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        <title>Frontiers in Water | New and Recent Articles</title>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/water</link>
        <description>RSS Feed for Frontiers in Water | New and Recent Articles</description>
        <language>en-us</language>
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        <pubDate>2026-05-01T15:34:39.231+00:00</pubDate>
        <ttl>60</ttl>
        <item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1757915</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1757915</link>
        <title><![CDATA[The evolution of emergency river basin management in Brazil: a focus on water and energy]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-05-01T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Kanta Nishikura</author><author>Priscila Carvalho</author><author>Catalina Spataru</author>
        <description><![CDATA[As pressures on water and energy systems increase, integrated governance of water-energy nexus has gained importance. In Brazil, where hydropower is the main source of electricity and droughts are frequent, managing this nexus is particularly challenging. This study draws on Brazil’s national resolution database to present the first country-wide analysis of emergency river basin management focused on water and energy. Results show a transition from reactive, short-term measures to a standardized regime based on predefined thresholds under a governance system that shifted the decentralized approach to a more centralized one. In hydropower-dominated basins, this shift has led to a new governance approach, with limited coordination between upstream reservoir operations and downstream water demands. Although the largely centralized governance enabled rapid crisis responses, it may limit flexibility in long-term adaptation. Recent regulatory changes, including the adoption of priority-based water rights, may help address these conflicts. However, challenges remain, and we explore the potential institutional and operational advances to ensure their effectiveness.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1751055</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1751055</link>
        <title><![CDATA[The coupled impacts of land management and climate variability on the hydrology of the Crocodile River Catchment in South Africa]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-05-01T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Mary Nkosi</author><author>Fhumulani I. Mathivha</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionThe Crocodile River Catchment is one of the key water sources for Mpumalanga Province, crucial for irrigation, domestic use, and ecotourism. However, in recent years, the river has reached its utilisation capacity, earning a water-stressed status. Given its socio-economic significance and the potential for urban expansion, water demand is expected to rise, exerting greater pressure on already limited resources. Therefore, in line with integrated water resources management strategies, this study aimed to assess the hydrological effects of land-use management and climate variability on catchment response.MethodologyClimate variability was analysed using the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and the Standardized Streamflow Index (SSI) as a hydrological response indicator, while the SWAT model assessed the long-term effects of land-use/land-cover (LULC) changes on hydrological response.ResultsSince 1980, cultivated lands and commercial forest plantations have grown by 2.5% and 3.1%, respectively, while built-up areas have increased by 2.8%. Model performance was reliable, with Nash–Sutcliffe Efficiency values between 0.2 and 0.73 and the best results at station X2H032 (with R2 of 0.7 during calibration and 0.8 during validation).DiscussionResults indicated that the spatial distribution of evaporation and surface runoff varied significantly with LULC, while climate variability notably reduced surface runoff volumes during dry seasons. The overall streamflow discharge analysis showed a declining trend from 1980 to 2020 at the catchment outlet, consistent with the SPI and SSI findings and the SWAT evaporation and surface runoff results. Consequently, the study highlights that both LULC and climate variability substantially influence the observed hydrological changes in the river.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1808577</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1808577</link>
        <title><![CDATA[When nature-based solutions meet their limits: rethinking urban water resilience under climate extremes]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-05-01T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Perspective</category>
