River Water Project Disputes and Their Implications

Abstract

River water projects are easily susceptible to interstate or intercountry disputes, because water is a fundamental resource for life. However, limited studies have reported on transboundary river water disputes. Moreover, such studies are rarely conducted based upon empirical evidence. In addition, the implications of disputes are seldom reported. Using case studies, two different types of river water projects were analyzed in this study; one in which the lower riparian region is a state within India, and another in which the lower riparian region is a country. Analyzing two case projects, a total of 15 factors that lead to disputes were identified; these included some common factors such as downstream impacts, imbalances in control over river waters, and mistrust. Additional major factors included intercountry factors such as historical differences between two countries, interference of riparian country, and conflict over dispute resolution techniques. Other factors were project-specific. This study also revealed the implications of disputes, mainly increases in project cost, project schedule variances, and socioeconomic losses. Overall, this study fills a crucial gap in the body of knowledge on river water project disputes by identifying the factors that cause disputes and their implications based on empirical evidence from India.