WATER EVALUATION AND PLANNING (WEAP) SYSTEM TRAINING WORKSHOP

A two-day training on the WEAP model was organized by the Development Corridors Partnership (DCP) project team. This training workshop was held on 4th and 5th March 2020 at the Institute for Climate Change and Adaptation and facilitated by Dr. Catherine Sang, a Post-Doctoral Research Associate in the DCP project. The training was attended by nine participants who were mostly DCP researchers.

Water Evaluation and Planning(WEAP) System is a microcomputer tool for integrated water resources planning based on the water balance concept. It was developed by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI). WEAP is a user-friendly software tool that takes an integrated approach to water resources planning and provides a comprehensive, flexible framework for policy analysis. WEAP places the demand side of the equation - water use patterns, equipment efficiencies, re-use, and allocation - on an equal footing with the supply side - streamflow, groundwater, and reservoirs. It is a very useful tool for water experts in planning for water resources.

WEAP is a very important tool especially in the current situation where many regions are facing formidable freshwater management challenges and the allocation of limited water resources, environmental quality, and policies for sustainable water use are issues of increasing concern. Conventional supply-oriented simulation models are not always adequate and thus a need for an integrated approach to water development that places water supply projects in the context of demand-side issues, water quality, and ecosystem preservation. The WEAP model, therefore, provides a platform for such an integrated approach that is geared towards enhancing sustainable water resource management.