Publications
196 results found
Moulds S, Chan ACH, Tetteh JD, et al., 2022, Sachet water in Ghana: a spatiotemporal analysis of the recent upward trend in consumption and its relationship with changing household characteristics, 2010-2017, PLoS One, Vol: 17, Pages: 1-22, ISSN: 1932-6203
The consumption of packaged water in Ghana has grown significantly in recent years. By 2017, “sachet water” – machine-sealed 500ml plastic bags of drinking water – was consumed by 33% of Ghanaian households. Reliance on sachet water has previously been associated with the urban poor, yet recent evidence suggests a customer base which crosses socioeconomic lines. Here, we conduct a repeated cross-sectional analysis of three nationally representative datasets to examine the changing demography of sachet water consumers between 2010 and 2017. Our results show that over the course of the study period sachet water has become a ubiquitous source of drinking water in Ghana, with relatively wealthy households notably increasing their consumption. In 2017, the majority of sachet water drinking households had access to another improved water source. The current rate and form of urbanisation, inadequate water governance, and an emphasis on cost recovery pose significant challenges for the expansion of the piped water supply network, leading us to conclude that sachet water will likely continue to be a prominent source of drinking water in Ghana for the foreseeable future. The main challenge for policymakers is to ensure that the growing sachet water market enhances rather than undermines Ghana’s efforts towards achieving universal and equitable access to clean drinking water and sanitation.
Drenkhan F, Martínez Mendoza M, Ross A, et al., 2022, Seasonal water storage dynamics of tropical high-Andean wetlands in Peru
<jats:p>&lt;p&gt;Tropical high-Andean wetlands, locally called bofedales, represent key ecosystems sustaining biodiversity, carbon sequestration, human water provision and fodder production for livestock farming. They are highly sensitive to climatic and anthropogenic disturbances, such as changes in precipitation patterns, glacier retreat and peat extraction, and are thus of major concern for watershed management. However, the eco-hydrological dynamics and responses of bofedales to impacts from global change are little explored.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this study we map seasonal bofedales extent in the glaciated Vilcanota-Urubamba basin (Southern Peru) at unprecedented spatial resolution in the region. Therefore, we developed a supervised classification based on the Machine Learning algorithm Random Forest. As a baseline, Sentinel-2 MSI Surface Reflectance imagery between 2020 and 2021 and NASADEM elevation data were included. A total of 27 vegetation and topographic indices were computed and iteratively selected with cross-validated feature selection. As a result, the Wide Dynamic Range Vegetation Index, Normalised Difference Infrared Index and Compound Topographic Index adopt a major role for successful wetland extent classification. We identify a total wetland area of 282 km&amp;#178; (630 km&amp;#178;) at the end of the dry (wet) season in 2020 (2021). The observed high seasonal variability in bofedales extent within the study region suggests the presence of a pronounced intra-annual hydrological regime of drying, soaking and wetting.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For a more thorough assessment of the suggested pattern, we combined borehole water level and outlet river stage data from an arduino sensor network covering five bofedales sites in two micro-watersheds. These confirmed distinct wetting and drying regimes with all levels reducing and increasing during the dry and we
Buytaert W, 2022, Local solutions for global water security
<jats:p>&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Globally, the terrestrial water cycle is changing rapidly, because of human interventions in catchment hydrological processes, and changing meteorological boundary conditions. Many of these changes have a negative impact on the water security of people living within and nearby those catchments. Plenty of scientific evidence points to increasing intensities and frequencies of floods and droughts and degrading water resources in many parts of the world. While increasing water security is globally high on the policy agenda, there are clearly no easy solutions to this problem. Catchments are complex, idiosyncratic systems from which society draws many different resources and services, and many of these activities affect the local hydrological processes and the human benefits and risks that emanate from those.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;Achieving global water security is therefore only possible with solutions that are tailored to these specific local characteristics and realities. Analysing cases from the Andes, the Himalayas, and Africa, in this lecture I set out to identify crucial ingredients for successful catchment interventions, as well as some of the main scientific challenges that remain. I start from the conceptualization of a catchment as a complex adaptive system, governed by a unique combination of natural, social, and cultural processes.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;/div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;span&gt;A first step then involves characterizing and quantifying these processes, which requires d
