Modelling the Impacts of Climate Change on Water Resources in Ghana: A Case study of the Densu River Basin

Abstract

Climate change continues to pose a threat to the sustainability of water resources. Global warming can have several effects on the water resources and water demands in the Densu River Basin especially household water use and agriculture use among several others. However, the extents to which the hydrology of the Densu River Basin is will be altered in the future remains unknown. In this research, the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP21) system was used to study the impacts of future climate change on water resources in the Densu River Basin. Future climate data (precipitation and temperature) for the period 2051- 2080 was generated from the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute’s climate models (ICHEC-EC-EARTH and RCA4) for RCP4.5 scenario under CORDEX experiment. The results of the study indicate that the Densu River Basin will experience a temperature increase and reduction in rainfall that will reduce water resources in the area. The climate change impact analysis indicates a reduction in the river streamflow due to decrease in rainfall. Consequently, the water demand for domestic and irrigation uses will not be met for the study period as a result of decrease in streamflow. It is recommended that an Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) plan be fully developed and implemented in the basin to ensure proper management of the water resources. In addition, future research on climate change adaptation for water management in the Densu River Basin should be conducted