Multi-Model Assessment of Climate Change Impacts on the Streamflow Conditions in the Kasai River Basin, Central Africa
The Congo River Basin is the second-largest watershed globally, flowing through nine countries before reaching the Atlantic Ocean. The Kasai River Basin (KARB), containing about one-fourth of Congo’s freshwater resources, plays a strategic role in sustaining navigation, food production, and hydroele...
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MDPI AG
2024-11-01
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| Series: | Hydrology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5338/11/12/207 |
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| author | Samane Lesani Salomon Salumu Zahera Elmira Hassanzadeh Musandji Fuamba Ali Sharifinejad |
| author_facet | Samane Lesani Salomon Salumu Zahera Elmira Hassanzadeh Musandji Fuamba Ali Sharifinejad |
| author_sort | Samane Lesani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Congo River Basin is the second-largest watershed globally, flowing through nine countries before reaching the Atlantic Ocean. The Kasai River Basin (KARB), containing about one-fourth of Congo’s freshwater resources, plays a strategic role in sustaining navigation, food production, and hydroelectricity generation in Central Africa. This study applies a multi-model framework suited for data-scarce regions to assess climate change impacts on water availability in the KARB. Using two conceptual hydrological models calibrated with four reanalysis datasets and fed with bias-corrected outputs from 19 climate models under two representative climate pathways (RCPs), we project changes in the mean annual discharge ranging from −18% to +3%, highlighting the sensitivity of impact assessments to model and input data choices. Additionally, streamflow signatures (Q10, Q50, Q90) are projected to decline by approximately 9%, 18%, and 13%, respectively, under RCP 8.5. Annual hydropower potential is estimated to decrease by 14% and 5% under RCPs 4.5 and 8.5, respectively. These findings provide actionable insights for water management practices in the KARB, including guiding the development of adaptive strategies to optimize water allocation, mitigate risks of scarcity, and support sustainable agricultural and industrial activities in the region. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a494ad1ed0074e53a7684e3cb7ab8c47 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2306-5338 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Hydrology |
| spelling | doaj-art-a494ad1ed0074e53a7684e3cb7ab8c472024-12-27T14:29:47ZengMDPI AGHydrology2306-53382024-11-01111220710.3390/hydrology11120207Multi-Model Assessment of Climate Change Impacts on the Streamflow Conditions in the Kasai River Basin, Central AfricaSamane Lesani0Salomon Salumu Zahera1Elmira Hassanzadeh2Musandji Fuamba3Ali Sharifinejad4Department of Civil, Geological and Mining Engineering, École Polytechnique de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3A7, CanadaDepartment of Civil, Geological and Mining Engineering, École Polytechnique de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3A7, CanadaDepartment of Civil, Geological and Mining Engineering, École Polytechnique de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3A7, CanadaDepartment of Civil, Geological and Mining Engineering, École Polytechnique de Montréal, Montreal, QC H3C 3A7, CanadaAquanty Inc., 600 Weber St. N., Unit B, Waterloo, ON N2V 1K4, CanadaThe Congo River Basin is the second-largest watershed globally, flowing through nine countries before reaching the Atlantic Ocean. The Kasai River Basin (KARB), containing about one-fourth of Congo’s freshwater resources, plays a strategic role in sustaining navigation, food production, and hydroelectricity generation in Central Africa. This study applies a multi-model framework suited for data-scarce regions to assess climate change impacts on water availability in the KARB. Using two conceptual hydrological models calibrated with four reanalysis datasets and fed with bias-corrected outputs from 19 climate models under two representative climate pathways (RCPs), we project changes in the mean annual discharge ranging from −18% to +3%, highlighting the sensitivity of impact assessments to model and input data choices. Additionally, streamflow signatures (Q10, Q50, Q90) are projected to decline by approximately 9%, 18%, and 13%, respectively, under RCP 8.5. Annual hydropower potential is estimated to decrease by 14% and 5% under RCPs 4.5 and 8.5, respectively. These findings provide actionable insights for water management practices in the KARB, including guiding the development of adaptive strategies to optimize water allocation, mitigate risks of scarcity, and support sustainable agricultural and industrial activities in the region.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5338/11/12/207climate changehydrological modelingstreamflow regimereanalysis datasetsKasai River BasinCongo |
| spellingShingle | Samane Lesani Salomon Salumu Zahera Elmira Hassanzadeh Musandji Fuamba Ali Sharifinejad Multi-Model Assessment of Climate Change Impacts on the Streamflow Conditions in the Kasai River Basin, Central Africa Hydrology climate change hydrological modeling streamflow regime reanalysis datasets Kasai River Basin Congo |
| title | Multi-Model Assessment of Climate Change Impacts on the Streamflow Conditions in the Kasai River Basin, Central Africa |
| title_full | Multi-Model Assessment of Climate Change Impacts on the Streamflow Conditions in the Kasai River Basin, Central Africa |
| title_fullStr | Multi-Model Assessment of Climate Change Impacts on the Streamflow Conditions in the Kasai River Basin, Central Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Multi-Model Assessment of Climate Change Impacts on the Streamflow Conditions in the Kasai River Basin, Central Africa |
| title_short | Multi-Model Assessment of Climate Change Impacts on the Streamflow Conditions in the Kasai River Basin, Central Africa |
| title_sort | multi model assessment of climate change impacts on the streamflow conditions in the kasai river basin central africa |
| topic | climate change hydrological modeling streamflow regime reanalysis datasets Kasai River Basin Congo |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5338/11/12/207 |
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