Posts

Concluding Remarks

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Over this series of blog posts, I addressed the projected worsening of the water crisis under climate change in the SRB, and assessed one of the most prominent adaptation strategies which are the dams and large-scale irrigation schemes, which are currently lacking in environmental and social sustainability. Looking forward, there is a strong need for an integrated approach in managing water to adapt to climate change, such as following the concept of Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM), in which environmental and societal impacts should be taken into account and the voices of different stakeholders should be heard and considered ( Lahtela, 2021 ). Finally, it is important to remember that the climate-induced water crisis does not solely exist within the SRB, in fact, it is a pressing issue across the African continent. While there are similarities, the situation in SRB does not represent other regions; there is large spatial variability in hydrological projections, implications...
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From COP27 to COP28

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With the recent closing of COP28, I hope to use this post to look back at COP27 to see whether progress has been made in terms of water and environmental change in Africa. While this does not explicitly refer to the SRB, it is actually relevant as it focuses on international efforts targeted at water, which is an integral part of achieving effective adaptation for the water crisis under climate change.  Source At COP27 , water received unprecedented attention as it was featured for the first time in the final declaration of a climate COP. The declaration states “the critical role of protecting, conserving and restoring water and water-related ecosystems in delivering climate adaptation benefits and co-benefits, while ensuring social and environmental safeguards”. This recognizes the importance of water within the climate crisis, and arouses global awareness on the interconnectedness of water and climate: water cannot be omitted from climate discussions and actions. It is also extre...
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Adaptation to Environmental Change: Dams

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Dams are a common adaptation option to tackle increased rainfall variability and dry events under climate change. There are two large dams in the SRB: the Manantali Dam and the Diama Dam. The Manantali Dam is primarily used for regulating river flow, and it is also utilised for hydropower generation. The Diama Dam was originally built for blocking sea water intrusion at the river mouth, but now acts as a reservoir to provide water for perennial irrigation because of heightened agricultural demands ( Dumas et al., 2010 ). Evaluating the sustainability of dams In a report commissioned by the OMVS, the dams proved successful in increasing water levels in the SRB, maintaining river flow even during dry seasons, hence providing water availability for irrigation throughout the year. In the SRB river valley, irrigated land increased from merely 20 ha in 1974 to 18000 ha in 1988 ( DeGeorges, 2006 ). Specifically, irrigated rice cultivation was promoted, and there was a large increase in rice ...
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Water and Agriculture

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The SRB is highly dependent on agriculture. Around 44% of Senegal’s agricultural production area lies within the SRB, and it accounted for nearly 70% of the total rice production in Senegal from 2007-2011 ( Djaman et al., 2016 ).  Flood-recession agriculture Traditionally, flood-recession agriculture has been widely practiced in the valleys of the SRB, and it is a main income source for those communities ( Sall et al., 2020 ). Flood-recession agriculture refers to planting crops in areas inundated for at least 45 days after the flood receded, which then the crops utilise the water and nutrients in the soil that are left on the floodplains after the flood ( Altenburg & Wymenga, 2019 ). The rise of irrigated agriculture In the 1970s to 1980s, the Sahel experienced a period of severe drought. According to the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory ( GFDL ), rainfall dropped by more than 30% in that period compared to the 1950s. In the SRB, it was recorded that the drought lasted fo...
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Climate Change and the Future of Water

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In this post, I will be presenting some research findings on water projections in the SRB under climate change, predicted using hydrological and climate models. As there is no single “correct” hydrological or climate model, it is important to compare the results of different model predictions, as it sheds light on uncertainties within those projections ( Jiang et al., 2007 ; Cornelissen et al., 2013 ). In terms of river discharge, Mbaye et al. ( 2015 ) used the hydrological model “MPI-HM” and forced it with a Regional Climate Model (RCM) “REMO”, to predict changes in the SRB by 2017-2100 compared to 1971-2000 under the emission pathways RCP 4.5 and 8.5. It is projected that there will be a general decrease in mean monthly discharge as well as the 10th (low flow) and 90th percentile discharge (high flow). Projected mean monthly changes in discharge and 10th and 90th percentile discharge in the SRB ( Mbaye et al., 2015 ). In Bodian et al. ( 2018 ), the GR4J hydrological model was calibra...
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Introducing Hydrological Modelling and Climate Change Scenarios

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Before I delve into hydrological modelling of the SRB in the next post, I will first introduce the basics of hydrological modelling and climate change scenarios in this short blog post. Hydrological Modelling Hydrological models simulate and represent real-world hydrological processes: water flows and changes in water stores within the natural water cycle, such as surface runoff, infiltration, groundwater flow and discharge, through the use of mathematical equations ( Ogden, 2021 ). They are widely employed for water resource management, and they are often used to predict future water trends under climate change. Flows and stores within the water cycle that are represented in hydrological models ( USGS, 2019 ). Climate models and emission pathways An essential part of all hydrological models are meteorological data, such as temperature, precipitation and solar radiation, which are used as input for the models ( Garen, 2013 ). In order to predict future alterations in hydrological proce...
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Introduction

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Water is a fundamental part of our everyday lives. Domestically, we use water for drinking, cooking and hygiene, and having enough water is crucial in ensuring good health and well-being ( Howard et al. , 2020 ). At the same time, water is an essential element of food production and industrial activities. Unfortunately, around two billion people across the globe are currently living under water scarcity ( Stringer et al. , 2021 ), which refers to an insufficient freshwater supply to meet the demand, as well as low accessibility to safe and affordable water ( Tzanakakis et al. , 2020 ,  Rijsberman, 2005 ). Water scarcity is prominent in many African countries; over two thirds of the African population is experiencing water scarcity ( Falkenmark, 1989 ). This is partly due to arid climate in some regions (physical water scarcity), but more so because of large populations and poor water infrastructure (economic water scarcity) ( African Climate Policy Centre, 2013 ;  Damkjaer and...
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