Abstract:
The consequences of climate change on
agriculture water demand are among the current and
prospective challenges. The amount of water needed
by crops is significantly affected by the regional cli
mate. The influence of climate change on irrigation
water demand and reservoir water balance components
were examined. The results of seven regional climate
models were compared, and the top-performing model
was chosen for the study area. After model calibra
tion and validation, the HEC-HMS model was used
to forecast future water availability in the reservoir.
The results show that under the RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5
emission scenarios, the reservoir’s water availability in
the 2050s will decline by approximately 7% and 9%,
respectively. The CROPWAT results showed that the
required irrigation water might rise by 26 to 39% in the
future. However, the water supply for irrigation may be
drastically reduced due to the drop in reservoir water storage. As a result, the irrigation command area could
drop up to 21% (2878.4 ha) to 33% (4502 ha) in future
climatic conditions. Therefore, we recommend alter
native watershed management techniques and climate
change adaptation measures to endure upcoming water
shortages in the area
Description:
Effect of climate change on reservoir water balance
and irrigation water demand: a case of Gidabo irrigation
project, Rift Valley Basin, Ethiopia
