The Effects Of Climate Change On Water Resource Management And Development
The Effects Of Climate Change On Water Resource Management And Development
Water is a critical resource and an important component of the environment to support sustainable development. Climate change has the potential to considerably alter the global water volume, availability and distribution.
Water is used for domestic purposes, energy generation, agricultural development, industrial growth, livestock and tourism development.
The annual renewable freshwater availability per capita is only 647 cubic metres as compared to the UN-recommended amount of 1000 cubic metres.
Climate change has affected global hydrological cycles with major impacts on regional water resources.
A change in the volume and distribution of water affects both ground and service water supply for domestic and industrial use, irrigation, power generation in-stream ecosystems and water-based recreation.
Changes in the total amount, frequency and intensity of precipitation directly affect the magnitude and timing of runoff, floods and droughts.
Since climate change will result in increased frequencies of extreme events (drought and floods), and higher rainfall variability in terms of time, space and amounts, a potential adaptation measure is to ensure water availability for crop production through rainwater harvesting.
Inadequate water supply is a major challenge to agricultural systems. However, rains provide adequate water quantities for crop production but water becomes lost through runoff, evaporation from bare soils and deep percolation beyond the rooting zone of annual crops.
Increased runoff and the chance of flooding would generally result from more intense rainfall, though this would also depend on the physical and biological characteristics of the catchment.
In dry lands, rainwater is lost through seasonal surface runoff and through evaporation from soil surface leaving less than half of rainfall for crop production.
While water is available (rainfall, flowing streams and rivers) during the rainy season, it becomes scarce during the dry season making people walk for distances in search of water. The construction of sand dams to trap sand during flooding can help increase availability for harvesting in dry times.
Sand dams improve water infiltration, provide water for people and livestock and soil erosion control. It also contributes to the regeneration of the environment as vegetation prospers thereby attracting other biological resources.
Rainwater harvesting is now done in farms to promote small-scale farming such as growing fruits and vegetables.
Climate change affects the water supply system and the ability of water resource managers to respond to population growth and changes in demand, technology, and economic, social and legislative conditions.
While climate change may cause minimal effects on water sources in some areas, in other cases, it may cause substantial economic, social and economic costs, particularly in regions that already are water-limited and where there is considerable completion.
The Effects Of Climate Change On Water Resource Management And Development
