International Journal of Water (5 papers in press)

Regular Issues

• Cownomics and water ecology: towards a sustainable rejuvenation process in India  
  by Rabinarayan Patnaik 
  Abstract: Water is the lifeblood of the world, and global civilization cannot sustain itself without relying on it. However, this invaluable and indispensable resource has been wasted and rendered unusable due to various man-made and natural reasons. This has led to a deadly scenario known as the water crisis, which has become increasingly severe globally, including in India. Many traditional methods for water rejuvenation exist, but none have been deemed sustainable and eco-friendly solutions. In contrast, Cownomics is the only in-situ water treatment process that has begun changing perceptions of these technologies. With encouraging results in various water rejuvenation projects in lakes and rivers across India, it has been applied to rejuvenate six heritage water bodies situated in coastal areas of Cuttack and Puri in Odisha (an Eastern state in India). An outcome based study like this can be useful for policymakers and stakeholders in the future.
  Keywords: cownomics; pollution; rejuvenation; sustainability; water crisis; water policy; ground water; water stress; heritage water bodies; vedic treatment.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJW.2025.10076758
   
  
• RIVERINE FLOOD HAZARD ZONATION AND ITS SPATIO-TEMPORAL VARIATION IN THE UPPER BRAHMAPUTRA RIVER VALLEY, ASSAM  
  by Arunima Nandy, AVINASH KUMAR 
  Abstract: Abstract Riverine flooding is a major natural hazard, particularly in regions situated on alluvial plains. The upper Brahmaputra River valley in Assam, India, experiences severe and recurrent floods almost every year. This study assesses flood hazard zonation and its spatio-temporal variation from 2001 to 2021 using MODIS imagery and a multi-criteria weighted overlay approach. Key factors such as elevation, slope, topographic wetness index, curvature, vegetation, proportion of water bodies, and land use/land cover were integrated to generate flood hazard maps. The region was classified into five hazard zones: very low, low, moderate, high, and very high. Results indicate a significant expansion
  Keywords: Curvature; Flood; Land Use/Land Cover; MODIS; Multi-criteria analysis; Spatio-temporal change; Topographic Wetness Index; Weighted overlay.
  
  
• Delineation of groundwater prospect zones using AHP and weighted overlay method in Gaya district Bihar, India  
  by Tarun Kumar, Vaishnavi Swami, Sunita Singh 
  Abstract: Groundwater is vital for environmental sustainability and socioeconomic development, but overuse and climate change threaten its availability. This study identifies groundwater prospect zones in Gaya, a drought-prone district in Bihar, India, which holds religious significance for Buddhists and Hindus. Using Remote Sensing (RS) and geographic information systems (GIS), 10 thematic factors geomorphology, lithology, lineament density, slope, land use/land cover (LULC), soil, rainfall, drainage density, topographic wetness index (TWI), and roughness index were analysed. Weights were assigned via the analytical hierarchy process (AHP), and overlay analysis produced a groundwater prospect map with five categories: good, good to moderate, moderate, low, and very low potential. Results show 43.70% of the area has good to moderate potential, 25.45% moderate, while 14.03% and 7.15% fall under low and very low prospects, respectively. These findings offer a scientific basis for sustainable groundwater management, aiding efficient resource utilisation in the region.
  Keywords: groundwater prospect zones; AHP; analytical hierarchy process; remote sensing; GIS; geographic information system; weighted overlay analysis.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJW.2026.10078283
   
  
• Prediction model of groundwater conditions based on mine geological environment  
  by Xiao Kong 
  Abstract: This study addresses the need for accurate groundwater prediction in mining areas to ensure safety and resource management. Traditional models struggle with complex spatial-temporal variations and sudden changes. To overcome these limitations, a novel model combining Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) is proposed. The model achieves high performance with a fitting degree of 0.92, accuracy of 0.91, and efficiency of 0.86. In real-world scenarios, it reaches up to 0.99 accuracy, outperforming existing models. The results highlight its effectiveness in improving prediction accuracy and efficiency, advancing intelligent groundwater forecasting technologies.
  Keywords: ARIMA; autoregressive integrated moving average; LSTM; long short-term memory; groundwater prediction; features.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJW.2025.10078759
   
  
• An integrated modelling approach for sustainable development of the UNESCO classified ecosystem (Ichkeul Lake, North Africa)
  by Béchir Béjaoui 
  Abstract: This paper presents the results of a simulation study on the impact of integrating water intake and output for and from Lake Ichkeul, a Ramsar and UNESCO reserve wetland in North Tunisia. Three scenarios were simulated over nine years, with varying amounts of freshwater injected into the lake from different dams. The study showed that a non-active lake management policy would result in severe ecosystem degradation, with the lake eventually becoming a salt marsh. Under the status quo, the area and density of Potamogeton would decrease dramatically and the number of migratory birds would rapidly decline. The second scenario would allow the ecosystem to be barely resilient and maintain itself, while the third scenario would lead to long-term sustainability and stabilize all ecosystem components. The results of the present study have implications for water management policies and the preservation of the unique biodiversity of the Ichkeul Lake ecosystem.
  Keywords: Ichkeul Lake; Water management; Ecosystem resilience; Wetland conservation; Scenarios.