Buytaert W, Acosta L, Drenkhan F, et al., 2022, Assessing land use impacts on catchment hydrology with participatory monitoring: lessons for experimental design, network building, and policy support
<jats:p>&lt;p&gt;Many regions in the world face declining water availability and increasing water-related risks, as a result of pressures such as environmental degradation, global warming, and population growth. Sustainable and integrated land management is an important tools to improve and safeguard catchment water resources, and to minimize flood and drought risk. However, land management to optimise water security is still severely hindered by a lack of hydrological information about the impact of different management practices on the catchment hydrological response. Statutory hydrological monitoring networks tend to be sparse in most of the world, and focused on operational purposes such as water supply and flood risk. Here we present the case of iMHEA, a participatory hydrological monitoring network in the tropical Andes that aims at characterising the hydrological impact of different land management practices in the upper Andes, especially conservation, livestock grazing, and forestry. The network monitors currently 59 catchments in 22 Andean sites from Venezuela to Chile. It operates as a community of practice, exchanging experimental designs, technical expertise on monitoring equipment, protocols, and experience. It largely follows a pairwise catchment comparison approach, which has been able to show statistically significant trends in land-use impacts on flow characteristics such as runoff ratio, baseflow index, and slope of the flow duration curve. Thanks to rigorous technical support, the generated data are generally of high scientific quality and reliability. The involvement of stakeholders with a policy background, such as NGOs and government agencies, is key to dissemination and operational uptake of the scientific results. As such, iMHEA can be considered a success story, which has created a step change in scientific evidence for land use planning in the Andes. However, several challenges remain. One is the experimental design, w
Veness W, Buytaert W, Butler A, 2022, Localised Drought Early Warning using In-situ Groundwater Sensors
<jats:p>&lt;p&gt;Drought Early Warning Systems (DEWSs) require data on spatial drought intensity and exposure to highlight the most-affected areas for early interventions. This data also provides evidence of drought severity to trigger early financing mechanisms. However, existing DEWSs are dependent on satellite-based parameters, which have a course spatial resolution and high measurement uncertainty. As a result, these indicators do not provide a reliable proxy for local groundwater availability during hydrological drought. This research explores groundwater monitoring for providing an alternative, direct index of groundwater availability for DEWSs, considering the increasing affordability and feasibility of monitoring due to advancements in modern sensors. Using in-situ observations collected from abstraction wells in Maroodi Jeex, Somaliland, a lumped parameter groundwater model has been calibrated that can forecast local groundwater levels during drought, by inputting seasonal and mid-range weather forecasts. The model can also simulate well water levels if the sensor is removed after 1 year, enabling an ongoing, locally calibrated groundwater index without the need for sensor maintenance. This suggests that national-scale groundwater monitoring in Somaliland is technically feasible, and it raises further research questions regarding how such a system can be funded, governed and maintained, as well as how this groundwater information would be practically used in the drought early warning early action process to inform management and financing decisions.&lt;/p&gt;</jats:p>
Sah N, Buytaert W, D Paul J, et al., 2022, Non-contact, Low-cost Sensor Network for River Stage Monitoring and Dynamic Discharge Estimation&#160;
<jats:p>&lt;p&gt;Long series of river discharge data are essential for developing improved river and water management strategies and for coping with water-related hazards such as floods. However, continuous direct measurement of river discharge is practically infeasible. Recently developed electromagnetic and ultrasonic methods can be used for automated (or direct) river discharge measurements; however, they are not widely used because they are expensive and are prone to damage during high flows.