Socio-hydrology

[2] The first approach to socio-hydrology was the term "hydro-sociology", which arises from a concern about the scale of impact of human activities on the hydrological cycle.

[7]In traditional hydrology, human activities are typically described as boundary conditions, or external forcings, to the water systems (scenario-based approach).

This traditional approach tends to make long term predictions unrealistic as interactions and bi-directional feedbacks between human and water systems cannot be captured.

[8] Socio-hydrologists argue that water and human systems change interdependently as well as in connection with each other and that their mutual reshaping continues and evolves over time.

In turn, modified water regimes and hydrological extremes shape societies which respond and adapt spontaneously or through collective strategies.

[9] In general, to explain the co-evolution of human and water systems, socio-hydrology should draw on different disciplines and include historical studies, comparative analysis and process based modeling.

Most of the socio-hydrological efforts to date have focused on investigating recurring social behavior and societal development resulting from their coevolution with hydrological systems.

The majority of these studies have explained coupled human and water systems through quantitative approaches and dedicated efforts to capture human-water interactions and feedback through mathematical model, mostly as non-linear differential equations.

In particular, critics highlight the overlap with several areas of the study of coupled human and natural systems (CHANS) and of integrated water resource management.

However, increasing reservoir storage capacity can also lead to unintended effects in the long term, and, paradoxically, worsen water scarcity.

The expansion of reservoirs often reduces incentives for individuals preparedness and adaptive actions, thus increasing the negative impacts of water shortage.

Two years later, a severe drought occurred the system was pushed to its limits and government responses were slow due to lack of conservation measures undertaken.

Here, additional storage of water initially brought many benefits and allowed agricultural growth under normal and minor drought conditions.