Abstract
Increasing groundwater extraction threatens aquifer sustainability for future generations. Making the best use of limited groundwater resources requires knowledge of its alternative extractive and non-extractive values, as well as the cost of extraction and the hydrological interlinkages between alternative uses. Groundwater value is driven by a number of factors including its supply and demand and institutional and policy factors. These factors and how they affect value of groundwater are described. Also described are the various components relevant to the economic valuation of groundwater and there is discussion on the potential difficulties in their practical estimation. It is argued that groundwater management is essential when there are large potential spatial and temporal externalities related to groundwater pumping. Maintaining non-extractive and option values is likely to require trade-offs with current extractive uses. Well-informed management will be required to allocate groundwater efficiently between different users such as agriculture, industry and the environment, while also balancing the needs of current and future generations.
Résumé
Un prélèvement croissant d’eau souterraine menace la pérennité de l’aquifère pour les générations futures. Faire le meilleur usage de ressources souterraines limitées nécessite une connaissance de la valeur des alternatives exploitation ou non exploitation, de même que le coût de l’exploitation et les interférences entre les utilisations alternatives. La valeur de l’eau souterraine est conditionnée par un certain nombre de facteurs incluant l’offre et la demande et les facteurs institutionnels et politiques. Ces facteurs et la façon dont ils affectent la valeur de l’eau souterraine sont décrits. Sont de même décrites les diverses composantes relatives à l’évaluation économique de l’eau souterraine avec discussion sur les difficultés potentielles de leur estimation pratique. On argumente que la gestion de l’eau souterraine est essentielle quand le pompage a des incidences spatiales et temporelles externes importantes. Une gestion bien documentée sera nécessaire pour répartir l’eau efficacement entre les différents utilisateurs tels l’agriculture, l’industrie, l’environnement, et aussi pour satisfaire les besoins des générations actuelles et futures.
Resumen
El incremento de la extracción de agua subterránea amenaza la sustentabilidad de un acuífero para generaciones futuras. Hacer el mejor uso de los limitados recursos de agua subterránea requiere un conocimiento de sus valores alternativos extractivos y no extractivos, así como el costo de extracción y las interrelaciones hidrológicas entre los usos alternativos. El valor del agua subterránea está impulsado por una serie de factores que incluyen el suministro y la demanda y factores políticos e institucionales. Se describen estos factores y como afectan los valores del agua subterránea. También se describen los varios componentes relevantes para la valuación económica del agua subterránea y una discusión sobre las dificultades potenciales en su estimación prácticas. Se argumenta que el manejo del agua subterránea es esencial cuando existe un gran potencial de externalidades espaciales y temporales relacionadas al bombeo de agua subterránea. El mantenimiento no extractiva y los valores de opción es probable que requieran ventajas y desventajas con los usos extractivos actuales. Un manejo bien informado será requerido para localizar agua subterránea eficientemente entre los diferentes usos tales como agricultura, industria y el ambiente, mientras también un balance de las necesidades de las generaciones actuales y futuras.
摘要
增大地下水的开采量威胁着子孙后代对含水层的可持续利用。为了充分利用有限的地下水资源,需要了解有关其抽取价值和非抽取价值的知识,此外,抽取的成本和两种用途间的水文联系也是需要了解的。地下水的价值由包括供需情况、制度政策等的多个因素决定。文中阐述了这些因素以及这些因素是如何影响地下水的价值的。与地下水的经济评价相关的各种要素也在文中有所涉及,另外,还讨论了在实际评价工作中的潜在的困难。本文认为,当存在与地下水开采相关的大量潜在时空外部因素时,地下水管理是必要的。维持非抽取价值和选择价值可能需要与当前的抽取价值权衡。全面的管理需要在不同的使用者之间有效地分配地下水,如农业、工业和环境,同时也要平衡当代和后代对地下水的需求。
Resumo
O aumento da exploração das águas subterrâneas ameaça a sustentabilidade dos aquíferos para as gerações futuras. Fazer o melhor uso dos limitados recursos hídricos subterrâneos requer o conhecimento dos seus valores extrativos e não extrativos alternativos, assim como o custo de extração e as interligações hidrológicas entre usos alternativos. O valor da água subterrânea é impulsionado por uma série de fatores, incluindo a oferta e a procura e os fatores institucionais e políticos. Neste artigo, são descritos esses fatores e o modo como eles afetam o valor das águas subterrâneas. Também são descritas as várias componentes relevantes para a avaliação económica das águas subterrâneas e discutidos os possíveis problemas que se colocam na sua estimação. Argumenta-se que a gestão de águas subterrâneas é essencial quando há potenciais externalidades espaciais e temporais. Manter valores não extraíveis e opcionais é o mesmo que requerer valores comerciáveis com as atuais utilizações extrativas. Uma gestão adequada requer alocar eficientemente as águas subterrâneas entre os diferentes utilizadores, tais como a agricultura, a indústria e o ambiente, ao mesmo tempo que se equilibram as necessidades das gerações atuais e futuras.
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Acknowledgements
This paper was produced as part of the CSIRO Flagship Program ‘Water for a Healthy Country’. The authors acknowledge Nick Abel, Doug Cocks and two anonymous reviewers for their comments and valuable suggestions. Nick Brozović’s contribution is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. EAR-0709735.
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Qureshi, M.E., Reeson, A., Reinelt, P. et al. Factors determining the economic value of groundwater. Hydrogeol J 20, 821–829 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-012-0867-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-012-0867-x