Evaluating Transport Corridors for the Integration of Water-Transfer Infrastructures—A Case Study from the Czech Republic

This article evaluates the potential for integrating planned water transfer infrastructure with existing transport corridors. A novel method was developed to assess the suitability of major road, highway, and railway corridors based on the availability of adjacent state-owned land for water pipeline construction. A five-category classification was introduced, reflecting the ratio of available land area (m2) to corridor segment length (m). This approach was first applied across the whole Czech Republic and then tested in detail on a regional pilot case study involving a planned water pipeline from the Nýrsko reservoir to the city of Plzeň with a total length of 72 km, supplying 250,000 inhabitants. Results showed a promising share of highly suitable corridors (23.6% nationwide; 20.6% in the case study). The method offers a tool for cost-effective planning of water transfer systems and can help to minimize land acquisition costs by utilizing state land along transport infrastructure. It is transferable and replicable for similar applications in other regions.