Water Characteristic Curves And Water Status Indicator

This paper attempts to introduce specific analytical meanings for the frequently used terms \u27water stress\u27 (Falkenmark 1992, Vorosmarty et al. 2000,2005) and \u27water strain\u27 (Haddadin 2007) by drawing an analogy from the science of engineering mechanics. It introduces \u27water characteristic curves\u27 and a \u27water modulus\u27 that defines the status of indigenous water of a given country. Compared to other tools that have been introduced to reflect the \u27water footprint\u27 of a country (Hoekstra and Chapagain 2008), the water modulus is different in approach and meaning and is more reflective of the adequacy of indigenous water resources of countries. ©2008 International Water Resources Association