Inter-basin water transfer

Abstract

Providing water to satisfy human demands is one of the greatest challenges of the present century and has been the source of many changes in the world. Since the amount of renewable water the Earth receives is only equal to, or even less than, that received many years ago, renewable water per capita decreases as human population increases. Inter-basin water transfer is a method to augment supply in water-scarce regions. Increasing demand for water in some areas sometimes justifies the transfer of water from one basin to another. Water consumption in densely populated cities and in large industrial and agricultural operations produces an economic value that justifies the cost of expensive water transport equipment and infrastructure such as transmission channels, pipelines, pumping stations and dams. Under these conditions, water that is not in high demand in one basin is transferred to another basin for use. These projects are supply-driven engineering solutions to major social challenges. Inter-basin water transmission is carried out across local, regional, national, and international boundaries to overcome water scarcity, to meet demand in the agricultural, industrial and domestic sectors as well as to achieve economic and social development. Inter-basin transfer (IBT) is an important water resource management tool that can have significant impacts on the donor and recipient basins. This chapter aims to provide insights into the concepts, logics, methods and tools used to evaluate inter-basin transfer projects. Challenges that may arise with implementation of such projects and management methods to overcome these challenges are reviewed. Several case study examples of existing projects are presented to provide insight into how to better manage such projects in the future.