Surface water flows in the basin for all locations where water withdrawals come from surface water sources and/or water utility providers

Unit

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: Cubic kilometers per month (km³/month), Cubic kilometers per year (km³/year)

Indicator

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: Water consumption and withdrawal

Metric type

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: State

Framework alignment notes

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SBTN: Surface water flows in the basin (km3/month or km3/year) for all locations where water withdrawals come from surface water sources and/or water utility providers
ISO 14046 - changes in drainage, stream flow, groundwater flow or water evaporation that arise from land use change, land management activities and other forms of water interception, where relevant to the scope and boundary of the study being undertaken

Target example
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[Company name] will record all surface water flows in [basin] that they withdraw water from and ensure that the withdrawals are within sustainable limits by [target year].

Target source: WBCSD target template

Metric assessment

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Relevance: High
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Feasibility: Low
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Additional Metric Notes
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ACT-D stage
Assess

Maturity stage
Advancing

Metric Contribution to Action
Measuring surface water flows supports sustainable withdrawal limits and ensures responsible use of shared water resources.

Observations, Successes and Challenges

  • Surface water flow data can be incomplete or outdated, especially in regions with limited hydrological monitoring.
  • Flows can fluctuate dramatically due to droughts, floods, and seasonal changes, making it hard to determine long-term trends.
  • Different methodologies for measuring surface water flow can lead to inconsistencies in reporting.

Related actions

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Reduce water use and wastage, particularly in water-stressed areas

Reduce water use and wastage, particularly in water-stressed areas

Description