water conflict and examples

scales of water conflict

local - specific lakes, watershed, region of GW

national - and provincial policies about allocation or conservation

international - upstream/downstream issues of shared rivers

sources of conflict

conflict through use, through pollution, relative or absolute distribution

conflict through use

upstream water use with downstream impacts ex dams, diversions

often between jurisdictions

conflict through pollution

upstream activities cause downstream / GW pollution issues

relative distribution conflict

conflict about who has the right to water, is allocation fair and balancing environment/economy/society?

absolute distribution conflict

water scarcity means there is not enough water for all legitimate water needs

luneburg, germany

local scale - specific GW aquifers, high demand on GW

caused by a relative distribution conflict

economic like goods vs the social aspect - municipal water now and in the future

san cristobal, mexico

local scale, pumping GW and depleting reserves

absolute distribution conflict

social vs economic - municipalities have no water and coke is extracting

phoenix, USA

local or national scale

relative distribution, and absolute in the future…

economic > all else, micrchip production, recycling of water for social use, aiming to refill aquifer

california agriculture

scale is local in colorado river

relative distribution conflict - allocation for agriculture/irrigation and how effective is it

• senior water rights/license holders - irrigation district

economic goods vs scarcity and distribution

owning the land means owning the water

saskatchewan

scale is local or national

source is absolute, not enough water to go around

economics/farmers vs the rest

Ganges plain, India

local or national scale can even become international

absolute distribution conflict and conflict through use as it is across countries

economic like ag, and social - loss of livelihood

need to find the balance

indigenous input

hearing from traditional knowledge holders, understanding the loss of livelihood or connection to the land

involving first nations in decisions about the land, etc