Buffer storage water tanks in developed countries

Is water storage a key to resilient development?

This paper outlines a new and integrated water storage agenda for resilient development in a world increasingly characterised by water stress and climate uncertainty and variability. Storing water has long been a cornerstone of socio-economic development, particularly for societies exposed to large climatic variability.

How can a water buffer be used in a landscape?

By integrating WH and storage structures in landscapes in a planned and systematic manner, it is possible to create a “water buffer” that helps reduce vulnerability to drought and seasonal variations in rainfall: it can be used for multiple purposes, such as agriculture, livestock watering and domestic use.

What is total water storage?

Note: Total storage is defined as the sum of water stored in reservoirs and water stored in lakes in billion cubic metres (in log-scale); the size of the circle is the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) per capita (US$). Source: World Bank Climate Change Knowledge Portal, World Development Indicators and Messager et al. (2016).

How much water is available in Global Reservoirs?

However, the amount of water available in reservoirs (and the corresponding trends) have not been well quantified at the global scale. Here we use satellite observations to estimate the storage variations of 7245 global reservoirs from 1999 to 2018.

Do developing countries have inadequate water storage capacity?

Today, many developing countries, even those with abundant water, have insuficient water storage capacity. Physical water storage is one component of a range of adaptation strategies; other options include food storage and management strategies (Figure 1).

What are the different types of water storage options for agriculture?

Dams are one of the many surface and below-surface water storage options for agriculture. Others include natural wetlands, water stored in the soil and rainwater harvesting ponds (Figure 2). Historically, irrigation depended heavily on water in rivers or naturally stored in lakes, floodplains and wetlands.