Water, Vol. 15, Pages 1170: A Water Allocation Model for Multiple Uses Based on a Proposed Hydro-Economic Method

Water, Vol. 15, Pages 1170: A Water Allocation Model for Multiple Uses Based on a Proposed Hydro-Economic Method

Water doi: 10.3390/w15061170

Authors: William Dantas Vichete Arisvaldo Vieira Méllo Júnior Gabriel Anísio dos Santos Soares

Water scarcity drives society to conflict over the allocation of water. Economical externalities based on the development of water production improve the decision-making process for planning water allocation and the operation of the water infrastructure. We present a proposed water allocation model using a priority-based and hydro-economic optimization kernel as a framework for improving the quality of information for the different user sectors, stakeholders, and institutions for the water allocation decision-making process. In addition, we propose a method for using hydro-economic optimization models without the marginal benefit curve of water demand. The proposed model, called AcquaNetGIS, was applied to the São Francisco Transboundary System, and the hydro-economic optimization was improved, allocating 7.0% more water for all users considered, including water supply, irrigation, and hydropower. Moreover, the minimum flow downstream from the Xingó hydropower station reached 98.5% (priority-based optimization) and 99.0% (hydro-economic optimization) during the optimization period. Depending on the rules and legislation, the sustainability of water allocation based on hydro-economic externalities may be a better solution for the planning and operation of complex water infrastructure systems. Multicriteria decision-making methods should consider the results of the proposed model in order to understand the stochastics of the hydrological regimes and economic production based on the availability of water.