scholarly journals Sustainability of water uses in managed hydrosystems: human- and climate-induced changes for the mid-21st century

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (9) ◽  
pp. 9247-9293
Author(s):  
J. Fabre ◽  
D. Ruelland ◽  
A. Dezetter ◽  
B. Grouillet

Abstract. This paper assesses the sustainability of planned water uses in mesoscale river basins under multiple climate change scenarios, and contributes to determining the possible causes of unsustainability. We propose an assessment grounded in real-world water management issues, with water management scenarios built in collaboration with local water agencies. Furthermore we present an analysis through indicators that relate to management goals and present the implications of climate uncertainty for our results, furthering the significance of our study for water management. A modeling framework integrating hydro-climatic and human dynamics and accounting for interactions between resource and demand was developed and applied in two basins of different scales and with contrasting water uses: the Herault (2500 km2, France) and the Ebro (85 000 km2, Spain) basins. Natural streamflow was evaluated using a conceptual hydrological model. A demand-driven reservoir management model was designed to account for streamflow regulations from the main dams. Human water demand was estimated from time series of demographic, socio-economic and climatic data. Environmental flows were accounted for by defining streamflow thresholds under which withdrawals were strictly limited. Finally indicators comparing water availability to demand at strategic resource and demand nodes were computed. This framework was applied under different combinations of climatic and water use scenarios for the mid-21st century to differentiate the impacts of climate- and human-induced changes on streamflow and water balance. Results showed that objective monthly environmental flows would be guaranteed in current climate conditions in both basins, yet in several areas this could imply limiting human water uses more than once every five years. The impact of the tested climate projections on both water availability and demand could question the water allocations and environmental requirements currently planned for the coming decades. Water shortages for human use could become more frequent and intense, and the pressure on water resources and aquatic ecosystems could intensify. The causes of unsustainability vary across sub-basins and scenarios, and in most areas results are highly dependent on the climate change scenario.

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (8) ◽  
pp. 3129-3147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie Fabre ◽  
Denis Ruelland ◽  
Alain Dezetter ◽  
Benjamin Grouillet

Abstract. This paper assesses the sustainability of planned water uses in mesoscale river basins under multiple climate change scenarios, and contributes to determining the possible causes of unsustainability. We propose an assessment grounded in real-world water management issues, with water management scenarios built in collaboration with local water agencies. Furthermore, we present an analysis through indicators that relate to management goals and present the implications of climate uncertainty for our results, furthering the significance of our study for water management. A modeling framework integrating hydro-climatic and human dynamics and accounting for interactions between resource and demand was applied in two basins of different scales and with contrasting water uses: the Herault (2500 km2, France) and the Ebro (85 000 km2, Spain) basins. Natural streamflow was evaluated using a conceptual hydrological model. A demand-driven reservoir management model was designed to account for streamflow regulations from the main dams. Human water demand was estimated from time series of demographic, socioeconomic and climatic data. Environmental flows were accounted for by defining streamflow thresholds under which withdrawals were strictly limited. Finally indicators comparing water availability to demand at strategic resource and demand nodes were computed. This framework was applied under different combinations of climatic and water use scenarios for the mid-21st to differentiate the impacts of climate- and human-induced changes on streamflow and water balance. Results showed that objective monthly environmental flows would be guaranteed in current climate conditions in both basins, yet in several areas this could imply limiting human water uses more than once every 5 years. The impact of the tested climate projections on both water availability and demand could question the water allocations and environmental requirements currently planned for the coming decades. Water shortages for human use could become more frequent and intense, and the pressure on water resources and aquatic ecosystems could intensify. The causes of unsustainability vary across sub-basins and scenarios, and in most areas results are highly dependent on the climate change scenario.


2021 ◽  
Vol 29 ◽  
pp. 107-121
Author(s):  
Priscila Esposte Coutinho ◽  
Marcio Cataldi

In the last century, changes in climate trends have been observed around the planet, which have resulted in alterations in the hydrological cycle. Studies that take into account the impact of climate change on water availability are of great importance, especially in Brazil’s case, where water from rivers, beyond being destined for human consumption, animal watering and economic activities, has a great participation in electricity generation. This fact makes its energy matrix vulnerable to variations in the climate system. In this study, a flow analysis for the head of the São Francisco river basin was performed between 2010 and 2100, considering the precipitation data of the CCSM4 climate model presented in the Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Projections of future flow were performed for the scenarios RCP4.5 and RCP8.5, based on the SMAP rain-flow model, followed by a comparative analysis with the present climate. In general, we can observe that the decades of 2010 to 2100 will be marked by the high levels of precipitation, interspersed by long droughts, in which the recorded flow will be lower than the Long Term Average (LTA) calculated for the basin. Therefore, new management strategies must be considered to maintain the multiple uses of the basin.