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;At most gauging sites around the world, a rating curve is used to convert the measured stage into discharge. However, using rating curves is fraught with difficulties, including (a) hysteresis effect during unsteady flow, (b) extrapolation error during high flows, (c) need for regular updating due to change in hydraulic resistance and channel geometry. More recently, methods have been developed for dynamic river discharge estimation by solving governing equations of river flow i.e., shallow water equations (SWE). However, these methods (a) solve SWE in its conservative form, (b) are most suitable for prismatic channels with no lateral flow, (c) require one flow value, and (d) assume channel roughness or calibrate it by using observed stage data from two or three gauging locations. Although, stage data from two or three gauging locations are theoretically sufficient to calibrate channel roughness, in practice error margins are still high due to sub-optimal positioning of gauging stations, and coarse temporal resolution of existing measurement networks.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Therefore, motivated by a need to surmount the limitations in existing methods, we have developed a non-contact, robust, and cost-effective approach for dynamic river discharge estimation. We use an array of bespoke sensors to monitor the river stage at high resolutions and use these stage data to estimate
Vanacker V, Molina A, Rosas MA, et al., 2022, The effect of natural infrastructure on water erosion mitigation in the Andes, SOIL, Vol: 8, Pages: 133-147, ISSN: 2199-3971
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- Citations: 7
Vanacker V, Molina A, Rosas MA, et al., 2021, Supplementary material to &quot;The effect of natural infrastructure on water erosion mitigation in the Andes&quot;
Vanacker V, Molina A, Rosas MA, et al., 2021, The effect of natural infrastructure on water erosion mitigation in the Andes
<jats:p>Abstract. Soil erosion by water is affecting natural and anthropogenic environments through its impacts on water quality and availability, loss of soil nutrients, flood risk, sedimentation in rivers and streams, and damage to civil infrastructure. Sustainable management aims to avoid, reduce and reverse soil erosion and can provide multiple benefits for the environment, population, and livelihoods. We conducted a systematic review of 121 case studies from the Andes to answer the following questions: (1) Which erosion indicators allow us to assess the effectiveness of natural infrastructure? (2) What is the overall impact of working with natural infrastructure on on-site and off-site erosion mitigation? and (3) Which locations and types of studies are needed to fill critical gaps in knowledge and research? Three major categories of natural infrastructure were considered: protective vegetation, soil and water conservation measures, and adaptation measures that regulate the flow and transport of water. From the suite of physical, chemical and biological indicators commonly used in soil erosion research, two indicators were particularly relevant: soil organic carbon (SOC) of topsoil, and soil loss rates at the plot scale. In areas with protective vegetation and/or soil and water conservation measures, the SOC of topsoil is –on average– 1.3 to 2.8 times higher than in areas under traditional agriculture. Soil loss rates in areas with natural infrastructure were reported to be 38 % to 54 % lower than rates measured in untreated croplands. Further research is needed to evaluate whether the reported effectiveness holds during extreme events related to, for example, El Niño–Southern Oscillation. </jats:p>
Astagneau PC, Thirel G, Delaigue O, et al., 2021, Technical note: Hydrology modelling R packages - a unified analysis of models and practicalities from a user perspective, HYDROLOGY AND EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCES, Vol: 25, Pages: 3937-3973, ISSN: 1027-5606
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- Citations: 12
Pandeya B, Buytaert W, Potter C, 2021, Designing citizen science for water and ecosystem services management in data-poor regions: Challenges and opportunities, Current Research in Environmental Sustainability, Vol: 3, Pages: 1-11, ISSN: 2666-0490
While the citizen science approach has gained prominence in water and ecosystem services management, methodological limitations, insufficient resources invested in monitoring practices and a lack of effective mechanisms for integrating the approach into existing monitoring and decision making processes means that its full potential has yet to be realized. Nevertheless, the concept offers a real opportunity to address data gaps and assist decision makers operating under a wide range of socio-ecological and environmental uncertainties. In this paper, we report findings from a project in which low-cost sensors were deployed to collect hydrological data in two study locations in Nepal. We found evidence that the citizen science has potential to generate locally relevant data and knowledge which can enrich a much more polycentric governance of water ecosystem services management. However, some major challenges need to be overcome, in particular developing locally-tailored monitoring sensors, standardizing monitoring and data sharing practice, improving local capabilities to collect quality data and making the approach more sustainable and adaptive to emerging environmental threats and uncertainties. If sufficient attention can be given to these key challenges, citizen science looks set to play a significant future role in water and ecosystem services management.
