Optimization of water use based on the water-energy-food nexus concept: Application to the long-term development scenario of the Upper Blue Nile River.

We apply a methodological approach for the water resources optimization within the water-energy-food nexus concept in the long-term scenario of the Upper Blue Nile River system in the year 2060 that consists of 37 reservoirs, 23 hydropower and 69 irrigation projects. For the conflicting targets of hydropower production and irrigation deficit, we employ the Hydronomeas tool to create Pareto optimal solutions, which we evaluate via a social cost-benefit analysis to suggest one Pareto optimal solution as the most preferred option. For this solution (i) the hydropower production is nearly 15-times greater than the current, (ii) the irrigation demand is almost 28-times greater than the current, and equal to 9.3% of the average natural river discharge, while the irrigation deficit is equal to 23% of the required amount, and (iii) the average annual discharge to downstream countries is reduced by 10.3% compared to the natural conditions.     «

We apply a methodological approach for the water resources optimization within the water-energy-food nexus concept in the long-term scenario of the Upper Blue Nile River system in the year 2060 that consists of 37 reservoirs, 23 hydropower and 69 irrigation projects. For the conflicting targets of hydropower production and irrigation deficit, we employ the Hydronomeas tool to create Pareto optimal solutions, which we evaluate via a social cost-benefit analysis to suggest one Pareto optimal s...     »