Abstract
This study aimed to assess trends of hydro-meteorological variables in the Upper Omo-Ghibe river basin, Ethiopia. Data records from eleven rainfall, eight air temperature, and five streamflow stations between 1981 to 2008 were investigated. The trends and change points were evaluated for different periods of time depending on data availability. Mann-Kendall and Pettit tests were used to identify trends and change points at a 5% significance level. The tests were applied to mean annual, monthly and seasonal time scales. Rainfall exhibited statistically decreasing trends at a mean annual time scale, while seasonal rainfall depicted heterogeneous results in both directions. For the majority of the stations, air temperature showed statistically significant increasing trends. The magnitude of change in temperature for mean annual, wet and dry season has increased about 0.48, 0.46, and 0.61 °C per decade for Jimma station. The Pettit test revealed that the late 1980s and 1990s were the change points. There is generally a decreasing trend in streamflow. The decline in annual rainfall and rise in temperature affected the streamflow negatively. Overall, the results indicate that trend sand change point times varied considerably across the stations and catchments. The identified significant trends can help to support planning decisions for water management.
Highlights
Climate change may lead to alterations in the dynamics of hydro-climatic variables
[2] studied regional analysis of trend and step changes observed in hydroclimatic variables around the Colorado River Basin
Another study by Bewket and Conway [10] showed a spatial and temporal variation of rainfall trends in northwestern Ethiopia and the results indicated an increasing trend over western Ethiopia
Summary
Climate change may lead to alterations in the dynamics of hydro-climatic variables. These changes can have tremendous effects for food, energy and water supply in particular in developing countries.The release of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report [1]has brought the issue of climate change and climate trends to the forefront of scientific and political communities. Climate change may lead to alterations in the dynamics of hydro-climatic variables. These changes can have tremendous effects for food, energy and water supply in particular in developing countries. [2] studied regional analysis of trend and step changes observed in hydroclimatic variables around the Colorado River Basin. Their results indicated that temperature increased persistent throughout the year across the Colorado River Basin whereas rainfall only notably increased in a few climate divisions during February and remained relatively unchanged
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