Impacts of Droughts on Water Resources System From the Perspective of Mutual Interactions Between Society and Environment

Abstract:

Natural hazards as floods and drought represent a threat for water resources systems all over the world. In the case of droughts, lack of preparation can lead to delayed or insufficient responses to developing water crises, that could produce irreparable damage to the environment. In this study, we analyze the role of mutual interactions between society and environment on mitigating or exacerbating drought impacts, thought a socio-hydrological approach.

The case study of this work is represented by the Alcantara River Basin (Italy), that is a groundwater-fed catchment which supplies natural springs of the Alcantara Fluvial Park, an important natural reserve, a municipal aqueduct and two power plants stations on the river line. On this system, water crisis due to drought can produce conflicts in water allocation and uses and consequentially damages to the environment.

Main purpose of this work is to explore impacts of droughts in this area taking explicitly into account feedbacks between the natural and the human components that might arise from droughts, including possible evolution of policy responses. Results coming from scenario analyses helps to frame water resource management issues in a multi-focused perspective useful to provide guidance to the community in identifying aspects of societal responses or social behavior that need to evolve towards sustainable water resource management to withstand future shocks.