Impact of climate change on streamflow in selected river basins in Ghana

Abstract

This study uses the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) and downscaled climate projections from the ensemble of two global climate models (ECHAM4 and CSIRO) forced by the A1FI greenhouse-gas scenario to estimate the impact of climate change on streamflow in the White Volta and Pra river basins, Ghana. The SWAT model was calibrated for the two basins and subsequently driven by downscaled future climate projections to estimate the streamflow for the 2020s (2006–2035) and 2050s (2036–2075). Relative to the baseline, the mean annual streamflow estimated for the White Volta basin for the 2020s and 2050s showed a decrease of 22 and 50%, respectively. Similarly, the estimated streamflow for the 2020s and 2050s for the Pra basin showed a decrease of 22 and 46%, respectively. These results underscore the need to put in place appropriate adaptation measures to foster resilience to climate change in order to enhance water security within the two basins.

Citation Kankam-Yeboah, K., Obuobie, E., Amisigo, B., and Opoku-Ankomah, Y., 2013. Impact of climate change on streamflow in selected river basins in Ghana. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 58 (4), 773–788.