The controversial debate on the role of water reservoirs in reducing water scarcity

Reservoirs are built worldwide for a higher water supply in dry periods by storing temporarily wet periods. Recent socio-hydrology studies hypothesized, creating “supply–demand cycles”, that reservoirs can lead indirectly to counterintuitive dynamics such as more scarcity and economic social vulnerability. This opinion argues part of co-evolutionary processes with natural, social, engineered elements therefore, need be analyzed within socio-political interactions. Aspects (a) institutions; (b) governance processes; (c) social–ecological factors; (d) narratives scarcity; (e) powerful interests essential understand feedback mechanisms between hypothesize long-term phenomena scarcity. Neglecting these interactions could biased research agendas, misleading conclusions, adverse effects on the transformation process toward sustainability. Given complexity systems, diversity critical capacity inter- transdisciplinary work is crucial further advance study unintended side or — general socio-hydrology. article categorized under: Human Water