        <author>Nasrin Alamdari</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Nature-based solutions (NbS) for urban stormwater management, including bioretention systems, constructed wetlands, green roofs, and permeable pavements, are increasingly promoted as climate adaptation tools that enhance water resilience while delivering ecological co-benefits. However, most NbS are designed and validated under historical or moderate climate conditions, raising a critical question: will these systems perform reliably under the compound climate extremes they are ultimately intended to buffer? This Perspective argues that climate change is producing unprecedented combinations of stressors, including prolonged droughts followed by high-intensity rainfall, consecutive heatwaves, and shifting precipitation seasonality, that may push NbS beyond their functional thresholds. I identify three underappreciated vulnerability pathways: (1) hydrological failure under compound drought-deluge sequences, where soil cracking and hydrophobicity bypass infiltration capacity; (2) microbial community collapse, where heat and desiccation degrade the biological processes essential for pollutant removal; and (3) design obsolescence, where NbS engineered to historical rainfall statistics are structurally inadequate for projected extremes. I propose a tiered resilience framework that integrates hybrid grey-green infrastructure, real-time adaptive management, microbial health monitoring, and climate-forward design standards. Without confronting the operational limits of NbS, cities risk an “adaptation illusion”: investing in green infrastructure that fails precisely when it is most needed.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1812112</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1812112</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Drying Himalayan springs as a non-traditional security threat to India: a securitization approach]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-05-01T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Perspective</category>
        <author>Kabindra Sharma</author>
        <description><![CDATA[India’s strategic community has long been preoccupied with conventional military threats, but the security implications of environmental change remain underexplored. This paper examines the depletion of natural springs across the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) through the lens of securitization theory, arguing that spring degradation constitutes a significant yet under-securitized non-traditional security threat. Nearly half of the region’s springs have dried up or become seasonal over recent decades, affecting some 50 million people across 12 Himalayan states. Despite this scale, springs are largely absent from India’s water security agenda and from strategic discourse altogether. Using the Copenhagen School’s securitization framework, this paper demonstrates that Himalayan springs have not been articulated as existential threats to valued referent objects, border stability, civilian settlement, and the operational sustenance of security forces, even though the material case for doing so is compelling. The paper argues that this under-securitization is not incidental but structural: it reflects a governance architecture that treats springs as localized development problems, routes responsibility through fragmented departments, and defaults to technocratic supply-augmentation rather than ecological source management. Central to this analysis is a distinction between two modes of securitization with materially different governance implications. Traditional securitization, exemplified by the Jal Jeevan Mission, follows a top-down, supply-side logic that delivers water infrastructure without addressing the depletion of the springs that underpin it. Non-traditional securitization, advocated by the NITI Aayog spring revival report, is community-centred, ecologically grounded, and focused on the recharge conditions that sustain springs over the long term. The gap between these two governance orientations explains why spring-related vulnerabilities continue to accumulate in India’s Himalayan borderlands. The paper concludes with policy recommendations emphasizing springshed management, institutional convergence, and the integration of spring sustainability into security planning.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1848467</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1848467</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Editorial: Blue-Green Infrastructure: key to sustainable urban development]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-05-01T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Editorial</category>
        <author>Kshama Gupta</author><author>Kshama Puntambekar</author><author>Rahul Bhadouria</author><author>Desmond Ighravwe</author><author>Taneha Kuzniecow Bacchin</author>
        <description></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1812220</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1812220</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Phytoremediation of emerging and traditional contaminants in environmentally relevant co-exposure settings: a tool to reduce environmental hazards?]