Wagener T, Dadson SJ, Hannah DM, et al., 2021, Knowledge gaps in our perceptual model of Great Britain's hydrology, HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, Vol: 35, ISSN: 0885-6087
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- Citations: 21
Patiño S, Hernández Y, Plata C, et al., 2021, Influence of land use on hydro-physical soil properties of Andean páramos and its effect on streamflow buffering, Catena, Vol: 202, Pages: 1-14, ISSN: 0341-8162
The páramos biome of the northern Andes is a collection of high-mountain tropical grassland wetland ecosystems that provides important ecosystem services including hydrological buffering and water supply. Human activities in these ecosystems transform vegetation cover and soil hydro-physical properties, affecting their hydrological performance and water quality and quantity. Here, we conducted a systematic review on the influence of land use (agriculture, livestock grazing, and afforestation) on the hydro-physical properties of páramo soils and analyzed its implications for streamflow buffering. Our review protocol identified 32 relevant papers, from which key hydro-physical properties linked to streamflow variability were available: soil organic matter (SOM), soil organic carbon (SOC), porosity, bulk density, saturated hydraulic conductivity, and water retention capacity (WRC). The analysis shows that soils with native cover are characterized by a porous structure that allows a high WRC and SOM content. Agriculture increases macroporosity but it leads to bare fallow plots that promote loss of nutrients and SOM. Burning generates hydrophobic aggregates that affect WRC. Livestock grazing produces soil compaction and increases bulk density, reducing infiltration and WRC. Lastly, afforestation with exotic species (e.g. pines, eucalyptus) decreases SOM and WRC by changing soil structure. In general, the analyzed land-use activities generate hydrophobic aggregates, increase bulk density, promote erosion and runoff, and impair hydrological buffering capacity. This integrated evidence from multiple empirical studies can be used to effectively communicate the effects of different land use practices on páramo soils, provide information for modelling in data-scarce situations, and contribute to decision making processes for land use planning and conservation.
Moulds S, Buytaert W, Templeton MR, et al., 2021, Modeling the impacts of urban flood risk management on social inequality, Water Resources Research, Vol: 57, ISSN: 0043-1397
The exposure of urban populations to flooding is highly heterogeneous, with the negative impacts of flooding experienced disproportionately by the poor. In developing countries experiencing rapid urbanization and population growth a key distinction in the urban landscape is between planned development and unplanned, informal development, which often occurs on marginal, flood-prone land. Flood risk management in the context of informality is challenging, and may exacerbate existing social inequalities and entrench poverty. Here, we adapt an existing socio-hydrological model of human-flood interactions to account for a stratified urban society consisting of planned and informal settlements. In the first instance, we use the model to construct four system archetypes based on idealized scenarios of risk reduction and disaster recovery. We then perform a sensitivity analysis to examine the relative importance of the differential values of vulnerability, risk-aversion, and flood awareness in determining the relationship between flood risk management and social inequality. The model results suggest that reducing the vulnerability of informal communities to flooding plays an important role in reducing social inequality and enabling sustainable economic growth, even when the exposure to the flood hazard remains high. Conversely, our model shows that increasing risk aversion may accelerate the decline of informal communities by suppressing economic growth. On this basis, we argue for urban flood risk management which is rooted in pro-poor urban governance and planning agendas which recognize the legitimacy and permanence of informal communities in cities.
Pudifoot B, Cardenas ML, Buytaert W, et al., 2021, When It Rains, It Pours: Integrating Citizen Science Methods to Understand Resilience of Urban Green Spaces, FRONTIERS IN WATER, Vol: 3
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- Citations: 6
Zogheib C, Ochoa-Tocachi BF, Moulds S, et al., 2021, A methodology to downscale water demand data with application to the Andean region (Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile), Hydrological Sciences Journal, Vol: 66, Pages: 630-639, ISSN: 0262-6667
Mountainous regions are a hotspot for water scarcity and anthropogenic pressure on water resources. Substantial uncertainty surrounds projections of future climate and water availability. Furthermore, quantitative and distributed data on water demand are generally scarce, dispersed, and highly heterogeneous. This forms a major bottleneck to studying water resources issues and developing strategies to improve water resource management. Here we present a methodology to produce and evaluate high-resolution gridded maps of anthropogenic surface water demand with application to the Andean region. These data are disaggregated according to the major types of water demand: domestic users, irrigated area, and hydropower. This dataset was built by homogenizing, integrating, and interpolating data obtained from various national institutions in charge of water resource management as well as relevant global datasets. The maps can be used to research anthropogenic impacts on water resources, and to guide regional decision-making in regions such as the Andes.
