Freshwater Deficiency and the World Market

The causes of freshwater deficiency are considered, the main causes being poor environmental conditions and excessive water consumption. The problem of water deficiency is shown to be insoluble without the development of intense water use, conservation, and protection. Based on studying water as a commodity, it is asserted that the market mechanism is not sufficient to cope with water deficiency. The potential of the international water market is shown to be very limited in contrast to the market of water-efficient processes and water-retaining products.     

Methodology of Environmental Standardization for Natural Waters

Doklady Earth Sciences - This paper discusses sources of significant errors that occur in the course of determination of the primary environmental standard for natural waters: the maximum...     

Nonlinear Effects in the Formation of Water Quality

Doklady Earth Sciences - The indicators of the composition and quality of natural water are random variables. Since the “linear” approach to their assessment and forecast provides no...     

Transboundary water problems and approaches to their solution: 1. Formation of agreements

Conflict situations in transboundary water use and the associated problems of harmonization of the interests of the users who claim the resources of transboundary water bodies. Mechanisms are proposed for the harmonization of the interests of states using transboundary water bodies in the absence of agreements regarding joint management strategies. The harmonization is being carried out with the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of water resources under stochastic conditions taken into account.     

A System of Mathematical Models Underlying Water Use and Disposal Strategies

A methodology of interaction between water management systems and water users in the formation of water use and disposal strategies under uncertain conditions is considered. The strategies are developed in a four-stage procedure of successive specification of decisions with the use of the proposed system of mathematical models, in which the strategies are compared, discarded, and selected by their efficiency.     

The Scientific Basis of Water Safety of Crimea: Problems and Solutions

Water Resources - The present-day knowledge of Crimean water resources is analyzed; the data on surface water and, the more so, deposits of groundwater, as well as the interaction between them are...     

Dependable water use under market conditions

The problems related to the formation of the regulated market of water resources and water management services are discussed. A system of commodity-money relations between the water-resources system and the user based on a scheme of dependable water use is proposed. It is shown that this water use should be paid for, but such payment will not be the price of the actually supplied water or other water economy services; deviations of the actually supplied volumes from the characteristics of dependable water use should be paid for as well. Optimization models were used to determine the tentative rates of such payments. The main elements of the models are production functions that describe the dependence of the economic result on both the dependable and actual volume of water supply, or the rendering of other services of water management.     

Risk-Oriented Approach to Resolving Legal Controversies

Water Resources - The study focuses on the specific features of the justice dealing with the results of measuring the characteristics of safety and quality of production, works, or services. It is...     

Some Problems of Reducing the Pollution of Water Bodies from Diffuse Sources

Water Resources - The role of diffuse pollution of water bodies in the formation of water quality in them is characterized. Some features of diffuse pollution, which are of importance for managing...