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-30T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Kaniz F. Chowdhury</author><author>John H. Nightingale</author><author>Laura J. Carter</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Water bodies are routinely exposed to a mixture of contaminants via various anthropogenic exposure mechanisms. Phytoremediation offers a low-cost nature-based solution to remove contaminants from polluted water bodies. The ability of the aquatic macrophyte, Lemna minor to accumulate both organic [antibiotics, plant protection products (PPPs)] and inorganic contaminants (metals), individually and in co-contaminant mixtures, was evaluated to offer new insights into its potential for phytoremediation in realistic exposure scenarios. When exposed individually, diazinon accumulated to the greatest extent in L. minor, (95.51 ± 2.13%), followed by ciprofloxacin (31.91 ± 6.07%), atrazine (13.04 ± 3.44%), trimethoprim (11.43 ± 5.77%), chromium (4.5 ± 2.74%), and cadmium (3.08 ± 1.36%) These findings highlight that accumulation by L. minor is highly compound specific. Further results revealed that contaminant co-exposure significantly (p = 0.002–0.029) influenced the uptake of selected contaminants. The presence of chromium increased cadmium uptake by a factor of 6.34, while the combination of multiple contaminants (e.g., metals, PPPs, and antibiotics) reduced uptake. Changes in uptake capacity have potential knock-on effects for environmental risk assessments, including an assessment of the potential for antibiotics to contribute to the development of antibiotic resistance. For ciprofloxacin and diazinon, phytoremediation for 72 h was sufficient to reduce the concentration of a single antibiotic below concentrations predicted to result in the development of resistance (PNEC-R) or effects to Daphnia magna. In co-contaminant mixtures a risk was identified with RQ values being a factor of 17 greater than the toxicity threshold for D. magna. Our results support the need for a more comprehensive assessment of the impact of co-contaminant mixtures on L. minor uptake capacity to optimise phytoremediation strategies for improved water quality and reduced environmental risks.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1800002</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1800002</link>
        <title><![CDATA[How can nature-based solutions be used to support behavior to achieve sustainable cities? A proposed approach to designing and implementing interventions]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-30T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Policy and Practice Reviews</category>
        <author>Bogachan Bayulken</author><author>Donald Huisingh</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Nature-based Solutions (NBS) offer alternative approaches to minimizing the impact of some of the urgent problems associated with climate change and the resultant biodiversity losses. They are also considered to be social and experiential approaches with multi-functional elements that can help improve urban resilience, and the quality of life of residents living in cities. Although their benefits are well documented, their uptake is too slow, mainly because there is a lack of knowledge and expertise, and the perceived benefits are hardly visible, especially in the short term after their implementations. NBS can help accelerate the transition to more sustainable, equitable and empathetic societies if they are used synergistically to trigger emotional and cognitive responses from contact with nature. This research suggests that NBS can be used to achieve long-lasting pro-environmental behavioral changes at the individual or community level through integratively designing and conducting Nature-based Interventions (NBIs). The authors propose key elements such as visualization, demonstration and participation via experiential and social learning processes to help stimulate environmental self-identity, thereby fostering long-term environmental stewardship. Upon exploring contextual and procedural dimensions in relation to stimulating positive emotional responses, place-based, process-based and informational types of NBIs were derived, and key steps in goal formulation, protocol design and resource allocation were highlighted among the integral phases to achieve successful results. Future research should focus upon measuring the long-term effects of these types of initiatives among different demographics, cultural contexts and settings.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1823976</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1823976</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Benthic macroinvertebrates as indicators of anthropogenic pressure on coastal river water quality]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-30T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Carlos Enrique Espinoza-Quispe</author><author>Yuli Anabel Chávez-Juanito</author><author>Augusto Rolando Manrique-Ruiz</author><author>Francis Dante Olivera-Mayorca</author><author>Juan Kenedy Ramírez</author><author>Mirtha Roque-Alcarraz</author><author>Rommel Luis López-Alvarado</author><author>Edgar Robert Tapia-Manrique</author><author>José Miguel Rutti-Marin</author><author>Ricardo Ángel Yuli-Posadas</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionCoastal river systems are among the aquatic ecosystems most vulnerable to anthropogenic pressure due to the convergence of agricultural, urban, and extractive activities that progressively degrade ecological integrity. In this context, biomonitoring using benthic macroinvertebrates has emerged as an effective approach for assessing water quality, as it integrates the cumulative effects of environmental disturbances over time. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate benthic macroinvertebrates as indicators of anthropogenic pressure on water quality in the Chancay–Huaral River basin, identifying ecological gradients associated with tolerant and sensitive taxa.MethodsThe study followed a quantitative approach with a non-experimental, descriptive–explanatory design. Six monitoring points were established along the basin’s altitudinal gradient. Benthic macroinvertebrates were collected using a Surber net and identified at the family level. Biological water quality was assessed using the nPeBMWP index, while multivariate ordination analyses were applied to examine spatial patterns in community structure.ResultsThe findings revealed a consistent dominance of tolerant taxa, particularly Chironomidae and Orthocladiinae, across all sampling sites. The nPeBMWP index values classified water quality as polluted in all evaluated periods. Multivariate analyses showed clear spatial patterns associated with anthropogenic disturbance, evidencing reduced ecological heterogeneity and the displacement of sensitive taxa.DiscussionThese results indicate persistent biological degradation linked to chronic anthropogenic pressures within the basin. The dominance of tolerant families and the absence or low representation of sensitive taxa confirm the alteration of ecological conditions. Overall, the study supports the effectiveness of benthic macroinvertebrates as integrative indicators of ecological quality and underscores the urgent need to strengthen environmental management and restoration strategies in coastal river systems exposed to sustained human impact.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1751666</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1751666</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Geochemical processes, sources, and health implications of fluoride-rich groundwater in the central part of the Volta River Basin, Ghana]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-30T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Moses Boakye Okyere</author><author>Emmanuel Daanoba Sunkari</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Fluoride (F−) in groundwater affects its suitability for domestic use, particularly drinking, posing health concerns for consumers. This study investigates the hydrogeochemical characteristics and potential health risks of abnormal groundwater F− concentrations in the central Volta River Basin, northern Ghana. Thirty-six borehole samples were analysed to identify the mechanisms driving variations in groundwater chemistry. Data-driven approaches, including indexical, hydrochemical, multivariate statistical, and health risk assessment models, were employed to evaluate F− contamination, toxicity, and associated risks. Groundwater F− levels ranged from 0.2 to 19.5 mg/L, with a mean of 4.3 mg/L. About 84% (n = 30) exceeded the WHO limit of 1.5 mg/L, while ~8% (n = 3) fell below the recommended 0.5 mg/L for healthy teeth and bone development. Another ~8% were within the permissible range of 0.5–1.5 mg/L. Dominant hydrochemical facies included K-HCO₃ (33.3%), Mg-K-HCO₃ (25%), and K-Mg–HCO₃ (11.1%), alongside mixed water types. Spatial mapping revealed elevated F− concentrations in the northeastern fringe and lower levels in the western fringe. F− enrichment is primarily controlled by water-rock interaction, mineral dissolution, and ion exchange. Human health risk assessment using USEPA guidelines showed hazard quotient (HQ) values between 1.06 and 27.63 across all demographic groups: infants, children, teenagers, and adults, exceeding the safe limit of 1.00. Children were most vulnerable, with HQ values ranging from 1.56 to 27.63, indicating significant susceptibility to fluoride-related health issues, notably dental fluorosis. These findings underscore the urgent need for defluoridation measures to reduce elevated F− levels and ensure safe water consumption.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1774054</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1774054</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Declining water storage and rising risk: considerations on implications for hydropower and water security]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-29T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Perspective</category>
        <author>Lei Xie</author><author>Emanuele Quaranta</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Water storage is a critical component of global water security, yet its future availability is increasingly uncertain under climate change and infrastructure constraints. This study synthesises current evidence on global freshwater-storage trends, with a particular focus on implications for hydropower systems and their reliability. We discuss changes in both natural storage—glaciers, snowpack, soil moisture, and groundwater—and artificial storage provided by reservoirs and dams. Multiple lines of evidence indicate that terrestrial water storage has been declining globally over recent decades, driven by climate-induced hydrological shifts, groundwater depletion, and glacier retreat. At the same time, the expansion of artificial storage has slowed as dam construction plateaus in many regions because of environmental, social, and economic constraints, while aging infrastructure and sedimentation progressively reduce effective reservoir capacity. These trends undermine the common assumption in water and energy planning that storage capacity will continue to grow or remain stable. The review highlights how over-estimation of future storage leads to systematic under-estimation of water and hydropower risk, particularly under increasing climate variability. Significant uncertainties persist in measuring and modelling global water storage, with discrepancies between satellite observations, ground data, and model projections complicating robust assessments. Finally, we discuss adaptive pathways and conclude that realistic representation of declining storage, coupled with integrated climate-adaptive management strategies, is essential to safeguard future water security and hydropower resilience.