Transboundary River Water Sharing

Sharing river water is a complex problem that involves multiple stakeholders with conflicting interests. Our ontology captures the complex nature of this phenomenon.

Ontology

Illustrative Pathways

• Sharing cumulative storage of water in source state for use by drinking in source state based on rationality-proportionality principle through cooperation.
• Sharing seasonal distribution of water in the destination state for the use by distant irrigation/agriculture sector in the destination state based on history-tradition principle through adjudication.
• Sharing monthly distribution of water in destination state for the use by remote drinking sector in destination state based on legality-national principle through litigation.

Glossary

• Temporality: Frequency of river water sharing.
  • Cumulative: Sharing of river water cumulatively.
  • Seasonal: Sharing of river water seasonally.
  • Monthly: Sharing of river water monthly.
  • Weekly: Sharing of river water weekly.
  • Available: Sharing of available river water.
• Stage: Stages of river water flow cycle in a dam.
  • Inflow: Inflow of river water to the natural/artificial storage structure.
  • Storage: Storage of river water.
  • Overflow: Overflow of river water post full capacity of natural/artificial storage structure.
  • Distribution: Distribution of river water from the natural/artificial storage structure.
  • Wastage: Wastage of river water from natural/artificial storage structure.
  • Outflow: Outflow of river water from natural/artificial storage structure.
• State: Geographical state where the river flows.
  • Source: The origin point/state of the river / State where the river originates.
  • Intermediate: The flow of a river between its origin and mouth near the confluence.
  • Destination: The state where the river water meets the confluence point.
• Location: Location of the population which uses river water.
  • Proximate: Population residing closest to the river water.
  • Distant: Population at the distant area which is dependent on the river water.
  • Remote: Population at the remote area which is dependent on the river water.
• Sector: Different sectors where the river water is used as an input.
  • Drinking: River water used for drinking.
  • Irrigation/Agriculture: River water used for Irrigation/Agriculture.
  • Industries: Industries which are dependent on river water.
    • Hydro power: Hydro power industry which is dependent on river water.
    • Other: Other industries which are dependent on river water.
  • Other: Other sectors which use river water.
    • Navigation: River used for navigation.
    • Non-Navigation: River water used for non-navigational purpose.
    • Tourism: River water used in tourism sector.
    • Recreation: River water used for recreational use.
• State: Nation/State where the user of river water belongs.
  • Source: User belongs to the geographical state where the river originates.
  • Intermediate: User belongs to the geographical state between the origin and mouth of the river near the confluence.
  • Destination: User belongs to the geographical state where the river water meets the confluence point.
• Principles: The basic principles of disputes resolution for river-water sharing.
  • History: The history of time-line of acts, tribunals, laws and amendments made over time.
    • Tradition: Traditional stand taken by the riparian state based on history.
    • Sovereignty: Authoritative stand taken by a riparian state based on history.
    • Integrity: Integral right of the riparian states over the natural flow of water.
  • Legality: Legal discourse/framework followed for the dispute resolution.
    • International: International level river-water sharing laws and principles.
    • National: National level river-water sharing laws and principles.
    • State: state level river water sharing laws and principles.
  • Rationality: Principles of rationality used in river water dispute.
    • Proportionality: Sharing of river water proportionally based on rational values and goals.
    • Equality: Equal sharing of river water.
    • Reasonability: Sharing river water based on reasonable requirement by the riparian states.
    • Equity: Sharing of river water equitably based on various factors.
    • Utility: Sharing of river water based on utilization provided if an act or rule is right.
    • Scarcity/Demand: Sharing river water based on scarcity and demand of riparian states.
  • Sustainability: Sharing river water based on sustainability of river and environment.
• Procedure: The method/ an approach to resolve the disputes regarding river-water sharing.
  • Adjudication: The resolution of river water dispute by adjudication.
  • Collective action -The resolution of river water dispute by collective action of all the riparian states.
  • Cooperation: The resolution of river water dispute by cooperation between riparian states.
  • Information: The resolution of river water dispute by using the sources of literary and oral evidences, knowledge systems for river.
  • Investigation: The resolution of river water dispute by investigation or systematic examination or research.
  • Litigation: The resolution of river water dispute by litigation.
  • Negotiation: The resolution of river water dispute by negotiation between riparian states.
  • Arbitration: The resolution of river water dispute by arbitration between riparian states.
  • Institutionalization: The resolution of river water dispute by an institutionalized authority.

Monad Map

Theme Map

Related Links

Transboundary Sharing of River Water: Informating the Policies