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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Hazards and Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 31810

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Duminda Perera

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Guest Editor

United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment, and Health, Hamilton, ON, Canada
Interests: adaptation; climate change; disasters; disaster risk reduction; disaster management; disaster mitigation; draught; early warning; floods; flood modeling; impact assessment; resilience; water-related disasters

Prof. Dr. Ousmane Seidou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Ottawa, 161 Louis Pasteur, Ottawa, ON K1N 6N5, Canada
Interests: hydrological modeling; climate change; water resources management

Prof. Dr. Nirupama Agrawal

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Faculty of Liberal Arts & Professional Studies, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada
Interests: emergency management; global/climate change; natural disasters and risk management; flood risk management; community resilience and capacity building; business continuity planning

Dr. Nidhi Nagabhatla

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

The United Nations University Institute on Comparative Regional Integration Studies (UNU-CRIS), Brugge, Belgium
Interests: environmental governance and policy; sustainable development goals (SDGs); climate change adaptation; environmental migration; nature-based solutions; transboundary waters and hydro diplomacy; science policy interfaces; decision support systems; policy support systems; geoinformatics
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Complex and excessive interactions and interlinkages between human activities and the water cycle result in water-related disasters. Such disasters are frequently visible globally, such as floods, droughts, landslides, storms, and deterioration of water quality due to industrial, agricultural, and pharmaceutical wastes. These disasters are expected to increase further due to climate change, having an unprecedented impact on modern civilization in terms of lives lost, property damages, and economic losses. The effects increased are attributable to increases in magnitude and frequency of disaster events, ecosystem degradation, unplanned urbanization, ageing infrastructure, and inaccurate public perception of disaster threat and risks. Poor water governance and inefficient disaster management/mitigation policies coupled with a lack of adequate infrastructure, limited technical knowledge and funds, efficiencies of disaster management institutions, and infrastructures diminish society’s capacity to cope with disastrous events and, therefore, increase the risk to life and the environment and property. Accurate estimations of disaster threats and preemptive actions are critical to inclusive disaster management strategy at local, national, regional, and global levels.

This Special Issue intends to create a platform to discuss state-of-the-art developments in identifying, estimating, and mitigating water-related disasters, their threats, and risks, aiming to find solutions in order to build a resilient society. Supporting global agendas such as Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) is another dimension of this Special Issue. We aim to strengthen the global efforts on disaster management and risk reduction by improving scientific knowledge and understanding water-related disaster risks.

We invite academics, postgraduate students, scientists, DRR professionals, and policymakers to contribute to this Special Issue in the following areas: hydrological processes linked to water-related disasters including water quality-related disasters; numerical modeling and simulations to predict extreme hydrological processes and their interactions and feedbacks with socio-ecological systems; disaster risks, DRR policy developments, and their links with ecosystems and human society; early warning systems; techniques and innovations for disaster data integration and risk assessments (society, economy, agriculture, etc.); climate change impacts; sustainable alternatives and adaptation strategies for resilient communities, emerging risks for water environments` sustainability, etc.

Dr. Duminda Perera
Prof. Dr. Ousmane Seidou
Prof. Dr. Nirupama Agrawal
Dr. Nidhi Nagabhatla
Guest Editors

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

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Keywords

climate change impacts
droughts
floods
landslides
damages and risk assessments
disasters
resilience
disaster mitigation
risk management

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Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 4680 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Saltwater Intrusion in the Changjiang River Estuary in Response to the East Route of the South-to-North Water Transfer Project in the New Period after 2003

by Huiming Huang, Yan Wang, Sheng Wang, Yinyu Lan and Xiantao Huang

Sustainability 2024, 16(2), 683; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16020683 - 12 Jan 2024

