iver in the center with riparian and forest land on both sides. Text on top of photo. Volumetric Water Benefit Accounting 2.0. Development of additional principles, terms, and best practices for reporting the volumetric benefits of water stewardship activities. Interim Guidance - Installment 3. Principles for Tracking and Reporting Volumetric Water Benefits (VWBs).

New Release of Interim Volumetric Water Benefit Accounting 2.0 Guidance for Tracking and Reporting

LimnoTech and partners (Bluerisk, Bonneville Environmental Foundation, and World Resources Institute) have released interim updated guidance for implementing and valuing water stewardship activities as part of the Volumetric Water Benefit Accounting (VWBA) 2.0 Guidance.

This release is for “Installment 3: Principles for Tracking and Reporting Volumetric Water Benefits (VWBs).”

By LimnoTech, Bluerisk, Bonneville Environmental Foundation, and World Resources Institute

January 24, 2024

LimnoTech and partners (Bluerisk, Bonneville Environmental Foundation, and World Resources Institute) have released the third (Installment 3) of four installments of the interim updated guidance for implementing and valuing water stewardship activities as part of the Volumetric Water Benefit Accounting (VWBA) 2.0 Guidance.

You can download the third installment of the interim guidance here: White Paper – VWBA 2.0 Installment 3

The new release of Installment 3, “Principles for Tracking and Reporting Volumetric Water Benefits (VWBs),” outlines principles to inform and guide efficient and effective project-level tracking and reporting that allows companies to substantiate direct VWBs.

The interim VWBA 2.0 guidance is being released in four installments from 2023 to 2024. Each installment covers a specific topic and provides guidance derived from experiences and insights gleaned from implementing water stewardship strategies, programs, projects, and activities. These installments are draft interim products and will be consolidated in a formal update to VWBA as VWBA 2.0.

The four installments cover the following topics:

Installment 1: Project Eligibility Criteria and Selection Considerations
Installment 2: Principles for Making Credible VWB Claims
Installment 3: Principles for VWB tracking and reporting
Installment 4: Updated VWB calculation methods

Additional guidance related to “Enabled Activities and VWBs” is anticipated to be released in 2024

The “New Release of Interim Volumetric Water Benefit Accounting 2.0 Guidance” (November 13, 2023) article provides more background and information on the VWBA 2.0 interim guidance goals and objectives and update process.

You can also view and download the first and second installments of the interim guidance here: White Paper – VWBA 2.0 Installments 1 and 2

This voluntary guidance is intended to assist companies in making substantiated water stewardship claims backed by science to reduce environmental impacts and promote sustainable practices and outcomes.

The Project Team welcomes water stewardship practitioners to view, use, and share VWBA 2.0 Installments across their networks. We look forward to releasing and sharing future installments.

If you have any questions, you can reach out to Laura Weintraub at lweintraub@limno.com.