River conflicts

• Helskini Rules (1966):

  • Natural factors (rainfall amounts)
  • Socioeconomic needs (population size)
  • Downstream impacts (lowering water table, pollution)
  • Prior use (historic rights)
  • Efficiency (avoiding waste + mismanagement)
  • Is NOT legally binding
• River Nile:

  • 11 countries compete for Nile's water
• River Nile:

  • 300m people live in Nile Basin, expected to double to 600m by 2030
• River Nile:

  • High evaporation losses, especially in South Sudan
• River Nile (collaborating):

  • Ethiopia rainy season led to heavy flooding in Sudan - now share and regulate river flows to reduce flooding risk
• River Nile :

  • Ethiopia demand for electricity is increasing by 30% a year
• River Nile (conflicts):

  • Egypt dependent on Nile for 95% of its water demand
• River Nile (conflicts):

  • Ethiopia and Rwanda have high demand due to crop irrigation, HEP production and industry
• River Nile (conflicts):

  • Rwanda, Egypt and Kenya (3 of 6) to be possibily water scarce by 2025
• River Nile (conflicts):

  • Water scarcity affecting food security
• River Nile (conflicts):

  • Ethiopia has major production of water but low capture. Egypt and Sudan is opposite
• River Nile (conflicts):

  • Ethiopia believes 1920 agreement is out of date (Nile Treaty)
• River Nile (conflicts):

  • Sudan too politically weak to fight a war for water
• River Colorado:

  • Source in Rocky Mountains in Colorado
• River Colorado:

  • 1922 - Colardo compact agreement made to allocate fair shares of water to the surrouding 7 states and Mexico
• River Colorado:

  • Colorado river drains 7% of the Usa and covers an area 1.1x the size of France
• River Colorado:

  • Water storae in Lake Powell and Lake mMead was at 43% capacitity in 2016.
• River Colorado (collaborating):

  • 2007 new agreement made. States divide up the shortages. The amount of water available determines the supplies to the states
• River Colorado (collaborating):

  • California has reduced the amount it extracts by 20%
• River Colorado (collaborating):

  • In 2012 minute 319 agreement signed. Mexico has the right to store some of its water in Lake Mead. In return, water providers can buy some of this water in exchange fot improving Mexico's canals and storage infrastructure
• River Colorado (conflicts):

  • Mexico takes 10% of the flow
• River Colorado (conflicts):

  • States in the lower basin take 50%, and those in the upper basin fall short by 10%
• River Colorado (conflicts):

  • Native Americans are owed 5% but could take more
• River Colorado (conflicts):

  • Demand and climate change has depleted storage to 48%
• River Colorado (conflicts):

  • Since 1990s, the average annual flow has decreased by 15%
• River Colorado:

  • Provides drinking water for 50m Americans and irrigates 1.4m hectares of farm land
• River Nile:

  • Grand Renaissance dam in Ethiopia - on tributary where 85% water flows through
• River Colorado:

  • 90% of Las Vegas' water comes from ^