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1806984</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1806984</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Low-flow-induced dynamization of river abstraction charges: a hydro-economic modeling study of the middle Elbe (Germany)]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-29T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Lukas Folkens</author><author>Daniel Bachmann</author><author>Udo Satzinger</author><author>Petra Schneider</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Rivers are an important source of water for the economy. However, in dry periods continuous abstraction could function as a catalyst for low-flow events and, hence, run counter to hydrological-ecological requirements and lead to imbalances in competing use demands. In the absence of hydro-economic incentive systems, there is no economic motivation for water users to refrain from this procedure. Using a hydro-economic model approach, this article examines the hydrological and economic implications of dynamic water abstraction charges in response to low-flow conditions. The developed approach combines hydrodynamic river modeling with an abstraction cost model. This requires hydrological input data, such as flow rates, but also economic inputs, such as withdrawal quantities and charge rates. The cost rates are linked to discharge conditions, which allows a dynamic simulation of the cost structure at different flow rates. As a result, the simulated abstraction costs per flow range and a failure day risk are obtained. By simulating different scenarios, the study indicates that dynamic pricing mechanisms can provide flow-dependent economic signals relevant for sustainable water resource management under scarcity conditions. The approach was tested using the discharges of the middle Elbe between 1990 and 2022. The simulated application examples showed that dynamic abstraction charges lead to cost differences of up to 14 to 17 percent compared to fixed charges. For an exemplary extractor with an approved extraction rate of 3,500 m3/h, additional costs from cost dynamization amount to approximately EUR 200,000 per year in years with consistently low, but not extremely low, discharge volumes. Furthermore, it was found that the specified minimum flow rate was not met on up to 162 days in 2018, a year characterized by extremely low water levels. The findings highlight the potential of adaptive abstraction charges as a policy instrument to reflect hydrological scarcity in economic terms. However, as the model does not explicitly represent behavioral responses, the results should be interpreted as changes in cost signals rather than realized changes in water use. Furthermore, as part of a comprehensive low-flow risk approach, it can help decision-makers to understand hydro-economic interactions and develop strategies for sustainable water management.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1782475</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1782475</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Integrating vulnerability processes into a sociohydrological model]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-29T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Glenda Garcia-Santos</author><author>Romitha Wickramasinghe</author><author>Annekha Chetia</author><author>Shinichiro Nakamura</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionSociohydrological models have advanced understanding of human -flood feedbacks and the non-stationarity of flood risk, yet vulnerability is often treated implicitly, homogeneously, or as a static parameter. Empirical evidence shows that vulnerability is multidimensional, socially differentiated, and evolves independently of short-term hazard experience, a dynamic that requires further exploration.MethodsThis study develops an enhanced human-flood feedback model in which flooding, exposure, sensitivity, adaptive capacity, vulnerability, and flood losses co-evolve over time. Vulnerability is explicitly represented as a dynamic internal state variable, consistent with the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report. Model experiments under identical hydrological forcing were conducted and complemented by a Sobol sensitivity analysis.Results and discussionExplicitly representing vulnerability fundamentally alters long-term risk trajectories. While short-term flood responses remain synchronous, the enhanced model exhibits higher exposure but lower flood losses, reflecting a decoupling between fast flood-driven dynamics and slower social processes. Flood losses emerge as a nonlinear function of hazard, exposure, and vulnerability, with the persistence of adaptive actions exerting the strongest control on long-term outcomes. These results highlight vulnerability as a slowly evolving social condition shaped by institutional learning and adaptation fatigue. Explicitly incorporating vulnerability into sociohydrological models provides a more realistic basis for long-term flood risk assessment and governance under increasing exposure and climatic uncertainty.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1843836</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1843836</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Rethinking water security: integrating justice, governance, and socio-hydrological dynamics]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-28T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Perspective</category>
