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Your location: Home > Adaptation > Nairobi Work Programme > Knowledge Resources and Publications |
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Compendium on methods and tools to evaluate impacts of, and vulnerability and adaptation to, climate
change
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Water Evaluation and Planning System (WEAP)
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Description
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This is a PC based surface and groundwater resource simulation tool, based on water balance
accounting principles, which can test alternative sets of conditions of both supply and demand. The
user can project changes in water demand, supply, and pollution over a long-term planning horizon
to develop adaptive management strategies.
WEAP is designed as a comparative analysis tool. A base case is developed, and then alternative
scenarios are created and compared to this base case. Incremental costs of water sector
investments, changes in operating policies, and implications of changing supplies and demands can
be economically evaluated.
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Appropriate Use
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What-if analysis of various policy scenarios and long-range planning studies. Adaptive agriculture
practices such as changes in crop mix, crop water requirements, canal linings; changes in reservoir
operations; water conservation strategies; water use efficiency programs; changes in instream flow
requirements; implications of new infrastructure development. Strengths include detailed demand
modeling.
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Scope
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All locations, surface- and groundwater systems; national, international or site-specific.
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Key Output
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Mass balances, water diversions, sectoral water use; benefit/cost scenario comparisons; pollution
generation and pollution loads.
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Key Input
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Configuration of system (can use GIS layers for background) and component capacities and operating
policies.
Water demand: Spatially explicit demographic, economic, crop water requirements; current and future
water demands and pollution generation.
Economic data: Water use rates, capital costs, discount rate estimates.
Water supply: Historical inflows at a monthly timestep; groundwater sources.
Scenarios: Reservoir operating rule modifications, pollution changes and reduction goals,
socioeconomic projections, water supply projections.
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Ease of Use
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Relatively easy to use. Requires significant data for detailed analysis.
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Training Required
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Moderate training/experience in resource modeling required for effective use.
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Training Available
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On-line tutorial available at http://www.weap21.org/. Contact
SEI for details regarding available training.
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Computer Requirements
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200 MHz or faster Pentium class PC with Microsoft Windows 95 or later (a 400 MHz PC with Windows 98
or later is recommended). A minimum of 32 MB of RAM and 50 MB of free hard disk space is also
required (64 MB of RAM recommended). In addition Microsoft Internet Explorer version 4.0 is required
for viewing WEAP’s HTML Help. Monitor should be set to a minimum resolution of 800x600, but
preferably even higher (e.g., 1024x768 or 1280x1024), to maximize the presentation of data and
results.
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Documentation
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WEAP21 User Guide; available online at 
http://www.weap21.org/downloads/WEAP_User_Guide.pdf.
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Applications
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Has been used for projects in the Aral Sea; Beijing, China; Rio San Juan, Mexico; Rajasthan, India;
South Africa; West Africa; California, Texas, and Southeast, USA; Central Asia; India; Nepal;
Korea; and Cairo, Egypt. Has also been used in Uzbekistan to assess water resource capacity with
regard to irrigation needs.
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Contacts for Framework, Documentation, Technical Assistance
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Jack Sieber
Senior Software Scientist, Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), Boston; SEITellus Institute, 11
Arlington St., Boston, MA 02116-3411 USA; Tel: +1.617.266.5400; e-mail:
weap@tellus.com; website: http://www.weap21.org/.
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Cost
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2-year license fee ranges from US$1000-2500, depending on type of user. Free to developing countries.
See http://www.weap21.org for more information.
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References
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Arranz, R. and M. McCartney. 2007. Application of the Water Evaluation And Planning (WEAP) model to
assess future water demands and resources in the Olifants catchment, South Africa. Colombo, Sri
Lanka: International Water Management Institute. 103 pp. (IWMI Working Paper 116).
Hansen, E. 1994. WEAP — A system for tackling water resource problems. In Water Management
Europe 1993/94: An Annual Review of the European Water and Wastewater Industry. Stockholm
Environment Institute: Stockholm. U.S. Water News, Oct. 1992. Aral Sea is classic example of
ecological suicide. No. V4, p. 12.
Huber-Lee, A., D. Yates, D. Purkey, W. Yu, and B. Runkle. 2003. Water, climate, food, and
environment in the Sacramento Basin — contribution to ADAPT: Adaptation strategies to
changing environment. Stockholm Environment Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
Raskin, P., E. Hansen, Z. Zhu, and D. Stavisky. 1992. Simulation of water supply and demand in the
Aral Sea region. Water International 17(2):55-67.
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