Drenkhan F, Martínez E, Zogheib C, et al., 2021, Emerging water scarcity risks in tropical Andean glacier-fed river basins
<jats:p>&lt;p&gt;In the tropical Andes and adjacent lowlands, human and natural systems often rely on high-mountain water resources. Glaciated headwaters play an essential role in safeguarding water security for downstream water use. However, there is mounting concern particularly about long-term water supply as the timing and magnitude of glacier meltwater contribution to river streamflow become less reliable with rapid glacier shrinkage. This concern matches an increase in water demand from growing irrigation, population and hydropower capacity in combination with high social-ecological vulnerabilities threatening sustained water security. Despite important progress in assessing the impacts of glacier shrinkage and consequences for meltwater availability, little is known about the associated hydrological risks and how they propagate downstream. Therefore, integrated approaches are needed that combine a detailed picture of the meltwater propagation through the terrestrial water cycle with human vulnerabilities and exposure to water scarcity. However, the complex topographic and sociocultural setting including scarce data, limited local capacities and frequent water conflicts hamper a more thorough process understanding and water security assessment at a basin scale.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Under high complexity and uncertainty, we propose a coupled risk framework combining water scarcity hazards, exposed people and multiple human vulnerabilities to address these limitations. An important aspect of the framework is the recognition of knowledge from indigenous and rural communities that can potentially be integrated into current scientific baselines and innovative adaptation debates. Our framework interlinks a broad set of hydroclimatic, socioeconomic and water management variables at unprecedented detail. We put particular emphasis on the quantification and understanding of multidimensional vulnerabilities as a key ele
Pandeya B, Uprety M, Paul JD, et al., 2021, Mitigating flood risk using low-cost sensors and citizen science: A proof-of-concept study from western Nepal, Journal of Flood Risk Management, Vol: 14, Pages: 1-13, ISSN: 1753-318X
The generation of hydrological data for accurate flood predictions requires robust and, ideally, dense monitoring systems. This requirement is challenging in locations such as the Himalayas, which are characterised by unpredictable hydroclimatic behaviour with dramatic small‐scale spatial and temporal variability. River level monitoring sensors that are affordable and easy‐to‐operate could support flood risk management activities in the region. We therefore identify potential for a local participatory monitoring network that also serve to overcome existing data gaps, which represent the main bottleneck for establishing an effective community‐based flood early‐warning system. We have applied a citizen science‐based hydrological monitoring approach in which we tested low‐cost river level sensors. Initial results, collected over summer 2017 from two stations on the River Karnali, suggest that our system can successfully be operated by non‐scientists, producing river level data that match those obtained from an adjacent government‐operated high‐tech radar sensor. We discuss potential opportunities to integrate these low‐cost sensors into existing hydrological monitoring practice. Combined with an adaptive, community‐led approach to resilience building, we argue that our low‐cost sensing technology has the potential not only to increase spatial network coverage in data‐scarce regions, but also to empower and educate local stakeholders to build flood resilience.
Vigerstol K, Abell R, Brauman K, et al., 2021, Addressing water security through nature-based solutions, Nature-Based Solutions and Water Security: An Action Agenda for the 21st Century, Pages: 37-62, ISBN: 9780128198711
This chapter presents a deep dive into the current state of science and knowledge around water risks and water security as they relate to nature-based solutions (NBS). It explores the various ways that NBS affect water quantity, quality, and water-related hazards from the point of view of several types of key water users. It presents the strength of the evidence about these relationships and where gaps exist in this evidence base. Finally, this chapter introduces how this scientific knowledge is being put into practice through implementation of NBS and how robust monitoring and evaluation of on the ground projects can continue to build on this scientific understanding.