        <author>Britta Höllermann</author><author>Mariana Madruga de Brito</author><author>Saket Pande</author><author>Murugesu Sivapalan</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This perspective paper argues that persistent global water insecurity reflects inequality rather than absolute scarcity. Despite international recognition of the human right to water, billions remain water-insecure, including many in water-rich countries, revealing a persistent mismatch between availability and access. Building on six papers in this Research Topic, we use the AAAQG framework, encompassing availability, accessibility, acceptability, quality, and governance, to develop a comparative perspective on water security as a dynamic socio-hydrological and justice-related condition. Across the contributions, water insecurity emerges less as a consequence of hydrological limits than of institutions, unequal power relations, fragmented governance, and wider poly-crisis dynamics. Our main contribution is to highlight a central tension between technically centralised water management and hybrid-localised water realities, showing that water security is co-produced through infrastructure, institutions, and lived practices. This tension demonstrates that materially and socially grounded responses must be addressed together. The paper concludes that advancing water security requires justice-oriented, adaptive, participatory, and cross-sectoral governance grounded in local contexts and lived experiences.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1848805</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1848805</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Editorial: Microplastics in aquatic and biotic systems: environmental presence, health impacts, and management strategies]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-28T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Editorial</category>
        <author>Surya Singh</author><author>Punyasloke Bhadury</author><author>Sankar Chakma</author><author>Eswara Venkatesaperumal Ramasamy</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1795536</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1795536</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Spatio-seasonal variability of surface water mineralization in the Bonoua region, Southeastern Côte d’Ivoire]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-24T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Privat Tohouri</author><author>Miessan Germain Adja</author><author>Sandona Issa Soro</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionSurface waters in tropical coastal regions are essential for domestic, agricultural, and industrial uses, yet they are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic pressures and seasonal variability.MethodsThis study evaluates the spatio-seasonal variability of surface water mineralization in the Bonoua region (Southeastern Côte d’Ivoire) based on two sampling campaigns conducted during the rainy and dry seasons across rivers and lagoons. A total of 28 samples (14 rainy season; 14 dry season) were analyzed for physicochemical parameters, major ions, nutrients, and trace metals. Hydrochemical facies were determined using Piper diagrams, mineralization processes were interpreted using Gibbs diagrams and ionic ratios, and multivariate relationships were examined through Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Water quality was further assessed using the Modified NSF-WQI. The results reveal pronounced seasonal contrasts.ResultsElectrical conductivity increased by +107.8%, reaching 1,240 μS cm−1 at site L3 during the dry season, while total dissolved solids increased by +118.1%. In contrast, Fe (−46.9%) and PO43− (−52.5%) concentrations decreased during the dry season. Hydrochemical facies shifted from Cl-NO₃–Ca dominance (93% during the rainy season) toward increased HCO₃–Ca waters during the dry season (21%). Gibbs diagrams indicate a predominance of atmospheric precipitation control (86% rainy season, 79% dry season), with evapoconcentration observed at site L3. PCA highlights a dominant mineralization factor (PC1 explaining 54.76% of the variance, associated with EC, TDS, and major ions), while nutrients and redox-sensitive elements are represented by secondary components. Modified NSF-WQI results identify poor water quality at site L3 during the dry season (Modified NSF-WQI = 43.2), mainly related to elevated EC, NH₄+, and PO43− concentrations.DiscussionThese findings demonstrate that seasonal hydrological dynamics combined with anthropogenic inputs, including fertilizers and domestic effluents, significantly influence surface water chemistry in the Bonoua region. This study provides a valuable baseline for monitoring and managing freshwater resources in tropical coastal environments facing increasing environmental pressures.