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FS 3.501

Solving water use conflicts

Details

Full Title
FS 3.501: Societal strategies to solve conflicts over water use(s)
Scheduled
TBA
Location
TBA
Convener
Carlotta Sauerwein-Schlosser
Co-Conveners
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Assigned to Synthesis Workshop
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Thematic Focus
No focus defined
Keywords
water use conflicts, water governance, adaptation, innovation

Description

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Mountain regions are often referred to as “water towers”. This is because their topography and the resulting precipitation regimes and storing capacities ensure a year-round supply to the upper reaches of rivers, which in turn guarantees the water supply for the sourrounding area. However, the global increase in water consumption and intensified land use are causing “water stress” such as bottlenecks in the water supply. The situation is aggravated by the ongoing anthropogenic climate change which is impacting the water balance within mountain regions. The increasing pressure on water resources is consequently leading to accumulating conflicts over water distribution between different user groups in agriculture, tourism and other industries such as energy production. However, mountains regions, which have historically always been confronted with the issue of scarcity and the need to negotiate the demand for resources, provide clues as to how society can successfully adapt to changing environmental conditions. Against this backdrop of shifting hydrological conditions in mountain areas, this session will therefore focus on the interplay of cultural, legal, political and technical aspects of water use(s) and its transformation in the context of distribution conflicts.

Submitted Abstracts

ID: 3.5281

Resilience Action Plan for Santa Maria Watershed

Alberto Pascual

Abstract/Description

The complex forests that shape the Santa Maria Watershed are a network of mountain ecosystems, which are categorized within six protected areas of Panama and covering a total of more than 89 thousand hectares.

The forests of the watershed play a key role as water providers to more than 200,000 people in fourteen Local Governments and divided into three provinces and indigenous region.

In response to the deforestation of the forests in the watershed, we development of co-creation workshops in the Upper, Middle and Lower Parts of the watershed. Establishment of green infrastructure of native trees of fruits and timber .

ID: 3.9263

Migration, Water Management, and Social Conflicts in the Itajaí Valley, Brazil

Luiza Oechsler

Abstract/Description

The Itajaí Valley, Brazil, is one of the regions most affected by hydrometeorological events in the country. In addition to recurrent floods, the region faces challenges related to water governance and the inclusion of migrants in urban planning and water management processes. Migration to the Itajaí Valley is mainly driven by the industrial and service economy, attracting people from different Brazilian states and countries such as Haiti, Venezuela and Senegal. According to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (2022), the migrant population in the state grew by 35.5% between 2010 and 2020, reaching more than 170 thousand people. Migrants often occupy areas with poor infrastructure, with limited access to clean water and basic sanitation. According to the National Sanitation Information System (2022), Blumenau and Brusque have sewage coverage deficits of 47% and 58%, respectively, while in Itajaí this number reaches 62%. This precariousness increases sanitary vulnerability, intensifying exposure to waterborne diseases, historically associated with the contamination of reservoirs. Conflicts related to water use emerge in various contexts, including competition between economic sectors and the marginalization of vulnerable groups in public policies. The Atlas of the National Water and Basic Sanitation Agency of Brazil (2021) points out that the Itajaí Valley has one of the highest rates of judicialization of disputes for access to water in Brazil. The preliminary results of the research indicate that, despite structural precariousness, migrant communities develop support networks and informal strategies for access to water, such as independent collection and distribution systems. Community negotiations and support from NGOs, mediating conflicts over supply and sanitation with the social integration between migrants and local populations also show itself as a strategy for the water problem. However, these initiatives do not replace the need for inclusive public policies. The survey also reveals that migrants’ participation in water management councils and forums is virtually non-existent. By connecting migration, water governance, and social inequality, the study contributes to the broad debate on sustainability and water justice in climate change contexts.

ID: 3.9384

Drought led water crisis and its socioeconomic impact in Ladakh Region

Alolika Mangal

Abstract/Description

Ladakh being India’s significant cold desert nestled in the Trans Himalayan region has a long history of environmental adaptability. The region possesses physical constraints of water availability, prolonged winter, scanty rainfall leading to water crisis due to its geographical location and extreme weather conditions. The water crisis is also due to its location in a rain shadow region behind Zaskar range which is triggered by receding glaciers of Himalayan region due to rise in temperature. This condition forces people to migrate, creating economic hardships, generating social tensions as water management always determines siting of houses and formation of settlement. The study focuses on social and economic aspects of drought among various other types caused by reducing rainfall and snowfall and improper water management. The study mainly emphasizes on how prolonged meteorological and agricultural drought directly affect primary economic activities from agriculture, farming to livestock, cattle rearing which eventually create water and food shortages leading to economic downfall and tensions between communities. With dwindling resources lead competition, disturbing social cohesion, lowering living conditions and forcing towards vulnerable situations. A thorough review of various government schemes, reports, data banks and literature, the study attempts to compare specific government schemes, role of non-government organizations, civil society organizations which are formed to address particular drought related crisis management covering all the issues from identifying specific water user groups to manage water crisis. It can be said that Ladakh being characterized by extreme weather, sparse vegetation cover is naturally a desert having harsh climatic conditions, which is now facing climate change induced peculiar situations leading to acute water crisis. By understanding its impact on the socio-economic sphere, related to human aspect which is often not discussed as mostly this has been changing livelihood conditions of indigenous people of this region. However alternative solutions like artificial glaciers have provided initial relief still those are initiating bigger water conflicts.

