Climate Change Hydrology and Water Resources Impacts and Adaptation for Selected River Basins in the Czech Republic

Abstract

In terms of climate, the Czech Republic belongs to the northern hemisphere Atlantic-continental type of moderate climate. M ean annual temperature ranges between 1.0°and 9.4°C (for summer between 8.8°C and 18.5°C, and for winter between 2 6.8°a nd 0.2°C). Annua l precipitation ranges between 450 mm in dry regions and 1300 m m in mountainous regions of the country. W ith its 2000 m 3 per capita fresh water availability, the Czech Republic is a region that can be characterized as slightly below average in availability. The occasional water shortages usually do not result from unavailability of water, but rather from temporal or spatial variability of water supply and demand and a high degree of water resources exploitation. To study potential im pacts of climate change on the hydrological system and water resources, four river basins have been selected in the territory (461 km 2 ), and the M etuje River at M ars Ï ov n. M . (94 km 2 ). To simulate potential changes in runoff, three hydrological models have been applied using incremental and GCM (GISS, GFD L and CC CM ) scenarios: the BILA N water balance model, the SA CRAM ENTO (SAC-SM A) conceptual model and the CLIRU N water balance m odel.After comparison of the results, the BILA N m odel was selected to serve for subsequent analyses of hydrological systems in the river basins. The paper reviews methods applied in the study and results of the assessments, and it concludes with suggestions for general adaptation policy options where the preference is for non-structural measures such as water conservation, ef® cient water dem and management and protection of water resources.

Monte Carlo Assessment of Sampling Uncertainty of Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources Yield in Yorkshire, England

“…A scenario based on CGCM1 was also adopted by Dvorak et al (1997). However, their assessment considered the rainfall-runoff response of four temperate European catchments (in the Czech Republic) with catchment sizes ranging from 94 km 2 to 50,762 km 2 .…”

Runoff Response to Climate Warming and Forest Disturbance in a Mid-Mountain Basin

“…In past decades, climate change, including changes in precipitation, temperature, vapor pressure, and wind speed, has directly or indirectly altered hydrological regimes [1][2][3][4], and studies that identify the linkage between warmer air temperatures and the occurrence of extreme hydrological events or basins' water yield have drawn decision-makers' attention to natural resource management [5][6][7][8].…”

Integrated regional assessment and climate change impacts in river basins

“…For instance, a special issue of Water Resources Development (1996, Volume 12, Number 2) evaluated water resource vulnerability and adaptation to climate change in several countries in transition (Strzepek & Kaczmarek 1996). Case studies focused on basins in Poland (Kaczmarek et al 1996), the Czech Republic (Dvorak et al 1996), Kazakstan (Golubtsov et al 1996), and Slovakia (Carmichael et al 1996). It is too early to draw firm generalizations from these studies, but it is clear that more complete, integrated assessments are needed for these basins.…”