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1157

Abstract

The continuous operation of the Three Gorges Reservoir since 2003 has altered the annual runoff into the Changjiang River Estuary, significantly affecting patterns of saltwater intrusion. This has become more pronounced with the development of the East Route of the South-to-North Water Transfer Project, which has changed the runoff distribution and saltwater dynamics once again. Recognizing the critical need to understand these changes, this study employs numerical simulations to investigate the impact of the East Route of the South-to-North Water Transfer Project’s water abstraction on saltwater intrusion in the Changjiang River Estuary post-2003. It assesses intrusion distances, freshwater availability, and periods when water intake might be compromised due to high salinity. Our findings indicate that the East Route of the South-to-North Water Transfer Project markedly influences intrusion patterns. By modeling various runoff scenarios, the study delineates the correlation between average monthly runoff at the Datong Hydrological Survey Station and estuary salinity. It then suggests optimal ecological discharge levels to manage saltwater intrusion effectively. This research provides insights which are necessary for informed water management and ecological protection in the region. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water-Related Disasters and Risks)

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14 pages, 4485 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Joint Flood Risks in the Grand River Watershed

by Poornima Unnikrishnan, Kumaraswamy Ponnambalam, Nirupama Agrawal and Fakhri Karray

Sustainability 2023, 15(12), 9203; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15129203 - 7 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1792

Abstract

According to the World Meteorological Organization, since 2000, there has been an increase in global flood-related disasters by 134 percent compared to the previous decades. Efficient flood risk management strategies necessitate a holistic approach to evaluating flood vulnerabilities and risks. Catastrophic losses can occur when the peak flow values in the rivers in a basin coincide. Therefore, estimating the joint flood risks in a region is vital, especially when frequent occurrences of extreme events are experienced. This study focuses on estimating the joint flood risks due to river flow extremes in the Grand River watershed in Canada. For this purpose, the study uses copula analysis to investigate the joint occurrence of extreme river flow events in the Speed and Grand Rivers in the Grand River Watershed in Ontario, Canada. By estimating the joint return period for extreme flows in both rivers, we demonstrate the interdependence of the two river flows and how this interdependence influences the behavior of river flow extreme patterns. Our findings suggest that the interdependence between the two river flows leads to changes in the river flow extreme pattern. Determining the interdependence of floods at multiple locations using state-of-the-art tools will benefit various stakeholders, such as the insurance industry, the disaster management sector, and most importantly, the public. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water-Related Disasters and Risks)

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19 pages, 4478 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impacts of Climate Change on Hydrological Regimes in the Congo River Basin

by Sara Karam, Baba-Serges Zango, Ousmane Seidou, Duminda Perera, Nidhi Nagabhatla and Raphael M. Tshimanga

Sustainability 2023, 15(7), 6066; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15076066 - 31 Mar 2023

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4775

Abstract

Surface water resources are essential for a wide range of human activities, such as municipal water supply, fishing, navigation, irrigation, and hydropower. Their regime is also linked to environmental sustainability, water-related risks, human health, and various ecosystem services. Global warming is expected to modify surface water availability, quality, and distribution and therefore affect water use productivity as well as the incidence of water-related risks. Thus, it is important for communities to plan and adapt to the potential impacts of climate change. The Congo River Basin, home to 75 million people, is subject to recurrent flood and drought events, which are expected to worsen as a result of climate change. This study aims to assess future modifications of the hydrological regime of the Congo River and the socio–economic impacts of these projected changes for three future periods: 2011–2041, 2041–2070, and 2071–2100. A Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model of the Congo River Basin was developed, calibrated, and validated using daily rainfall observations combined with daily time series of precipitation, temperatures, relative humidity, solar radiation, and wind speed derived from the WFDEI (Watch Forced Era Interim) reanalysis data set. The outputs of ten Regional Climate Models (RCMs) from the Coordinated Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX-AFRICA) were statistically downscaled to obtain future climate time series, considering two Representative Concentration Pathways: RCP8.5 and RCP4.5. The calibrated model was used to assess changes in streamflow in all reaches of the Congo River. Results suggest relative changes ranging from −31.8% to +9.2% under RCP4.5 and from −42.5% to +55.5% under RCP 8.5. Larger relative changes occur in the most upstream reaches of the network. Results also point to an overall decrease in discharge in the center and southern parts of the basin and increases in the northwestern and southeastern parts of the basin under both emission scenarios, with RCP8.5 leading to the most severe changes. River discharge is likely to decrease significantly, with potential consequences for agriculture, hydropower production, and water availability for human and ecological systems. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water-Related Disasters and Risks)

