 | Methodological approaches to assessing eco-hydrological responses to climate change in South Africa |
| Expanded Title: | The purpose of this project was to investigate effects of climate change on second order impacts, viz. ecological flow indicators and water temperature parameters, with particular focus on scientific techniques and methods. This was achieved by downscaling climate output from the ECHAM5/MPI-OM General Circulation Model (GCM) and then using the results as input data into the daily time step ACRU hydrological model in order to simulate the impacts of climate change, as projected by this particular GCM, on the selected eco-hydrological indicators at a fine spatial scale. The first section of the report describes how the downscaled climate scenarios were developed, the state of current knowledge with respect to the climate system and how it may evolve, as well as the context within which these climate scenarios should be assessed. The second section deals with the hydrological modelling and derivation of ecological parameters. The results are also presented by means of maps at the scale of Quinary Catchments. The results of the water temperature analysis for the Thukela Catchment are also presented by means of maps, while time series graphs are used to describe water temperature parameters for 15 selected Quinary Catchments. In the final chapter the project aims are revisited and a summary of findings and recommendations for future research are provided. |
| Date Published: | 25/03/2011 |
| Document Type: | Research Report |
| Document Subjects: | Ecosystem - Invertebrates, Drinking water - Water treatment, R & D - Methodology |
| Document Keywords: | Guidelines, Environment, Hydrology, Climate |
| Document Format: | Report |
| Document File Type: | pdf |
| Research Report Type: | Standard |
| WRC Report No: | 1562/1/10 |
| ISBN No: | 9781431200504 |
| Authors: | Schulze RE; Hewitson BC; Barichievy KR; Tadross M; Kunz RP; Horan MJC |
| Project Leader: | Schulze R E |
| Project No: | K5/1562 |
| Originator: | WRC |
| Organizations: | School of Bioresources Engineering and Environmental Hydrology, University of KwaZulu-Natal; Department of Environmental and Geographical Science,University Of Cape Town |
| Document Size: | 91 876 KB |
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