Paul JD, Cieslik K, Sah N, et al., 2020, Applying Citizen Science for Sustainable Development: Rainfall Monitoring in Western Nepal, FRONTIERS IN WATER, Vol: 2
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- Citations: 7
Karpouzoglou T, Dewulf A, Perez K, et al., 2020, From present to future development pathways in fragile mountain landscapes, ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & POLICY, Vol: 114, Pages: 606-613, ISSN: 1462-9011
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- Citations: 7
De Stercke S, Chaturvedi V, Buytaert W, et al., 2020, Water-energy nexus-based scenario analysis for sustainable development of Mumbai, Environmental Modelling and Software, Vol: 134, Pages: 1-17, ISSN: 1364-8152
The urban water-energy nexus sits at the intersection of the global phenomena of water scarcity, energy transitions and urbanisation. Research found that end use dominates the waterenergy nexus and that this component plays an important role in urban dynamics, but focussed on the Global North. We investigate the nexus of Mumbai and its long term resource demand. Our tool is a novel system dynamics model representing the urban water-energy nexus and takes into account characteristics such as intermittent water supply and the presence of slums. We devised scenarios around the Sustainable Development Goals and the Swachh Bharat Mission. The model shows that both can be achieved while saving on future water system infrastructure investments compared to business-as-usual. We find that also in Mumbai end use dominates the nexus. Representing end-use interactions increases expected water demand. This work indicates that globally, sustainable development of infrastructure must consider the urban water-energy nexus.
Correa A, Ochoa Tocachi B, Birkel C, et al., 2020, A concerted research effort to advance the hydrological understanding of tropical páramos, Hydrological Processes, Vol: 34, Pages: 4609-4627, ISSN: 0885-6087
Páramos, a neotropical alpine grassland‐peatland biome of the northern Andes and Central America, play an essential role in regional and global cycles of water, carbon, and nutrients. They act as water towers, delivering water and ecosystem services from the high mountains down to the Pacific, Caribbean, and Amazon regions. Páramos are also widely recognized as a biodiversity and climate change hot spots, yet they are threatened by anthropogenic activities and environmental changes. Despite their importance for water security and carbon storage, and their vulnerability to human activities, only three decades ago, páramos were severely understudied. Increasing awareness of the need for hydrological evidence to guide sustainable management of páramos prompted action for generating data and for filling long‐standing knowledge gaps. This has led to a remarkably successful increase in scientific knowledge, induced by a strong interaction between the scientific, policy, and (local) management communities. A combination of well‐established and innovative approaches has been applied to data collection, processing, and analysis. In this review, we provide a short overview of the historical development of research and state of knowledge of the hydrometeorology, flux dynamics, anthropogenic impacts, and the influence of extreme events in páramos. We then present emerging technologies for hydrology and water resources research and management applied to páramos. We discuss how converging science and policy efforts have leveraged traditional and new observational techniques to generate an evidence base that can support the sustainable management of páramos. We conclude that this co‐evolution of science and policy was able to successfully cover different spatial and temporal scales. Lastly, we outline future research directions to showcase how sustainable long‐term data collection can foster the responsible conservation of pá
Parajuli BP, Khadka P, Baskota P, et al., 2020, An Open Data and Citizen Science Approach to Building Resilience to Natural Hazards in a Data-Scarce Remote Mountainous Part of Nepal, SUSTAINABILITY, Vol: 12
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- Citations: 2
Astagneau PC, Thirel G, Delaigue O, et al., 2020, Hydrology modelling R packages: a unified analysis of models and practicalities from a user perspective
<jats:p>Abstract. Following the rise of R as a scientific programming language, the increasing requirement for more transferable research, and the growth of data availability in hydrology, R packages containing hydrological models are becoming more and more available to hydrologists. Corresponding to the core of the hydrological studies workflow, their value is increasingly meaningful regarding the reliability of methods and results. Despite package and model distinctiveness, no study has ever provided a comparison of R packages for conceptual rainfall-runoff modelling from a user perspective, contrasting their philosophy, model characteristics and ease of use. We have selected eight packages based on our ability to consistently run their models on simple hydrology modelling examples. We have uniformly analysed the exact structure of seven of the hydrological models integrated in