Nature based solutions for integrated water resource management

Abstract

Water is a crucial economic and social growth engine and a fundamental function in sustaining the natural environment's integrity. Water is becoming increasingly scarce. Our current pace of water usage is unsustainable. Demographic and climatic changes, for example, exacerbate the stress on water supplies. The world's population has tripled in the previous century, along with water consumption which has increased sixfold. Global water consumption is anticipated to increase by more than 50% by 2030, owing to increased irrigation, groundwater extraction, changing diets, rising energy needs, and a changing climate. This will result in severe water shortages. Pesticide usage, salinization, industrial waste, and municipal sewage results in the degradation of water quality. These factors will combine to cause urban water problems. The traditional fragmented method of water management is no longer efficient on its own, necessitating a more holistic approach to water management. This is the reasoning behind the Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) approach, which is today regarded as the best strategy for the efficient, equitable, and long-term development and management of the world's finite water resources, as well as for balancing opposing demands. Nature has an important role in achieving IWRM: protecting water resources by controlling water flow, guaranteeing water quality, and mitigating the effects of natural disasters. Wetland, woodland, mountain, and grassland habitats are especially essential. It is not a standalone solution Instead, it can be used effectively with engineered solutions known as the grey-green approach toward water resource management. There are four major requirements to be fulfilled to achieve IWRM which can be achieved through nature-based solutions: augmenting the quantity of water supplied through groundwater, aquifers restoration, reducing/eliminating the number of pollutants in water, number of ecosystems reconnected which will eventually reduce the number of conflicts due to water insecurity. In the study, Spatial-temporal analysis was studied for analyzing the land cover change over four decades 1991-2021. A perception study on water conservation measures (Nature-based solutions and engineered solutions) was undertaken to understand citizens’ perspectives on the same. SCS- CN Method was used for runoff-rainfall modeling and identifying gaps in the carrying capacity of drains and runoff within watersheds. GIS-based suitability analysis for groundwater recharge/ green infrastructure using weighted overlay was done for identifying potential areas for artificial recharge and water management framework of the study area, including biodiversity aspect was studied and issues associated with them were identified. Based on inferences and analysis, the expected outcome would be proposals on nature-based solutions and engineered solutions on three levels site, neighborhood, and zonal.