SciELO - Scientific Electronic Library Online

 
vol.47 número3Investigating stable isotope effects and moisture trajectories for rainfall events in Johannesburg, South AfricaPre-disaster planning and preparedness: drought and flood forecasting and analysis in Zimbabwe índice de autoresíndice de materiabúsqueda de artículos
Home Pagelista alfabética de revistas  

Servicios Personalizados

Articulo

Indicadores

Links relacionados

  • En proceso de indezaciónCitado por Google
  • En proceso de indezaciónSimilares en Google

Compartir


Water SA

versión On-line ISSN 1816-7950
versión impresa ISSN 0378-4738

Resumen

VAN DER LAAN, Michael; ECKERT, Sandra; DA SILVA, Maya  y  ANNANDALE, John. A water footprint approach to guide water resource management in data-scarce regions: A case study for the Upper Ewaso Ng'iro Basin, Mount Kenya. Water SA [online]. 2021, vol.47, n.3, pp.356-366. ISSN 1816-7950.  http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/wsa/2021.v47.i3.11864.

Due to population growth and agricultural intensification, water scarcity is increasing in the Upper Ewaso Ng'iro Basin. Quantitative information is needed to improve the management of this resource, but is a challenge due to lack of hydrometeorological data. Using water footprint thinking, a pragmatic approach applying available information and simple assumptions was used to estimate blue and green water availability and consumption for different land uses and activities. Despite the attention it receives, flower production makes up a small component of the basin's water footprint (1.4% of blue water consumed, roses used 0.73%), although the drastic impact of horticulture on low flows during dry periods is recognized. Surface water evaporation from irrigation dams containing captured floodwaters or pumped groundwater has a water footprint comparable to greenhouse horticultural production itself. Small-scale irrigation was estimated to use 71.4% of the blue water consumed, while total commercial horticultural production was estimated to use 8.2%. Direct human consumption was estimated at 3% and livestock and wildlife consumption at 4.2% of consumed blue water. Labour opportunities were almost 10 times higher for roses than for maize per hectare and per m3 of water consumed. Water productivity in terms of selling price was 128 times higher for 1 tonne of roses than for 1 tonne of maize. This approach can be used in data-poor regions to advance understanding between multiple stakeholders (such as between farmers, pastoralists and conservationists) for participatory management, and to better understand the basin's water balance to estimate exploitable water resources.

Palabras clave : irrigation; integrated water resource; management; basin water balance; water scarcity; roses.

        · texto en Inglés     · Inglés ( pdf )

 

Creative Commons License Todo el contenido de esta revista, excepto dónde está identificado, está bajo una Licencia Creative Commons