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1716402</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1716402</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Groundwater flow dynamics and sustainable management in the Kobo Valley, Ethiopia]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-24T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Mengesha Tesfaw</author><author>Kristine Walraevens</author><author>Thomas Hermans</author><author>Fenta Nigate</author><author>Mulatu Kassa</author><author>Kasye Shitu</author><author>Mekete Dessie</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Groundwater is a critical resource that underpins water security, but it is increasingly threatened by climate variability and growing anthropogenic pressures. In the Kobo Valley of Ethiopia, groundwater serves as the principal source of water for domestic and irrigation purposes, raising serious concerns about the sustainability of the aquifer. This study evaluates groundwater flow dynamics and provides insights for sustainable groundwater management in the region. A numerical groundwater flow model was developed using Visual MODFLOW Flex (MODFLOW 6), with key hydraulic parameters derived from pumping test data analyzed through Aquifer Test. Model simulations revealed seasonal groundwater-level fluctuations of up to 1.7 m along the eastern boundary and 1.4 m along the southern boundary. Scenario analysis indicated that a 50% reduction in pumping rates could effectively mitigate groundwater-level decline, limiting drawdown to 1.5 m during irrigation periods. These results demonstrate that the Kobo Valley aquifer is highly susceptible to over-extraction, emphasizing the importance of optimized pumping regimes, artificial recharge interventions, and continuous monitoring. The findings offer critical guidance for sustainable groundwater management and support the formulation of evidence-based water resource policies in Ethiopia.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1806322</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1806322</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Effects of land use and land cover changes and water uses on water security in an anthropized basin]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-22T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Pâmela Rafanele França Pinto</author><author>Lívia Alves Alvarenga</author><author>Javier Tomasella</author><author>Pâmela Aparecida Melo</author><author>Carlos Rogério de Mello</author><author>Ana Carolina Nascimento Santos</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionLand use and land cover (LULC) changes, and consumptive water uses are widely recognized as key drivers of alterations in basin hydrology, potentially reducing ecosystem services and threatening water security. However, the magnitude of the impacts varies strongly among basins, and many times are hidden by climate variability. In this context, this study aims to analyze the impacts that LULC changes combined with water consumption have on water availability of the Paraopeba River Basin, a strategic water supply basin of Brazil, through a scenario-based hydrological modeling framework that enables the explicit attribution of hydrological changes to anthropogenic drivers.MethodsDifferences in water yield were calculated through hydrological modeling considering two different scenarios: The current scenario (CS), based on LULC changes over the period 1985–2018 and averaged water consumption over the period 1985–2018; and the hypothetical scenario S1, which assumes no changes in land uses and human consumption since 1985.Results and discussionResults indicate that the S1 scenario presents higher minimum streamflows, with increases of up to 33% compared to the CS scenario. The difference in the flow-duration-curves signatures indicates that the streamflow regime has been modified because of the increase in urban and silviculture areas and human water consumption. In general, larger native vegetation areas are associated with higher evapotranspiration and canopy interception losses. Given the intense and increasing water use in the basin, current trends are likely to intensify water conflicts, threaten water security for a large population, and generate downstream impacts, including on basins that supply water to Brazil’s semiarid regions.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1783482</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1783482</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Population decline in inherently high flood-risk areas as a counter to Disaster Risk Increasing Development: evidence from the Arakawa River, Tokyo]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-21T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Kozo Nagami</author><author>Ryo Inoue</author><author>Daisuke Komori</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Urban development in floodplains generates economic gains but also increases hazard exposure. This study would like to name such contradictory development patterns as Disaster Risk Increasing Development (DRID), drawing on sociohydrological discourse. Flood control achieved through pre-disaster disaster risk reduction (DRR) investments in the process of DRID may