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18 pages, 3560 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Present and Future Losses of Storage in Large Reservoirs Due to Sedimentation: A Country-Wise Global Assessment

by Duminda Perera, Spencer Williams and Vladimir Smakhtin

Sustainability 2023, 15(1), 219; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15010219 - 23 Dec 2022

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 10544

Abstract

Reservoir sedimentation is often seen as a site-specific process and is usually assessed at an individual reservoir level. At the same time, it takes place everywhere in the world. However, estimates of storage losses globally are largely lacking. In this study, earlier proposed estimates of sedimentation rates are applied, for the first time, to 47,403 large dams in 150 countries to estimate cumulative reservoir storage losses at country, regional, and global scales. These losses are estimated for the time horizons of 2022, 2030, and 2050. It is shown that 6316 billion m³ of initial global storage in these dams will decline to 4665 billion m³ causing a 26% storage loss by 2050. By now, major regions of the world have already lost 13–19% of their initially available water storage. Asia-Pacific and African regions will likely experience relatively smaller storage losses in the next 25+ years compared to the Americas or Europe. On a country level, Seychelles, Japan, Ireland, Panama, and the United Kingdom will experience the highest water storage losses by 2050, ranging between 35% and 50%. In contrast, Bhutan, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Guinea, and Niger will be the five least affected countries losing less than 15% of storage by 2050. The decrease in the available storage by 2050 in all countries and regions will challenge many aspects of national economies, including irrigation, power generation, and water supply. The newly built dams will not be able to offset storage losses to sedimentation. The paper is an alert to this creeping global water challenge with potentially significant development implications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water-Related Disasters and Risks)

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24 pages, 13085 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Study of Geological Hazard Evaluation Systems Using Grid Units and Slope Units under Different Rainfall Conditions

by Shuai Liu, Jieyong Zhu, Dehu Yang and Bo Ma

Sustainability 2022, 14(23), 16153; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142316153 - 2 Dec 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2033

Abstract

The selection of evaluation units in geological hazard evaluation systems is crucial for the evaluation results. In an evaluation system, relevant geological evaluation factors are selected and the study area is divided into multiple regular or irregular independent units, such as grids, slopes, and basins. Each evaluation unit, which includes evaluation factor attributes and hazard point distribution data, is placed as an independent individual in a corresponding evaluation model for use in a calculation, and finally a risk index for the entire study area is obtained. In order to compare the influence of the selection of grid units or slope units—two units frequently used in geological hazard evaluation studies—on the accuracy of evaluation results, this paper takes Yuanyang County, Yunnan Province, China, as a case study area. The area was divided into 7851 slope units by the catchment basin method and 12,985,257 grid units by means of an optimal grid unit algorithm. Nine evaluation factors for geological hazards were selected, including elevation, slope, aspect, curvature, land-use type, distance from a fault, distance from a river, engineering geological rock group, and landform type. In order to ensure the objective comparison of evaluation results for geological hazard susceptibility with respect to grid units and slope units, the weighted information model combining the subjective weighting AHP (analytic hierarchy process) and the objective statistical ICM (information content model) were used to evaluate susceptibility with both units. Geological risk evaluation results for collapses and landslides under heavy rain (25–50 mm), rainstorm (50–100 mm), heavy rainstorm (150–250 mm), and extraordinary rainstorm (>250 mm) conditions were obtained. The results showed that the zoning results produced under the slope unit system were better than those produced under the grid unit system in terms of the distribution relationship between hazard points and hazard levels. In addition, ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curves were used to test the results of susceptibility and risk assessments. The AUC (area under the curve) values of the slope unit system were higher than those of the grid unit system. Finally, the evaluation results obtained with slope units were more reasonable and accurate. Compared with the results from an actual geological hazard susceptibility and risk survey, the evaluation results for collapse and landslide geological hazards under the slope unit system were highly consistent with the actual survey results. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water-Related Disasters and Risks)

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20 pages, 8673 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of Climate Change Impacts for Balancing Transboundary Water Resources Development in the Blue Nile Basin

by Mihretab G. Tedla, Mohamed Rasmy, Katsunori Tamakawa, Hemakanth Selvarajah and Toshio Koike

Sustainability 2022, 14(22), 15438; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142215438 - 21 Nov 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2461