Author(s):  
Siriwat Boonwichai ◽  
Sangam Shrestha ◽  
Pragya Pradhan ◽  
Mukand S. Babel ◽  
Avishek Datta

Abstract This study investigates the potential impacts of climate change on water resources and evaluates adaptation strategies on rainfed rice water management under climate change scenarios in the Songkhram River Basin, Thailand. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was used to project the future water availability under climate change scenarios for the period of 2020–2044. Future annual water availability is expected to remain unchanged due to unchanged future rainfall but expected to reduce from June to November due to changes in seasonal rainfall. The effects of supplying irrigation water to reduce the impact of climate change and increase rainfed rice production were evaluated. To increase the rice production by 15%, it is proposed to construct a reservoir with a capacity of below 65 MCM in each of the 15 sub-basins to fulfill the irrigation water requirements during the rainfed rice season. Alternatively, adaptation at the farm scale can be implemented by constructing ponds with a capacity of 900 m3 to store water for 1 ha of rice field to meet the potential rice yield during the non-rainfed rice season. The results of this study are helpful to policymakers in understanding the potential impacts of climate change and the formulation of adaptation strategies for water and rice sectors in the basin.


Author(s):  
Laureline Berthot ◽  
André St-Hilaire ◽  
Daniel Caissie ◽  
Nassir El-Jabi ◽  
Judith Kirby ◽  
...  

Abstract Through a case study in Southern Quebec (Canada), the assessment of environmental flows in light of the effects of climate change is investigated. Currently, the 7Q2 flow metric (7-day average flow with a 2-year return period) is used for water abstraction management. Several flow metrics were calculated using flow time series simulated by a deterministic hydrological model (HYDROTEL) and climate change scenarios as inputs. Results were compared within homogeneous low flow regions defined using ascendant hierarchical clustering, for the 1990, 2020 and 2050 horizons and annual, summer and winter periods. The impact of each flow metric on the potential availability of physical habitat was analyzed using the wetted perimeter as a proxy. Results indicated that: (1) the increasing non-stationarity of simulated flow data sets over time will complicate the use of frequency analysis to calculate the 7Q2 flow metric; (2) summer low flow values are expected to be lower than winter low flows; and (3) flow-duration curve metrics like the LQ50 (median discharge value of the month with the lowest flow) may become relevant environmental flow metrics by 2050. Results question current water abstraction management tools and permit to anticipate future local and regional issues during low flow periods.


Environments ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 93
Author(s):  
Anabel Sanchez-Plaza ◽  
Annelies Broekman ◽  
Javier Retana ◽  
Adriana Bruggeman ◽  
Elias Giannakis ◽  
...  

Climate and other human-induced changes will increase water scarcity in world areas such as in the Mediterranean. Adaptation principles need to be urgently incorporated into water management and stakeholder engagement needs to be strengthened at all steps of the management cycle. This study aimed to analyse and compare stakeholder-preferred water management options (WMOs) to face climate change related challenges and to foster adaptation in four Mediterranean river basins. The challenges and WMOs of the four river basins identified by stakeholders were analysed examining to what extent the WMOs tackled the identified challenges. The impact of the WMOs resulting from a participatory modelling method was included in a comparative analysis of the stakeholders’ WMOs preferences. The results indicate the participatory approach that was applied allowed local priorities and real-world challenges to be defined with adequate detail as well as the definition of tailored responses. The participatory impact analysis provided an integrated view of the river basin as an interrelated system. The participatory evaluation of the WMOs was able to consider a wide range of elements and was able reflect the combined preferences of the stakeholders. Moreover, it allowed groups of basin actors with highly diverse profiles and concerns to further promote sets of these WMOs as input into decision making processes.


Author(s):  
Fatemeh Saedi ◽  
Azadeh Ahmadi ◽  
Karim C. Abbaspour

Abstract The climate change impact on water availability has become a significant cause for concern in the Zayandeh-Roud Reservoir in Iran and similar reservoirs in arid regions. This study investigates the climate change impact on supplying water and water availability in the Zayandeh-Roud River Basin. For better management, the Soil & Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was used to develop a hydrologic model of the Basin. The model then was calibrated and validated for two upstream stations using the SUFI-2 algorithm in the SWAT-CUP software. The impact of climate change was modeled by using data derived from five Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project general circulation models under four Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs). For calibration (1991–2008), the Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) values of 0.75 and 0.61 at the Ghaleshahrokh and Eskandari stations were obtained, respectively. For validation (2009–2015), the NSE values were 0.80 and 0.82, respectively. The reservoir inflow would probably reduce by 40–50% during the period of 2020–2045 relative to the base period of 1981–2006. To evaluate the reservoir's future performance, a nonlinear optimization model was used to minimize water deficits. The highest annual water deficit would likely be around 847 MCM. The lowest reservoir reliability and the highest vulnerability occurred under the extreme RCP8.5 pathway.


