of other partners. This includes the development of a conceptual framework and strategy on water and poverty, as well as work to develop a stronger poverty focus in water programs and projects in several countries in Asia, including Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka
(Asia: Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka)
Water and Poverty Initiative: SEI coordinates work on water and poverty relationships for the Asian Development Bank, with strong collaboration with a range of other partners. This includes the development of a conceptual framework and strategy on water and poverty, as well as work to develop a stronger poverty focus in water programs and projects in several countries in Asia, including Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka
(Asia: Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka)
Water and Poverty Initiative: SEI coordinates work on water and poverty relationships for the Asian Development Bank, with strong collaboration with a range of other partners. This includes the development of a conceptual framework and strategy on water and poverty, as well as work to develop a stronger poverty focus in water programs and projects in several countries in Asia, including Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka