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Topic Review

Groundwater Management Policies and Caplina Aquifer, Atacama Desert

Groundwater constitutes one of the main sources used to satisfy the water demands of the different users located in a basin. Groundwater pumping rates in many cases exceed natural recharge, resulting in the overexploitation of aquifers and the deterioration of water quality. Consequently, many aquifer systems in the world have applied and adapted policies to manage the use of groundwater. The conditions of the groundwater of the Caplina aquifer are not sustainable, and likewise, public policies are not effective for reversing this situation. This leads the aquifer system to a situation in which there is a quality degradation of the water, to a point that may be irreversible.

714
01 Aug 2023

Topic Review

NOAAS Murre II (R 663), previously NOAAS Murre II (FRV 63), was an American research vessel in commission in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) fleet from 1970 to 1989. Prior to her NOAA career, she operated under the United States Department of the Interior′s Fish and Wildlife Service from 1949 to 1956 and under the United States Fish and Wildlife Service′s Bureau of Commercial Fisheries from 1956 to 1970 as Murre II. The ship originally operated as a self-propelled barge, first as BSP-1915 for the United States Army during World War II and then for the Fish and Wildlife Service before undergoing conversion into a research ship in 1963.

705
02 Nov 2022

Topic Review

Factors Affecting N₂O Emissions from Wastewater Treatment Plants

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) generate significant amounts of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. Nitrous oxide (N2O) is an important greenhouse gas with a global warming potential (GWP) 273 times that of carbon dioxide (CO2), contributing to ozone layer depletion and climate change. Therefore, even small amounts of N2O emissions can significantly contribute to total greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. Thus, it can be concluded that the minimization of N2O emissions and the identification of the factors controlling these emissions constitute a great challenge.

697
07 Nov 2023

Topic Review

Sample Preparation Methods of PhACs in Waters Matrices

In the environment, pharmaceutical residues are a field of particular interest due to the adverse effects to either human health or aquatic and soil environment. Because of the diversity of these compounds, at least 3000 substances were identified and categorized into 49 different therapeutic classes, and several actions are urgently required at multiple steps, the main ones: (i) occurrence studies of pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs) in the water cycle; (ii) the analysis of the potential impact of their introduction into the aquatic environment; (iii) the removal/degradation of the pharmaceutical compounds; and, (iv) the development of more sensible and selective analytical methods to their monitorization.

694
22 Aug 2023

Topic Review

Remote Sensing, Geophysics, and Modeling in Precision Agriculture

Remote sensing provides information about the soil surface (or even a few centimeters below), while near-surface geophysics can characterize the subsoil. Results from the methods mentioned above can be used as an input model for soil and/or soil/water interaction modeling. The soil modeling offers a better explanation of complex physicochemical processes in the vadose zone.

687
25 Apr 2022

Topic Review

The Social Fabric of Watershed Management

Watershed management, a critical component in preserving and enhancing our natural environments, necessitates a comprehensive understanding of the social networks that underpin the organizations dedicated to this cause. The intricate web of relationships and interactions within and between such organizations can influence their operational efficacy and impact on watershed conservation and management. A social network analysis (SNA) encompasses theoretically grounded methods designed to analyze various types and attributes of relations among individuals and groups.

658
20 Feb 2024

Topic Review Peer Reviewed

Sustainable Water Management Practices in Agriculture: The Case of East Africa

This study dives into the essential issue of sustainable water management techniques in East Africa. Recognizing water as a key component of sustainable agricultural development, the study highlights the importance of a complete approach that takes into account technological, socio-economic, and environmental issues. A detailed, comprehensive review of 109 scientific research articles published between 1993 and 2024 was conducted to acquire a thorough grasp of current sustainable water resource management techniques in East Africa. This in-depth investigation sought to uncover major regional trends, challenges, and opportunities in water resource management. Furthermore, the evaluation aimed to identify specific knowledge gaps impeding the region’s implementation of sustainable water management techniques. As East Africa faces rising problems from climatic variability and change, which have a direct impact on water availability and agricultural output, the need for comprehensive policies becomes clear. The review reveals significant gaps in previous research, including a lack of focus on the socio-economic consequences of water management methods, gender dynamics, long-term assessments, indigenous knowledge integration, and climate change adaptation. By highlighting these areas, the study emphasizes the necessity of future research in addressing these gaps and developing more effective and sustainable water management solutions for East Africa.

657
10 Jan 2025

Topic Review

SGMA and CVSALTS in California

The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) and Central Valley Salinity Alternatives for Long-Term Sustainability (CVSALTS) initiatives have fundamentally changed future groundwater management in California [1,2]. Both embrace a holistic conceptual understanding of the resource and the interconnectedness of this resource with other vulnerable resources and the citizenry of the state. This shift in perspective also creates a need for a new suite of decision support tools to help stakeholders make cost effective, efficient, equitable, transparent and socially responsible decisions in the future.

643
29 Jun 2021

Topic Review

Taxonomic Diversity of African Cyanobacteria Using Genetic Markers

Advances in molecular biology have facilitated the use of polyphasic approaches involving chemotaxonomic, phenotypic, and genotypic data to characterize cyanobacteria. Genotypic diversity through PCR (polymerase chain reaction) amplification of target sequences, cloning, and DNA sequencing of isolated strains and field samples has been poorly described in Africa. The most commonly used genetic markers in Africa include 16S rRNA, PC-IGS, 16S-23S ITS1-L, 16S-23S ITS1-S, rpoB, rpoC1, and 16S-23S ITS. These molecular markers have been employed to understand the taxonomy and phylogeography of cyanobacteria worldwide.

