Impact of climate change on the hydrology of Blue Nile basin, Ethiopia: A review

Abstract

Climate change alters the spacial and temporal availability of water resources by affecting the hydrologic cycle. The main objective of this paper is to review the climate change effect on the water resources of the Blue Nile River, Ethiopia. The impact of climate change on water resources is highly significant as all natural ecosystems and humans are heavily dependent on water. It alters precipitation, temperature, and streamflow of the Blue Nile river basin which is threatening the lives and livelihoods of people and life-supporting systems. Rainfall within the Blue Nile river basin is highly erratic and seasonal due to it being located in the inter-tropical convergent zone. The temperature and sediment load are shown to increase in the future while the rainfall and streamflow are decreasing. The Blue Nile basin is characterized by highly erosive rainfall, erodible soil, and shrinking forest cover. Therefore, mitigation and adaptation measures should be applied by considering these characteristics of the basin. Watershed management methods like afforestation and water conservation are recommended to reduce the impact on the Blue Nile basin.