Abstract
Extreme uneven spatial and temporal distributions of rainfall pose the risk of water shortage to the industries in Taiwan, particularly during dry seasons, which may be worsen under climate change. This study aims to develop adaptation actions for an industrial company to reduce the risk of droughts. The Formosa Plastics Corporation (FPC) in Chuoshui River watershed is selected as a study case and an integrated risk assessment tool of water resources TaiWAP is used. The water shortage of FPC is mainly in the dry seasons because the water rights of public and agricultural uses are prioritized over industrial use. The considered adaptation options including water reuse, a desalination plant, smart agricultural water management, and rainwater harvesting. The results show that the waste-water reuse and sea-water desalination are the most effective adaptation options, which reduces the water shortage risks 33–44% per day in the return period of ten years. The results are generalized for the reference of other studies. The risk assessment and adaptation measure identification of the company require regional information. Moreover, some adaptation measures that the company implements help reduce the water shortage of the region and are consequently beneficial to the company, e.g., smart agricultural water management.
Highlights
Drought is a slow and imperceptible phenomenon from continuous water shortage
Because the water rights of public and agricultural uses are prioritized over Formosa Plastics Corporation (FPC), the water shortage of agriculture and FPC in the Chuoshui River watershed are identified in the current climate risk assessment
The risk assessments and the adaptation measures of the watershed are considered as boundary conditions because the water use of FPC is influenced by the water supply and demand of other users
Summary
Drought is a slow and imperceptible phenomenon from continuous water shortage. According to the Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), climate change increases the frequency of extreme rainfall events and intensifies the spatial and temporal contrast of wetness and dryness [1,2,3]. Little precipitation and snow for years caused severe droughts in California in 2009 and 2013–2016 [4]. In addition to agricultural and domestic use, industries such as manufacturing, golf, ski parks, and construction were strongly affected by the water rationing. Most places in Taiwan are vulnerable to droughts because of reservoir siltation, high water leakage rate, and low water price. Little precipitation in 2014 caused the most severe drought in 2015 over the past
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