641
23 Dec 2022

Topic Review

Engineered Electrospun Nanofiber-Based Membranes

The integration of nanofillers gives appropriate characteristics to the membrane distillation (MD) membranes by changing their chemical and physical properties, which significantly enhances energy efficiency without impacting the economic costs. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art status, the opportunities, open challenges, and pitfalls of the emerging field of modified ENMs using different nanomaterials for desalination applications.

636
06 Apr 2023

Topic Review

Groundwater Depletion and Degradation in North China Plain

Groundwater is an important natural resource in the North China Plain (NCP) with high economic benefits and social significance. It fulfills 60% of drinking and 70% of irrigation water requirements. Groundwater becomes unsafe for human consumption due to pollution caused by inappropriate waste disposal, industrial discharges, and agricultural runoff.

621
24 Jan 2024

Topic Review

River Chief Information-Sharing System Practice in China

Controling river water pollution is one of the complex ecoenvironmental challenges facing China’s development today. The river chief information-sharing system (RCISS) in China is an institutional innovation carried out by the government to promote collaborative water governance in the era of big data. In China, the RCISS is primarily practiced at the provincial level. A three-dimensional and intelligent information-management system would be established according to the work plan of the RCS.

561
27 Oct 2023

Topic Review

Bisphenol A on Anaerobic Digestion of Sewage Sludge

Anaerobic digestion for stabilizing sewage sludge in WWTPs, which produces biogas and stabilized biosolids, is a mature technology used worldwide. Bisphenol A (BPA) is an alkylphenol composed of acetone and phenol. It is a plastic additive that is most commonly used to produce different industrial and personal care products, e.g., polycarbonate, polysulphone, epoxy, polyacrylate, polyetherimide resins, thermal paper, beverage containers, dental sealant, and so on.

517
26 Feb 2024

Topic Review

Halophytes/Saline Water/Deserts/Wastelands Nexus

Climate change is rapidly exacerbating and adding to major-to-existential issues associated with freshwater availability and utilization. The massive, thus far untapped saline/salt water/ocean—wastelands/deserts—Halophytes resources nexus can, at scale and profitably, provide major climate change mitigation and greatly alleviate most extant freshwater issues. Approaches include ocean fertilization and saline/seawater agriculture on deserts and wastelands to sequester massive amounts of CO2 and methane and for food, freeing up some 70% of the freshwater now utilized by current agriculture for direct human use. This also enables the production of huge amounts of biofuels and biomass-based chemical feedstock employing the massive capacity of cheap saline/seawater and cheap deserts and wastelands.

392
29 Feb 2024

Topic Review

Economic Assessment of Hydrologic Ecosystem Services in Morocco

This study delves into the complex interplay between land use dynamics, hydrological services, and intangible benefits within the context of Ifrane National Park (INP) in Morocco. Due to its extensive mountain forests and numerous wetlands, INP is a crucial contributor to the nation’s water supply and a vital source of hydrological ecosystem services (HES). However, climate change and evolving land use patterns have led to diminishing water resources and the desiccation of certain wetlands. This research used the Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs software (InVEST 3.10.2) for HES quantification and environmental economics approach for monetization to comprehend how HES values respond to challenges posed by urbanization, intensive agriculture, and other land use alterations. This work underscores INP’s role as a significant “water tower”, emphasizing the evolution of its services amidst challenges. Our findings reveal an annual decrease in HES economic value by USD 4000. This economic assessment serves as a compelling tool to enlighten decision-makers and park users about the imperative need to preserve natural ecosystems and use water resources judiciously. It advocates for investments in conservation and restoration within protected areas to sustain these vital services.

190
03 Mar 2025

Topic Review

Shaping Water Infrastructure Futures in the European Union Context

This entry explores how foresight approaches can guide the future of water infrastructures. It highlights key long-term disruptive drivers of change—such as climate change, digital transformation, and geopolitical tensions—that infrastructures must withstand and adapt to. It also emphasizes the role of collective choices and innovation alliances, including Water-Oriented Living Labs, in shaping resilient and sustainable water systems. The focus is on transforming today’s infrastructures into adaptive systems that ensure water security and ecosystem integrity for future generations. Although many of the drivers of change are global, this entry emphasizes the European context, where policy frameworks and innovation agendas are currently shaping infrastructure transitions.

10
06 Nov 2025

Topic Review Peer Reviewed

Techniques and Developments in Stochastic Streamflow Synthesis—A Comprehensive Review

Stochastic streamflow synthesis has long been the cornerstone of water resource planning, enabling the generation of extended hydrological sequences that reflect natural variability beyond the limitations of observed records. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the theoretical foundations, methodological advancements, and evolving trends in synthetic streamflow generation. Historical progression is explored through three distinct eras: the pre-modern formulation era (pre-1960), the era dominated by autoregressive models (1960–2000), and the recent period marked by the rise of data-driven AI/ML approaches. Various modelling paradigms, parametric versus non-parametric, traditional versus AI-based, and single- versus multi-scale approaches, are critically assessed and compared with a focus on their applicability across temporal resolutions and hydrological regimes. This study also categorizes evaluation criteria into four dimensions: preservation of stochastic characteristics, distributional consistency, error-based metrics, and operational performance. In addition, the use and impact of transformation techniques (e.g., log or Box-Cox) employed to normalize streamflow distributions for improved model fidelity are examined. A bibliometric analysis of over 200 studies highlights the global research footprint, showing that the United States leads with 70 studies, followed by Canada with 15, reflecting the growing international engagement in the field. The analysis also identifies the most active journals publishing streamflow synthesis research: Water Resources Research (50 publications, since 1967), Journal of Hydrology (25 publications, since 1963), and Journal of the American Water Resources Association (9 publications, since 1974). This review not only synthesizes past and current practices but also outlines key challenges and future research directions to advance stochastic hydrology in an era of climatic uncertainty and data complexity.

10
25 Nov 2025

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