Abstract
Abstract. The research of ruptures on rainfall and discharge serial data from 1950 to 1995 of three small catchments (from 2000 to 6000 km2) of the Central African Republic, at the boundary between Chad and Congo basins, has shown a high spatial variability. The rupture observed in 1970 at the subcontinental scale, which started the drought period in West and Central Africa, is observed only on the Northward basin, the driest. Then it was difficult to compare the hydroclimatic periods from a basin to another one. However, all the studied basins have shown a degradation of the hydrological regime from the end of the 1980s onward, with a severe level since the end of 1980s. The depletion coefficients have the same range for the 3 studied basins than for the Ubangi River basin, widening the drought impact.
Highlights
In Western and Central Africa, the major climatic disruption in 1970 due to a weak annual pluviometry is well documented (Olivry et al, 1998; Wesselink et al, 1996; Nguimalet and Orange, 2013)
The results show a weak rainfall interannual variability at the boundary between the upper Chad basin (Fafa and Gribingui) and the Congo basin (Tomi), compared to the highest observed in the Lake Chad basin by Ardoin-Bardin et al (2009)
The break of the large drought recorded in West and Central Africa, marked in 1968 on the Ubangui Basin, is only recorded on the Fafa basin
Summary
In Western and Central Africa, the major climatic disruption in 1970 due to a weak annual pluviometry is well documented (Olivry et al, 1998; Wesselink et al, 1996; Nguimalet and Orange, 2013). Very few studies have analyzed this effect on small river basins (below 10 000 km). Goula et al (2006) and Fadika et al (2008) revealed a latest impact of the drought rupture on small river basins towards 1980 in Western Africa, compared to the large rivers. This paper deals with the effect of hydroclimatic variabilities on 3 close small basins, located at the boundary between Chad River (Gribingui and Fafa) and Congo River basins (Tomi). The aim is to confirm and to date the periods of hydrological variabilities of the targeted small river basins and to compare with the hydroclimatic periods defined in the Ubangi and Congo basins (Orange et al, 1997; Laraque et al, 1997, 2001). We’ll discuss the impact on the groundwater’s regimes per basin
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Proceedings of the International Association of Hydrological Sciences
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
