Coupling law and technology for water allocations among riparian states

Abstract

The problem of sharing the waters of trans-boundary watercourses has traditionally been viewed as one lying
exclusively within the domain of legal doctrines. However, lack of information about the sustainable futuristic
scenarios of possible water allocations acts as a deterrent in resolving the conflicts pertaining to trans-boundary
watercourses. It is increasingly being felt that technology, in the form of simulation modeling, has a very significant
role to play in this context. However, law and technology so far stand isolated in their respective spheres. This study
is an attempt to use technology to bridge the information gap that usually persists for law enforcing agencies. The
legal doctrines consist of a broad series of guidelines. The present work is an attempt to support a legal doctrine by
devising a set of quantifiable formulae for water allocations among the riparian states by taking the case study of an
Indian interstate river basin. The potential role of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) based hydrological
modeling in bringing about an effective resolution of the problems pertaining to the sharing of interstate rivers has
been demonstrated. The hydrological model used for the study is Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). The
study shows that simulation modeling can play a very significant role in conflict resolution by generating a series of
scenarios or options for the stakeholders, so as to enable them to take sound rational decisions.