Abstract

An assessment of climate impacts in the hydrologic system of the Blue Nile basin is useful for enhancing water management planning and basin-wide policymaking. Climate change adaptation activities predominantly require an understanding of the range of impacts on the water resource. In this study, we assessed climate change impacts on the Blue Nile River using 30-year in situ climate data (1981–2010) and five bias-corrected General Circulation Models (GCMs) for future (2026–2045) climate projections of RCP8.5. Both historical and GCM precipitation projections show inter-annual and spatial variability, with the most significant increases in the rainy season and a significant decrease in the dry season. The results suggest the probability of an increase in total precipitation. The intensity and frequency of future extreme rainfall events will also increase. Moreover, the hydrological model simulation results show a likely increase in total river flow, peak discharges, flood inundation, and evapotranspiration that will lead to a higher risk of floods and droughts in the future. These results suggest that the operation of water storage systems (e.g., the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam) should be optimized for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) and irrigation management in addition to their intended purposes in the Nile basin. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water-Related Disasters and Risks)

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12 pages, 1263 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigation of Radon in Groundwater and the Corresponding Human-Health Risk Assessment in Northeastern Saudi Arabia

by Al Mamun and Amira Salman Alazmi

Sustainability 2022, 14(21), 14515; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142114515 - 4 Nov 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2640

Abstract

Radon is one of the most common human exposures as a natural radiation source and can cause lung, colon, and stomach cancer. In this study, groundwater from different wells was collected from the northeastern part of Saudi Arabia. The radon concentration was estimated using an electronic portable radon detector RAD7 with a big-bottle system. The annual effective dose of radon exposure by the ingestion and inhalation of water is calculated using the radon concentration for different age groups to assess the health risk of radon exposure. The calculated annual effective doses are then compared with the international risk limit standard as international organizations direct. The estimated radon concentration for groundwater samples in the searched area was between 0.03 and 3.20 Bq/L, with an average value of 1.16 Bq/L. These estimated values are far below the safety limit set by international organizations. The annual effective dose of radon exposure for infants, children and adults ranged from 0.05 to 16.24 μSv/y, with a mean value of 5.89 μSv/y. The health risk assessed by radon exposure for infants, children and adults was found to be in the safe limit recommended by international organizations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water-Related Disasters and Risks)

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27 pages, 7119 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Comprehensive Methodology for Evaluating the Economic Impacts of Floods: An Application to Canada, Mexico, and the United States

by Xin Wen, Ana María Alarcón Ferreira, Lynn M. Rae, Hirmand Saffari, Zafar Adeel, Laura A. Bakkensen, Karla M. Méndez Estrada, Gregg M. Garfin, Renee A. McPherson and Ernesto Franco Vargas

Sustainability 2022, 14(21), 14139; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142114139 - 29 Oct 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4062

Abstract

In 2020, we developed a comprehensive methodology (henceforth, the methodology) to assess flood-related economic costs. The methodology covers direct damages, indirect effects, and losses and additional costs across 105 social, infrastructure, economic, and emergency response indicators. As a companion paper, this study presents findings from analysis of applying the methodology to investigate economic costs for major flood events between 2013 and 2017 and to assess gaps in the existing datasets across Canada, Mexico, and the United States. In addition, we conducted one case study from each country for an in-depth examination of the applicability of the methodology. Applying the methodology, Mexico showed the most complete flood indicator data availability and accessibility among the three countries. We found that most flood-related economic cost assessments evaluated only direct damages, and indirect effect data were rarely included in datasets in the three countries. Moreover, few of the records from Canada and the United States captured the losses and additional costs. Flood-related economic cost data at the municipal or county level were easily accessible in Mexico and the United States. Mexico’s National Center for Prevention of Disasters (Centro Nacional de Prevención de Desastres), unique among the three nations, provided access to centralized and comprehensive flood cost data. In the United States and Canada, data collection by multiple agencies that focus on different jurisdictions and scales of flood damage complicated comprehensive data collection and led to incomplete economic cost assessments. Our analysis strongly suggests that countries should aim to expand the set of data indicators available and become more granular across space and time while maintaining data quality. This study provides significant insights about approaches for collating spatial, temporal, and outcome-specific localized flood economic costs and the major data gaps across the three countries. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water-Related Disasters and Risks)

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