ID: 3.12685

Vulnerable Landscapes, Resilient Systems: Socio-Ecological Insights into Alpine Mountain Pastures in Slovenia

Elizabeta Vrsnik

Abstract/Description

The European Alps, home to unique biodiversity and vital ecosystem services, are facing challenges, like increasing temperatures and water scarcity due to climate change, in addition to various economic pressures and societal shifts. This PhD research focuses on Slovenian alpine mountain pastures, exploring how they are adapting to the dual pressures of climate change and socio-economic transformation, and what future scenarios might look like for these vulnerable landscapes. The study examines three case studies from the Slovenian Alps. The combination of geo-factors such as relief, soil, and climate with the trajectory of human activity over time makes these areas particularly unique. The research will explore how the interplay between natural and human systems has shaped the sustainability of these pastures, and how this combination will influence future adaptations. By using a mixed-methods approach that combines quantitative environmental data, historical land use records, and qualitative interviews with members of local communities and experts, the research will identify the ecological, cultural, and socio-political factors that contribute to the resilience of these areas. The study also looks ahead, considering future orientations for mountain pastures in the context of increasing environmental pressures. How will these landscapes evolve? What alternative land-use practices can emerge to ensure their long-term sustainability? The research will contribute to discussions on governance models and policy frameworks, exploring how regional approaches can support sustainable water management, land use, and conservation efforts. Through these insights, the study aims to provide policy recommendations to guide sustainable practices and enhance the resilience of mountain ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.

ID: 3.13144

Sharing Risk, Sharing Benefits: How Himalayan Villages Manage Water Distribution for Local Water Security

Tejal Shirsat
Scott, Christopher

Abstract/Description

Water resources availability in the glacier-fed river basins of the Himalayan-Karakoram mountains is rapidly changing due to the impacts of climate variability on the sensitive cryosphere resources. On the other side, water demands are increasing and diversifying due to changes in socio-economic conditions leading to shifts in agricultural patterns and increasing tourism. These shifts in water availability are acutely experienced by the local communities who rely on and manage the local water resources using traditional practices and values. The Lahaul Valley in dry and arid climate of Western Himalayas is a prime example of the aforementioned challenges to securing local water security. In this regard, we explore the local water security in Lahaul valley using an integrated approach through quantitative and qualitative methods. Household surveys and focus group discussions conducted in the 47 villages in the region are analyzed to inform traditional water management practices and adaptive responses in cases of water scarcity. Furthermore, we analyze the irrigation and drinking water distribution systems through the interplay of institutional, cultural and technical aspects. We explore the importance of traditional water management practices in societal responses to adapt to changing conditions through sharing risk behavior. We also showcase case studies of water-rich and water-scarce villages in the valley highlighting their differing water distribution strategies and prioritized adaptive responses to pursue local water security.

ID: 3.14001

Traditional aquifer recharge practices in Spanish mountains. Insights from semi-arid Sierra Nevada.

Thomas Zakaluk

Abstract/Description

Traditional irrigation communities of Spanish mountain areas have a long tradition in using artificial aquifer recharge as a means of enhancing spring flow and river base flow during the dry summer months. The simple technique, also known as water sowing and harvesting (WS&H), consists in deviating surface water from rivers and gullies with unlined channels during high flow periods to facilitate its infiltration into sloping aquifers either directly through permeable materials or indirectly through irrigating pastureland.

The objective of this work is to present the main findings from my PhD thesis. This will include (1) introduction to different examples from WS&H practices in Spain, (2) conceptualization of WS&H as “ecohydrological nature-based solutions”, and (3) presentation of some of the main results from hydro(geo)logical field studies conducted in a small watershed in the Sierra Nevada mountain range.

I am in the fourth year of my PhD studies, which I am intending to complete by the end of 2025 – mid 2026. The work as PhD, especially when burdened with a lot of field work in mountain settings, is sometimes quite lonely, and I am really looking forward to meeting others working in similar settings, to share experiences and learn from their research approaches. I am submitting my abstract to the session on water-use conflicts and droughts, because it fits most with my PhD research, but there are also some other sessions that trigger my interest.

FS 3.500: Ecological impacts of droughts: present and future

FS 3.502: Natural hazards in mountainous regions – Introduction to the different types of natural hazards common in mountain regions

#IMC: September 14 - 18 2025

FS 3.501

Solving water use conflicts

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Submitted Abstracts

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