Assessment of global hydro-social indicators in water resources management

Abstract

Abstract Water is a vital element that plays a central role in human life. This study assesses the status of indicators based on water resources availability relying on hydro-social analysis. The assessment involves countries exhibiting decreasing trends in per capita renewable water during 2005–2017. Africa, America, Asia, Europe, and Oceania encompass respectively 48, 35, 43, 20, and 5 countries with distinct climatic conditions. Four hydro-social indicators associated with rural society, urban society, technology and communication, and knowledge were estimated with soft-computing methods [i.e., artificial neural networks, adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system, and gene expression programming (GEP)] for the world’s continents. The GEP model’s performance was the best among the computing methods in estimating hydro-social indicators for all the world’s continents based on statistical criteria [correlation coefficient (R), root mean square error (RMSE), and mean absolute error]. The values of RMSE for GEP models for the ratio of rural to urban population (PRUP), population density, number of internet users and education index parameters equaled (0.084, 0.029, 0.178, 0.135), (0.197, 0.056, 0.152, 0.163), (0.151, 0.036, 0.123, 0.210), (0.182, 0.039, 0.148, 0.204) and (0.141, 0.030, 0.226, 0.082) for Africa, America, Asia, Europe and Oceania, respectively. Scalable equations for hydro-social indicators are developed with applicability at variable spatial and temporal scales worldwide. This paper’s results show the patterns of association between social parameters and water resources vary across continents. This study’s findings contribute to improving water-resources planning and management considering hydro-social indicators.