2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 315-325
Author(s):  
Nataliia S. Loboda ◽  
Yurii S. Tuchkovenko ◽  
Mykhailo О. Kozlov ◽  
Iryna V. Katynska

The paper relevancy is determined by the need to substantiate the feasibility of restoring the ecosystem of the Sasyk estuary after its transformation into a reservoir (1978) and the unsuccessful desalination by the Danube waters for irrigation purposes. The paper is aimed at assessment of the possible inflow of fresh water to the Sasyk estuary from the Kohylnyk and Sarata rivers and their role in the formation of fresh water balance in the first half of the 21st century according to the climate change scenarios RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. The main calculation method is the ‘climate-runoff’ model, which uses meteorological data as input data. Estimates of freshwater inflow into the estuary-reservoir are provided for various calculation periods: before 1989 (before the beginning of significant climate change in the North-Western Black Sea Region); in the period of 1989-2018 according to the hydrometeorological observations; in 2021-2050, according to the averaged data from 14 runs of scenarios RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 under the EVRO-CORDEX project. Estimates of the average long-term values of freshwater inflow in natural conditions and the conditions transformed by water management activity were obtained for each calculation period. It is found that owing to changes in the regional climate for the period of 2021-2050, the total inflow of freshwater from rivers to the estuary in natural conditions will decrease by 23.5 % (by RCP4.5) and by 38.5 % (by RCP8.5) in comparison with the reference period (before 1989). Taking into account the impact of artificial reservoirs, the reduction in the river runoff will be 52.1 % (by RCP4.5) and 64.7 % (by RCP8.5). It is defined, that in case of renaturalization of the Sasyk reservoir into the estuary and the water inflow cut-off from the Danube river, the changes in climatic conditions expected in the first half of the 21st century, combined with water management activity, will result in the increased deficit of annual freshwater balance of the Sasyk reservoir up to 62 % under the RCP4.5 scenario and up to 75 % under the RCP8.5 scenario compared to the period before the emergence of climate change (before 1989). This change must be considered in scientific substantiation of the project on a reversion of the Sasyk Reservoir to the original status of the estuary to ensure such conditions of water exchange with the sea (for compensation of the water balance deficit), which will prevent the long-term trend of salinization.


Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (19) ◽  
pp. 2761
Author(s):  
Xinglong Gong ◽  
Shuping Du ◽  
Fengyu Li ◽  
Yibo Ding

In this study, precipitation, and temperature data from HadGEM2-ES under Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) 4.5 and 8.5 were used to evaluate drought in China in the 21st century. The K-means clustering algorithm was used to analyze the regional characteristics of the dry hazard index (DHI) in China, and the impact of climate change on the variation trend and periodicity of regional drought in China was explored. The results show that the temperature and potential evapotranspiration (PET) of all clusters have an increasing trend under the two RCPs, and the precipitation of most clusters shows a significantly increasing trend. The drought index calculated by the standardized precipitation-evapotranspiration index (SPEI) is higher than those calculated by the standardized precipitation index (SPI) and standardized effective precipitation evapotranspiration index (SP*ETI). The variation trends of drought intensity and frequency in China are not significant in the 21st century; however, the local variation trends are significant. The droughts in most parts of the Xinjiang Province, northern Tibet and western Qinghai Province show significantly increasing trends. According to the DHI analyses and the variations in the drought area ratio, with increases in greenhouse gas concentrations, the droughts in central and western China will become more severe, and drought will spread to the eastern areas of China. In the case that both precipitation and temperature may increase in the future, the increase in evapotranspiration caused by temperature rise will greatly affect drought dynamics. The main drought periodicity in China in the 21st century is 1~3.6 years. Drought is affected by climate change but not significantly.


Author(s):  
Ken'ichi Matsumoto ◽  
Kaoru Tachiiri ◽  
Xuanming Su

Abstract Climate change affects various fundamental human activities, and understanding the consequences of its impacts is essential. Among them, heat stress considerably affects economic conditions. Furthermore, when analyzing the socioeconomic impacts of climate change, both socioeconomic and climate systems must be considered simultaneously, though such studies are scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the socioeconomic impacts of changes in labor productivity due to heat stress (measured by wet bulb globe temperature) under various climate change scenarios through a new modeling framework that coupled a computable general equilibrium model and an Earth system model of intermediate complexity to realize the interactions between the two systems through the relationship between heat stress and labor productivity. Results indicated that labor productivity declined as climate change progressed (particularly in hot and humid regions), driving a gradual decline in total global gross domestic product (GDP). Although regional GDP largely decreased where labor productivity considerably declined, it slightly increased in some areas because of a comparative advantage brought about by the difference in the impact on labor productivity by region. Consequently, carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and concentrations and the resulting temperature were slightly reduced when examining the impact of climate change on labor productivity. These tendencies were similar in both business-as-usual and climate change mitigation scenarios, but the overall impacts were smaller under the latter. There was a limited impact on CO2 emissions, CO2 concentrations, and temperature via integrated socioeconomic and climate systems. However, this study focused on only a single channel of the various interactions between the two systems. For a more complete evaluation of the impacts of climate change, further development of the integrated model is required.


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