WARiBaS, Water Assessment on a River Basin Scale. A computer program for calculating water demand and water satisfaction on a catchment basin level; to be used for global scale water stress analysis

Publication

The methodology presented as a technical background document to facilitate a first rapid quantitative assessment of water demand and resources on a watershed level is meant for use in global water stress analysis.

Based on spatially interpolated climate data (monthly precipitation and potential evapotranspiration and temperature) and physiography (watershed boundaries, soil properties, surface slope and aquifer permeability), monthly crop water requirements and river runoff are calculated on a 0.5 degree world grid. This allows the calculation of demand (industrial water use, drinking water, irrigation water) and resources (groundwater and surface water), differentiated in space (e.g. upstream/downstream) and time (seasonality). The method was used in Africa as a first case study. Results of a second application, this time on global scale, are reported in the RIVM main background document to UNEP's first Global Environment Outlook.

Authors

Klepper O , Drecht G van

Specifications

Publication title
WARiBaS, Water Assessment on a River Basin Scale. A computer program for calculating water demand and water satisfaction on a catchment basin level; to be used for global scale water stress analysis
Publication date
30 June 1998
Publication type
Publication
Publication language
English
Product number
90365