Developing Climate Change Adaptation Measures and Decision-Support System for Selected South African Water Boards

A Water Research Commission Project (K5/2018)

The present project aims to quantify the likely changes in various hydro-climate variables (rainfall, evaporation, groundwater recharge, runoff, water quality, etc.), but also the uncertainty in these changes, as they will impact on future water management plans and sustainable development. The proposed project aims to investigate climate change adaptation measures for two water boards, in the context of developmental changes by developing generic estimation tools, monitoring strategies and a decision support framework. The framework will identify risks, vulnerabilities and adaptation strategies to climate change in order to allow the water boards to fulfill their water supply delivery mandates. The study will undertake the analysis in cooperation with two medium size water boards in South Africa, namely Amatola and Bloem Water Boards. The aims of this project are:

1. To identify potential impacts and threats to sustainable water services delivery posed by climate change, as well as the uncertainties associated with these, with regards to changes in water quantity, water quality and socio-economic developments. This will be done through application of existing or newly developed estimation tools that can be used to convert downscaled Global Climate Models (GCM) output data to likely changes (including uncertainties) in the variables that impact directly on the operations of water boards (water quantity and quality). Part of the estimation process will include timescales of the expected changes.
2. Develop a methodology for assessing risks and vulnerabilities (including uncertainties in predictions) to climate change for Water Boards and their capacity to fulfill their mandate on water services delivery.
3. Develop a strategy and monitoring network for water audits in order to monitor indicators of change.
4. Derive Thresholds of Potential Concerns (TPCs) for water quality and quantity issues for Water Boards related to raw and potable water, discharges, pricing effects, etc. based on the outputs of the climate models.
5. Develop a decision-support framework for an adaptive management strategy to assess and modify water services delivery and development plans of the Water Boards in terms of infrastructure repair and developments, water conservation and demand management, water pricing changes and other associated issues.

Project Team

Project Deliverables Individuals and organizations interested in the progress of the project can access the project deliverables and other resources as they are completed and added to this web page.

Deliverable 1: Year 1 workshop report

Deliverable 2 Quantifying water quantity and quality impacts associated with climate change

Deliverable 3: Quantifying expected changes that are not directly related to climate change and first annual report

Deliverable 4: Report on the outcomes of the second workshop

Deliverable 5: Further refinement of expected climate change [quantity and quality and their integration] and non-climate related changes

Deliverable 6: Design and Costing of a Monitoring Network and Initial Proposal for a Decision Support System for Water Boards

Deliverable 7: Report on the Outcomes of the Third Workshop and Second Annual Report <

Deliverable 8: Design and documentation of a decision support system for developing adaptation strategies to climate change

Final Deliverable: Informing the Responses of Water Service Delivery Institutions to Climate and Development Changes: A Case Study in the Amatole Region, Eastern Cape

Last Modified: Fri, 14 Aug 2015 13:55:14 SAST