Integrated Adaptation Approaches to Climate Change in Semi-arid Basin of Iran
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Authors
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Hamid R Solaymani
Range and Watershed Organization, Iran
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A K Gosain
2Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, New Delhi 110 016
Abstract
The major challenges concerning freshwater include: experiencing extremesof too much and/or, too little water, and consequent water issues. Each of these
problems may be intensified by climate change in semi-arid areas. Existing research
and observational evidence provide strong arguments that future climate may change
significantly and, therefore, impact the water resources of the Karkheh basin of Iran.
Thus, the strategies that can be used to mitigate possible negative impacts of climate
change on water resources are of great importance. The risk of drought and heat stress
is expected to increase in the whole of the study area. Overall, the present study shows
the consequences of climate change on the water resources of the Karkheh Basin and
shall be useful in formulating the adaptation options in a sustainable manner. SWAT
model was used for impact assessment analysis by using the future climate scenario with
future regional climate models. It has been found that there shall be an explicit deficit
in water as well as crop yield during the end of the century. The impact of suggested
adaptation activities had various effects on hydrology and the same has been depicted
through tracking major hydrological components; e.g. surface runoff, groundwater and
sediment erosion. Amongst the suggested adaptation scenarios, activities that include
terracing, strip cropping, Grade Stabilization Structure (GSS), and contouring were
found to influence the desired hydrologic components significantly. The land use and
cropping pattern changes were also successful in bringing about the desired changes
to the hydrologic components.
Key words: Adaptation, crop pattern, land use, Karkheh Basin, SWAT model.
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