lower risk perception (the levee effect), encourage settlement, and ultimately increase potential losses (the safe development paradox). Japan, with its DRID-with-DRR investment model, has promoted pre-disaster DRR investment globally; however, it continues to face challenges such as low economic growth, population aging, and climate change. In this context, how DRID can be suppressed despite the degradation of risk perception arising from DRR investment remains unclear. This study investigates whether heightened flood-risk perception associated with hazard map disclosure can coincide with population decline in inherently high-risk areas, suggesting a potential pathway to reduce long-term DRR burdens while setting aside the urgent short-term resolution of such conditions. The study focuses on the downstream area of the Arakawa River in Tokyo (11 wards), which has consistently received DRR investments over many years and has experienced fewer flood incidents in recent decades. Building on prior research that revealed statistically significant land-price declines in higher flood-hazard zones from 2005 to 2024, we evaluate development and exposure trends by overlaying a probable maximum rainfall hazard map (1-in-1000-year event) with multiple spatial datasets: 100-m mesh land-use subdivision data (1976–2021), 500-m mesh census population statistics (1970–2020), and zoning revision records (2011–2019). The results indicate that the population share in the highest hazard categories (rank ≥ 3) has declined since around 2000. Regression analysis further reveals statistically significant population decline in higher-risk areas during 2010–2020, although the total population of the Tokyo 23 wards had been consistently increasing since 1996. Further analysis of zoning changes and new residential zone development suggests that risk information, together with regulatory and planning interventions, can work in alignment to counter DRID by shifting residential exposure away from the highest flood-risk areas reversing the past levee effect.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1805143</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1805143</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Prediction of chemical oxygen demand in industry effluents using machine learning and IoT: a case study in Tequila, Jalisco]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-17T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Alfredo Figarola-Figarola</author><author>Karina Guadalupe Coronado-Apodaca</author><author>David Antonio Buentello-Montoya</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The tequila industry in Mexico generates large volumes of wastewater with high organic loads, making real-time monitoring of chemical oxygen demand (COD) essential for regulatory compliance and environmental protection. This study presents a case study employing internet of things (IoT) sensors and machine learning (ML) algorithms to predict COD from suspended solids, dissolved oxygen, turbidity and electrical conductivity. The data was collected over an 87-day period, with 4,038 records obtained and employed in model development and validation. Three ML models (random forest, XGBoost, and gradient boosting) were evaluated using R2, where gradient boosting yielded the best results (R2 = 0.9878). Results indicate that while the three models exhibit good accuracy (R2 > 0.95) and do not show signs of overfitting (explained using residual analysis) they struggle predicting extreme (i.e., exceedingly low or high) values. Additional analysis were conducted to ensure model robustness, and residuals exhibiting homoscedasticity and approximate normality. This highlights that integration of IoT and ML offers a scalable and cost-effective solution for real-time water quality monitoring.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1793557</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frwa.2026.1793557</link>
        <title><![CDATA[National development in post-revolutionary Egypt: sustainability through water megaprojects?]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-04-16T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Ann-Katrin Ellermann</author><author>Johannes Hamhaber</author><author>Mohammad Al-Saidi</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Water management in Egypt faces an intricate challenge because the country heavily depends on its natural water ecosystem. Novel adaptation and mitigation measures are urgently needed, as competition for water has increased dramatically among stakeholders. The Egyptian Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation (MWRI) announced the National Water Resource Plan (NWRP) 2017–2037 in December 2017. It aims to establish several novel water megaprojects to close the widening water demand gap. We examined four different water megaprojects in Egypt and their contribution to the water sector’s sustainability transition. Large-scale infrastructure transitions imply a key role for the state, yet we found that achieving environmental, economic, and social sustainability through water megaprojects is not guaranteed in Egypt. Further research is needed on how transitions in latecomer water systems occur through megaprojects and on how stakeholder participation and collaboration can be enhanced.]]></description>
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