Analytic hierarchy process-based approach for water use priority determination

Abstract

The request for water use in a more efficient manner is steadily increasing from Korean society. The paradigm of water resource usage also has greatly increased people’s interest in water quality improvement and caring for ecosystem. We must be at the turning point of water management which is required to perform in a smarter way. There is one region which has witnessed a growing possibility of water conflicts. In 2001, a water dispute between Jeonbuk and Chungnam area broke out due to competition for the surplus water of the Yongdam Dam. It led to a tentative agreement to supply water which will expire in 2021. The agreement with a fixed expiry date sparked researchers'' interest, and several research works have been conducted to assess future demands and develop the supply plans; however, most of them were based on quantitative analysis using data such as population growth. This type of research is typically used to plan water use under conditions that do not have competition or dispute.