these R packages in terms of conceptual storages and fluxes, spatial discretisation, data requirements and output provided. The analysis showed that very different modelling choices are associated with these packages, which emphasises various hydrological concepts. These specificities are not always sufficiently well explained by the package documentation. Therefore a synthesis of the package functionalities was performed from a user perspective. This synthesis helps inform selection of what packages could/should be used depending on the problem at hand. In this regard, technical features, documentation, R implementations and computational times were investigated. Moreover, by providing a framework for package comparison, this study is a step forward towards supporting more transferable and reusable methods and results for hydrological modelling in R. </jats:p>
Mao F, Khamis K, Clark J, et al., 2020, Moving beyond the technology: a socio-technical roadmap for low-cost water sensor network applications, Environmental Science and Technology (Washington), Vol: 54, Pages: 9145-9158, ISSN: 0013-936X
In this paper, we critically review the current state-of-the-art for sensor network applications and approaches that have developed in response to the recent rise of low-cost technologies. We specifically focus on water-related low-cost sensor networks, and conceptualize them as socio-technical systems that can address resource management challenges and opportunities at three scales of resolution: (1) technologies, (2) users and scenarios, and (3) society and communities. Building this argument, first we identify a general structure for building low-cost sensor networks by assembling technical components across configuration levels. Second, we identify four application categories, namely operational monitoring, scientific research, system optimization, and community development, each of which has different technical and nontechnical configurations that determine how, where, by whom, and for what purpose low-cost sensor networks are used. Third, we discuss the governance factors (e.g., stakeholders and users, networks sustainability and maintenance, application scenarios, and integrated design) and emerging technical opportunities that we argue need to be considered to maximize the added value and long-term societal impact of the next generation of sensor network applications. We conclude that consideration of the full range of socio-technical issues is essential to realize the full potential of sensor network technologies for society and the environment.
Cieslik K, Dewulf A, Buytaert W, 2020, Project Narratives: Investigating Participatory Conservation in the Peruvian Andes, DEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE, Vol: 51, Pages: 1067-1097, ISSN: 0012-155X
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Ochoa-Tocachi B, Buytaert W, De Bièvre B, 2020, Participatory water resources monitoring as a science-policy tool: a decade of experience from the Andes, Publisher: Copernicus GmbH
Evidence-based decision making is seen as the key to sustainable water resource and catchment management. However, a major obstacle for evidence generation is the limited amount of data available from in-situ hydrometeorological monitoring. Monitoring is in decline globally, and this problem is particularly acute in high-elevation environments and in the tropics. Nevertheless, this situation also puts these environments in a promising position to study the potential of multi-source, polycentric generated information to tackle data scarcity.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Established in 2009, a bottom-up partnership of academic and non-governmental institutions pioneered participatory hydrological monitoring in the tropical Andes. Participatory approaches to environmental monitoring are becoming increasingly popular and are being promoted as a potential pathway to address long-standing data gaps. The partnership, known as the Regional Initiative for Hydrological Monitoring of Andean Ecosystems (iMHEA from its Spanish abbreviation) has instrumented a network of more than 30 headwater research catchments (&lt; 20 km2) covering four major biomes (p&amp;#225;ramo, jalca, puna, and forest) in nine locations of the tropical Andes. Precipitation and streamflow are monitored at high frequency with the involvement of local communities, governments, and research institutions. The network is designed to characterize the impacts of changes in land use and watershed interventions on catchment hydrological response and has started delivering fundamental information to guide processes of decision making more effectively and influencing policy-making on water resources at local and national scales.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Participatory water resources monitoring can be seen a science-policy tool. Here we present the drivers and context of the process that led to the creation of iMHEA, currently one of the largest initiativ
Buytaert W, Paul JD, Sah N, 2020, A technical evaluation of lidar-based measurement of river water levels, Water Resources Research, ISSN: 0043-1397
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