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

This working paper details the methodology for creating the Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas, a global database and interactive tool designed to translate complex hydrological data into intuitive water-related risk indicators for decision-makers.

• The Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas utilizes a framework of 12 indicators to identify spatial variations in water risks. Six of these indicators were developed using a combination of spatial regression, a sparse hydrological model, and an ensemble of time series estimators to create new data sets on water use and supply, while the other six were adapted from existing publications.
• The accuracy of the 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. Additionally, the authors cannot validate overall index scores due to a lack of public domain datasets regarding water-related losses.
• The project employs a composite index approach to make hydrological information accessible to private sector actors and decision-makers who may lack technical expertise. The aggregation methods were selected to ensure transparency and allow for dynamic weighting based on the specific sensitivities of different users.

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} }