The allocation of water resources has long been recognized as a critical optimization problem. In this study, a bilevel programming model with fuzzy random variables is developed for tackling a regional water resources allocation problem on the basis of water rights distribution in a river basin. The bilevel programming model takes the optimal total benefit of the society and the optimal economic benefit of each subarea as the upper and lower targets, respectively. In contrast to previous studies, the balance of the satisfactory degree between the upper and lower decision makers is considered in the bilevel optimization for ensuring the equity of the water resource allocation. To deal with inherent uncertainties, the fuzzy random variables are first transformed into trapezoidal fuzzy numbers, and by taking advantage of the expected value operation, the trapezoidal fuzzy numbers are subsequently defuzzified. For solving the complex and nonlinear bilevel programming model, an interactive fuzzy progr...

With rapid economic and social development, increasing water demands have made water scarcity a worldwide issue. Equitable, stable, and efficient water allocation, which includes water resources management and conflicting water demand management, needs a valid resolution. This paper develops a multiobjective bilevel model with the upper level reflecting the river basin authority’s allocation principle of equity and stability and the lower level aimed at ensuring maximal economic benefit effiency for each subarea. The Gini coefficient is introduced to seek equity in the water allocation strategies, a power index is applied to ensure stability in the water allocation solutions, and an economic efficiency function is designed to maximize the economic benefit efficiency in each subarea. The proposed multiobjective bilevel water allocation model is then applied to a case study in Qujiang River Basin in China, and demonstrates that the proposed model provides reasonable and practical water allocation st...