Replenishing the Indus Delta through multi-sector transformation

The Indus River Basin (IRB) is a severely water-stressed and rapidly developing home to an estimated 250 million people in South Asia. An acute deficit of environmental flows (EFs) the basin’s delta negatively impacts geomorphology surrounding ecosystems. Here, sub-national model IRB’s integrated water–energy–land systems applied quantify multi-sector transformations system costs for enhancing EFs Delta. results show that increasing average outflows from basin relative historical policy levels by 2.5 5 times would increase sectoral upstream water users between 17–32 68–72% low high ecological potential targets. enhanced result more energy pumping treating net irrigation investments. EF are minimized 7–14% through cooperation across countries 6–9% coordinated implementation efficiency measures irrigation, conveyance, power plant cooling, treatment sectors. underscore crucial role multi-sector, multi-scale collaboration achieving targets river basins ecosystem adaptation climate vulnerability, restoration delta, socio-economic benefits.