WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION CLIMATE CHANGE WATER MANAGEMENT AND

WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION CLIMATE CHANGE, WATER MANAGEMENT, AND FOOD SECURITY IN THE NORTHERN SAVANNAH ECOLOGICAL ZONE Water Resources Commission Three Dimensional Model (P 3 DM) Presentation Workshop. RCC _Bolgatanga May 27, 2011 1

WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION CLIMATE CHANGE Evidence

WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION Increase in Mean Annual Temperature • Gradual increase in Temp. by 1. 9 o. C

WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION Mean monthly rainfall • Reduction in rainfall over the decades.

220 210 200 ETP WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION Evapotranspiration (Navrongo) 190 180 170 1931 -1960 1961 -1990 1991 -2003 160 150 Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Month

WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION – The NSEZ experiences a single rainfall regime in a year from April/May to October with a peak in September. – More than 80% of the total annual rainfall is recorded in just four months (June to Sept) – During the dry season (November to March) there is very little or no rainfall at all

WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION

WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION COUPLED WITH

WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION Land use (Cultivating along River banks)

WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION RESULTS IN EXTREME EVENTS

WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION Floods during rainy season

WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION

WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION . . . And droughts during the dry season

WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION Key Factors in WRM WATER RESOURCES POLLUTION PEOPLE POLLUTION DEGRADATION ENVIRONMENT Interactions among these factors determine the environmental quality of the RIVER BASIN

Industry & Others Eco-system Food People CROSS-SECTORAL DIALOGUE IWRM WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION IWRM – Linking Water use Sectors WATER USE SECTORS IWRM is the ‘integrating handle’ leading from Sub-sectoral to cross-sectoral water management

WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION Constraining factors in ensuring Food Security: • Soil nutrients • Water • • Energy Capital Labour Markets farming systems more resilient to rainfall variability Increase buffering capacity: - control over water - capital goods: grain, livestock -financial insurance

WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION Conservation and Protection of source • Create a buffer • Keep good soil and water managment practices

WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION Reservoirs xx

WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION Small reservoirs xx

WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION § Structural measures: - Multipurpose Dams and reservoirs, - Channel improvements. § Non-structural: flood forecasting and warning; flood plain regulation; development policies (master plans) information and education § Preserving the natural resources of flood plains through flood plain zoning and regulation

WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION Sustainable Water Management for Food Security involves all Metropolitan/ Municipal/District Assembly Nat. res. User group Water User association Technical Services Basin Management Farmers and herdsmen NGOs and Civil Society Traditional Authorities Chiefs & Land Owners Research Women’s Groups Youth

WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION Possible Challenges • • Diversity in institutional mandates and interests Human and Financial Resources Linking water governance to the MDGs Administrative boundary thinking and planning Active involvement of Research Transboundary water management Issues Bringing the communities along as partners, is important for sustainability but slow and expensive

WATER RESOURCES COMMISSION Conclusion • Integration of downstream and upstream, quantity and quality, surface water and groundwater issues • Integration of land use and water resources in a practical manner. • Integration of environmental and socio-economic issues into evolving management plans and regulatory decisions. • Facilitates the practical integration of downstream and upstream as well as basin-wide issues • Address the linkages between water resources management and the management of land other related resources