Bankruptcy Methods For Resolving Water Resources Conflicts

The growing water demand and limited water supply have caused water resources bankruptcy, resulting in failure of many water resources systems around the world to meet the imposed demands by the users. Water resources bankruptcy is associated with conflicts among the beneficiaries whose demands/claims exceed the total available water. Therefore, developing fair allocation rules that minimize tensions between the beneficiaries of water resource systems is essential to establish sustainable water resource governance systems. This study suggests application of bankruptcy rules to develop fair water allocation schemes. To underline the utility of bankruptcy rules in resolving water resources conflicts a range of bankruptcy rules, namely the Proportional (P), Adjusted Proportional (AP), Constrained Equal Award (CEA), Constrained Equal Loss (CEL), Talmud (Tal) and Piniles (Pin) rules, are reviewed and applied to a hypothetical groundwater bankruptcy problem. In this problem the total water demand of three farmers, based on their water rights, exceeds the safe yield of the aquifer. The differences between the obtained results based on the different bankruptcy rules are discussed and the most acceptable rules for the example case are recognized based on the Plurality rule. © 2012 ASCE

Resolving Transboundary Water Conflicts: Lessons Learned From The Qezelozan-Sefidrood River Bankruptcy Problem

The Qezelozan-Sefidrood River Basin is an Iranian transboudary river basin, shared by eight provinces, namely Kurdistan, Zanjan, Hamadan, Eastern Azerbaijan, Ardabil, Tehran, Qazvin, and Gilan. Recent developments and the existing development plans in these provinces have triggered new conflicts between the riparian parties. This study shows how various fair allocation rules can be developed based on bankruptcy methods to resolve transboundary river problems in which the total demand imposed on river at a specific time and location in the river basin, exceeds the available water. Four bankruptcy methods, namely the Proportional (P), Adjusted Proportional (AP), Constrained Equal Award (CEA), and the Constrained Equal Losses (CEL) rules are applied to suggest fair allocation schemes for different scenarios, representing the possible future development and climatic conditions in the basin. To identify the most acceptable allocation scheme for each scenario, Plurality rule is applied. Results suggest that the CEA-based scheme is the most acceptable allocation under all scenarios. © 2012 ASCE

A new model and a Monte Carlo based Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm for the stochastic blood assignment problem

Blood and its products, in some cases, are the only vital and sanative medicine for the patients. Each donated blood unit is a valuable asset to protect the patients’ lives, and it should be avoided waste and non-optimal consumption. The assignment of blood and its products to hospitals is one of assignment problems, in which finding the optimal solution can lead to a reduction in mortality and waste of expenditure. In this research, a new model for the assignment of blood products in a stochastic environment is presented. The goal of the model is to minimize the preparation, deficiency and waste cost of blood products, while considering the constraints of the problem. The stochastic model is implemented in a real case and is solved by the Monte Carlo simulation method. Then, a random model is settled in a real problem in Yazd city and it is solved via a Monte Carlo based Particle Swarm Optimization algorithm. The results reveal that the solution of the hybrid algorithm can significantly reduce the costs of preparation, deficiency and waste of blood products

Water allocation under climate change in the Qezelozan-Sefidrood Watershed

The Qezelozan-Sefidrood Watershed is a transboundary watershed in Iran, shared by eight provinces. Recent development plans in the upstream provinces include several dams that are either under construction or at the study stage. Implementation of these plans will negatively impact the downstream provinces, which historically have had access to the river. The situation can be exacerbated by the expected climate change impacts on the basin. This study evaluates the possible impacts of upstream development plans and climate change on the natural flow of the Qezelozan-Sefidrood River and designs a reasonable mechanism for fair allocation of streamflow to the riparian parties. First, a watershed model is developed using the Water Evaluation And Planning System (WEAP) software. This model is run for current water allocation and various development and climate change scenarios. The results indicate that the downstream provinces have a high vulnerability to the expected climate and development changes in the basin. To reduce the potential tension, the study treats the problem as a bankruptcy problem and applies the Adjusted Proportional rule to fairly allocate the available resource (water) to the creditors (conflict parties). © 2012 IEEE

Water Allocation Under Climate Change In The Qezelozan-Sefidrood Watershed

The Qezelozan-Sefidrood Watershed is a transboundary watershed in Iran, shared by eight provinces. Recent development plans in the upstream provinces include several dams that are either under construction or at the study stage. Implementation of these plans will negatively impact the downstream provinces, which historically have had access to the river. The situation can be exacerbated by the expected climate change impacts on the basin. This study evaluates the possible impacts of upstream development plans and climate change on the natural flow of the Qezelozan-Sefidrood River and designs a reasonable mechanism for fair allocation of streamflow to the riparian parties. First, a watershed model is developed using the Water Evaluation And Planning System (WEAP) software. This model is run for current water allocation and various development and climate change scenarios. The results indicate that the downstream provinces have a high vulnerability to the expected climate and development changes in the basin. To reduce the potential tension, the study treats the problem as a bankruptcy problem and applies the Adjusted Proportional rule to fairly allocate the available resource (water) to the creditors (conflict parties). © 2012 IEEE