8 Cumulative Impacts of Climate Change Variability …
175
2.2.2 Projections for Climate-Related Extreme Events (E.G. Floods,
Heat Waves). Include
i. Higher maximum temperatures: more hot days and heatwaves over nearly all
land areas;
ii. Higher minimum temperatures: fewer cold days, frost days and cold spells over
nearly all land areas;
iii. More intense precipitation events over many areas;
iv. Increased summer drying over most mid-latitude continental interiors and
associated risk of drought and
v. Increase in peak wind intensity and mean and peak precipitation intensities in
tropical cyclones.
2.3 Current Concern
2.3.1 Cumulative Impact of Climate Change on the Goronyo Dam
Climate change is likely to affect dams directly (e.g. through changes in temperature) and indirectly (e.g. through impacts on hydrology). Dams have typically
been designed using historic periods of streamflow record to determine storage
capacity and related dam infrastructure features, including spillways and hydroelectric turbine capacities. Understanding climate change will likely impact the
quantity and timing of water availability. Specific impacts are projected to include
i. Decreased water availability in the Sokoto River Rima Basin (Goronyo Dam
catchment).
The decrease of water availability is attributed to poor watershed management, deforestation, irrigation systems, waste and poor management of hydrology in the catchment area and shortage of rainfall as well as siltation of the dam (Plates 1 and
2).
Developing countries are projected to be the most vulnerable to climate change:
many are already more prone to water shortages. In the area under study, indigenous
communities that depend on dam water resources are already vulnerable and will
become more vulnerable as a result of these projected impacts; current conditions
are the worst seen in the dam in over 25 years. Compounding the chronic problems
is the shortage of rainfall in 2017 and siltation of the dam, which is directly related
to climate change. In addition, increasing sea surface temperatures were recorded in
most of the region during the last three (3) decades 1980–2019 (Plate 3, 4 and 5).
175
2.2.2 Projections for Climate-Related Extreme Events (E.G. Floods,
Heat Waves). Include
i. Higher maximum temperatures: more hot days and heatwaves over nearly all
land areas;
ii. Higher minimum temperatures: fewer cold days, frost days and cold spells over
nearly all land areas;
iii. More intense precipitation events over many areas;
iv. Increased summer drying over most mid-latitude continental interiors and
associated risk of drought and
v. Increase in peak wind intensity and mean and peak precipitation intensities in
tropical cyclones.
2.3 Current Concern
2.3.1 Cumulative Impact of Climate Change on the Goronyo Dam
Climate change is likely to affect dams directly (e.g. through changes in temperature) and indirectly (e.g. through impacts on hydrology). Dams have typically
been designed using historic periods of streamflow record to determine storage
capacity and related dam infrastructure features, including spillways and hydroelectric turbine capacities. Understanding climate change will likely impact the
quantity and timing of water availability. Specific impacts are projected to include
i. Decreased water availability in the Sokoto River Rima Basin (Goronyo Dam
catchment).
The decrease of water availability is attributed to poor watershed management, deforestation, irrigation systems, waste and poor management of hydrology in the catchment area and shortage of rainfall as well as siltation of the dam (Plates 1 and
2).
Developing countries are projected to be the most vulnerable to climate change:
many are already more prone to water shortages. In the area under study, indigenous
communities that depend on dam water resources are already vulnerable and will
become more vulnerable as a result of these projected impacts; current conditions
are the worst seen in the dam in over 25 years. Compounding the chronic problems
is the shortage of rainfall in 2017 and siltation of the dam, which is directly related
to climate change. In addition, increasing sea surface temperatures were recorded in
most of the region during the last three (3) decades 1980–2019 (Plate 3, 4 and 5).