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| Title
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The Water Resource Implications of Changing Climate in the Volta River Basin
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| Subtitle
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IWMI Research Report 146
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| Author
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McCartney, M., Forkuor, G., Sood, A., Amisigo, B., Hattermann, F., Muthuwatta, L.
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| Editor or Organisation
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IWMI
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| Year
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2012
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| Keywords
|
river basins / climate change / water resources development / reservoirs / water demand / temperature / rain / evapotranspiration / hydrology / flow discharge / groundwater recharge / surface water / water storage / simulation models / water power / irrigation schemes / irrigation water / water demand / livestock
|
| Country
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Burkina Faso, Ghana
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| Type
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publication
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| Language
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English
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| Table of Contents
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Summary vii
Introduction 1
The Volta Basin 2
Method 6
Results 19
Discussion 27
Conclusion 30
References 31
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| Abstract
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The Volta River is one of the major rivers in Africa. A transboundary basin, which is the principal water source for approximately 24 million people in six riparian states, it is likely to experience increasing stress in the near future as a consequence of both greater water demand and climate change. In a study to ascertain the joint impacts of changes in demand and supply within the basin, a dynamic regional climate
model (CCLM), a hydrological model (SWAT) and a water resource model (WEAP) were used to provide an assessment of the possible implications
of one downscaled ‘middle impact’ (i.e., lying between extremes) climate change scenario on the performance of existing and planned irrigation
and hydropower schemes. The models were used to simulate the climate change in tandem with four scenarios, each reflecting different levels of water
resources development as indicated in the plans of the riparian states. It is not possible to quantify the error arising from the models in combination
and the results should be considered indicative rather than absolute. Nonetheless, they provide a useful indicator of possible future change and
have important implications for water resource planning. The results indicate that, by the middle of the twenty-first century, basin-wide average annual rainfall, mean annual runoff and mean groundwater recharge, will all decline. These changes significantly undermine the technical
performance of existing and planned reservoirs.
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| Permission
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Yes
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| Category
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Management of Water, Land, Energy and Environment
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| File
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