A numerical modelling study of the hydroclimatology of the Niger River Basin, West Africa. Issue 1 (2nd January 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Oguntunde, Philip G.; Abiodun, Babatunde J.; Lischeid, Gunnar
• Is Part Of: Hydrological sciences journal. Volume 61:Issue 1(2016)
• Page Start: 94
• Page End: 106
• Publication Date: 2016-01-02
• Subjects: West Africa -- Niger River Basin -- hydroclimatology -- atmospheric water balance -- moisture recycling ratio -- modelling; Hydrology -- Periodicals; 551.4805
• DOI: 10.1080/02626667.2014.980260
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0262-6667

Abstract

Abstract: Adequate water resources management at the basin level needs quality downscaling of climate change scenarios for application to impact assessment and adaptation work. This study evaluates the ability of a regional climate model (RegCM3) to simulate the present-day climate and regional water balance over the Niger River Basin (NRB). RegCM3 gives a good simulation of the NRB hydroclimatic features. The mean bias error for monthly temperature is 1.5°C, 0.3 mm d - 1 for rainfall, and 0.4 mm d - 1 for runoff. Moderate to high correlations (0.66–0.95) were found between the modelled and the observed variables. RegCM3-based water cycling indices were not statistically different from the observation. Seasonal moistening efficiency ( m ) ranges between 19% and 37%; 66% of the available atmospheric moisture over NRB precipitates between June and September, of which 21% originates from local evaporation. The result suggests that the moisture sink period is July to October with very high precipitation efficiency over the basin. The model reproduces the hydroclimatology of the NRB and hence is a suitable tool for further studies relating to the assessment of climate change impacts on river basin water systems.Editor Z. W. Kundzewicz;Associate editor D. Hughes