title: The measurement of water scarcity: Defining a meaningful indicator.
abstract: Metrics of water scarcity and stress have evolved over the last three decades from simple threshold indicators to holistic measures characterising human environments and freshwater sustainability. Metrics commonly estimate renewable freshwater resources using mean annual river runoff, which masks hydrological variability, and quantify subjectively socio-economic conditions characterising adaptive capacity. There is a marked absence of research evaluating whether these metrics of water scarcity are meaningful. We argue that measurement of water scarcity (1) be redefined physically in terms of the freshwater storage required to address imbalances in intra- and inter-annual fluxes of freshwater supply and demand; (2) abandons subjective quantifications of human environments and (3) be used to inform participatory decision-making processes that explore a wide range of options for addressing freshwater storage requirements beyond dams that include use of renewable groundwater, soil water and trading in virtual water. Further, we outline a conceptual framework redefining water scarcity in terms of freshwater storage.
authors.affiliation: University College London Institute for Sustainable Resources, Central House, 14, Upper Woburn Place, London, WC1H 0NN, UK. s.damkjaer@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0758-6038
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Damkjaer
authors.affiliation: Department of Geography, University College London, Pearson Building, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D005618:Fresh Water; D060587:Groundwater; D006801:Humans; D045483:Rivers; D014867:Water; D014881:Water Supply
chemical_list: D014867:Water
keywords: Scarcity indicator; Scarcity metric; Storage; Water scarcity; Water scarcity indicator; Water stress