Quantifying the Impacts of Climate and Land Cover Changes on the Hydrological Regime of a Complex Dam Catchment Area

Abstract

In this study, hydrological modeling at the watershed level is used to assess the impacts of climate and land use changes on the catchment area of the Khanpur Dam, which is an important water source for Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The hydrological impact of past and anticipated precipitation in the Khanpur Dam watershed was forecast by using a HEC-HMS model. After calibration, the framework was employed to analyze the effects of changes in land cover and climate on the hydrological regime. The model used information from three climatic gauge stations (Murree, Islamabad Zero Point, and Khanpur Dam) to split the Khanpur Dam catchment area into five sub-basins that encompass the entire watershed region, each with distinctive characteristics. The model was evaluated and checked for 2016–2018 and 2019–2020, and it produced an excellent match with the actual and anticipated flows. After statistical downscaling with the CMhyd model, the most effective performing GCM (MPI-ESM1-2-HR) among the four GCMs was chosen and used to forecast projections of temperature and precipitation within two shared socioeconomic pathways (SSP2 and SSP5). The predictions and anticipated changes in land cover were incorporated into the calibrated HEC-HMS model to evaluate the potential impact of climate change and land cover change at the Khanpur Dam. The starting point era (1990–2015) and the projected period (2016–2100), which encompassed the basis in the present century, were analyzed annually. The results indicated a spike in precipitation for the two SSPs, which was predicted to boost inflows all year. Until the end of the twenty-first century, SSP2 predicted a 21 percent rise in precipitation in the Khanpur Dam catchment area, while SSP5 predicted a 28% rise in precipitation. Increased flows were found to be projected in the future. It was found that the calibrated model could also be used effectively for upcoming studies on hydrological effects on inflows of the Khanpur Dam basin.

RETRACTED: Exploring Groundwater Quality Assessment: A Geostatistical and Integrated Water Quality Indices Perspective

“…Leveraging ArcGIS, a detailed zoning map was crafted to delineate the suitability of groundwater for drinking purposes. ArcGIS played a crucial role in spatially mapping [87][88][89][90][91][92][93] and categorizing groundwater quality within the study area, facilitating the identification of specific units primarily based on their groundwater suitability for drinking purposes. This geospatial tool enabled a visual representation of varying water quality, aiding in the identification and classification of areas where groundwater is suitable for drinking within the research field (Figure 5).…”

Mapping Groundwater Prospective Zones Using Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System Techniques in Wadi Fatima, Western Saudi Arabia

“…For instance, flat surfaces and areas of curvature, which also have a greater permeation charge, are better at collecting water than convex surfaces. Flat and concave land surfaces are where water tends to collect and penetrate; hence, places with high levels of curvature (or vice versa) have set high-grade rates [45,84,85]. The output map was divided into three categories: (−5.60 to −0.38), (0), and (0.0001-5.21) (Figure 4c).…”

“…Several studies have demonstrated the usefulness of using RS and GIS to locate probable groundwater sources [39][40][41][42][43]. A GIS technique can handle big-data spatial data for processing and combination to predict and allow for finding additional water resources [44][45][46]. For mapping groundwater potentiality, procedures depending on information and understanding were used [47][48][49].…”

Assessing the Impact of Land Use and Climate Change on River Ravi Flows: A GIS and Hydrological Modeling Approach

“…Two important elements that have a considerable impact on hydrological systems are climate change and changes in Land Use, particularly the ow patterns of rivers (Haider et al 2023a, d;Hassan et al 2023a, b;Masood et al 2023b). The Ravi River, a vital tributary of the Indus River in Pakistan, plays a crucial role in supporting agriculture, providing drinking water, and sustaining ecosystems in the region (Hashmi et al 2012).…”