Aqueduct Global Maps 2.1: Constructing Decision-Relevant Global Water Risk Indicators

The document describes the construction of the Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas, which uses a composite index approach to map 12 water-risk indicators globally. Six indicators were generated using a combination of time series estimators, spatial regression, and a sparse hydrological model, while the other six were adapted from existing publications. The authors note that model accuracy is primarily constrained by the lack of public data on major infrastructure, in-situ water quality, and river gauge measurements, and that overall index scores cannot be validated due to a lack of public datasets on water-related losses.

• The Aqueduct framework utilizes 12 indicators to identify spatial variations in water risks; six of these were developed using an ensemble of time series estimators, spatial regression, and a sparse hydrological model, while the other six were adapted from existing publications.
• The accuracy of the hydrological models is primarily limited by the availability of data regarding river gauge measurements, in-situ water quality, and major infrastructure such as inter-basin transfers.
• The authors are unable to validate the overall index scores because there are no public datasets available that track water-related losses.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Aqueduct Global Maps 2.1: Constructing Decision-Relevant Global Water Risk Indicators. https://www.wri.org/research/aqueduct-global-maps-21-indicators

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Aqueduct Global Maps 2.1: Constructing Decision-Relevant Global Water Risk Indicators. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/aqueduct-global-maps-21-indicators.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Aqueduct Global Maps 2.1: Constructing Decision-Relevant Global Water Risk Indicators |url=https://www.wri.org/research/aqueduct-global-maps-21-indicators |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendaqueduct, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Aqueduct Global Maps 2.1: Constructing Decision-Relevant Global Water Risk Indicators}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/aqueduct-global-maps-21-indicators}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }