DROUGHT CH: Early recognition of critical drought conditions in Switzerland - coping with shortages in soil moisture, groundwater and runoff
Background
According to climate change scenarios,
drought risk will significantly increase in Switzerland in the coming decades.
The drought and heat wave of 2003 demonstrated the severe consequences of such
events and the lack of preparation of Switzerland. Consequences for nature and
society include impacts on water resources, water supply, agriculture, energy
production, building infrastructure and ecosystems. As droughts can enhance the
severity of heat waves, they also impact human health.
Aims
of the project
The project aims at a better understanding
and evaluation of drought risks in Switzerland. The project integrates natural
and social science components: On the one hand, we will characterise drought
effects on ecosystems, soils and river systems by means of observations as well
as hydrological and climate models. On the other hand, we will evaluate costs
and impacts associated with droughts and the potential benefits associated with
their prediction. This analysis will enable us to investigate appropriate
approaches for the prediction and early warning of droughts. Together with
different stakeholders, we will develop a first prototype of a virtual
information platform for droughts.
Work Packages
In the research unit Economics and Social
Sciences we work on two work packages out of seven.
Work
package 1: "Critical drought and low-flow indicators for different water
users"
The main objective is to assess the
specific needs of water user groups with regard to an early recognition system.
We will identify drought and low-flow indicators that are important from the
point of view of the user groups and ensure that the development of the
information platform meets the needs of the anticipated users.
- Report on the workshop "Drought information system for Switzerland" (in German only), 19.05.2010 [PDF]
- Paper "Information needs for early recognition of droughts in Switzerland [Informationsbedarf zur Früherkennung von Trockenheit in der Schweiz]" (in German only), in: Wasser Energie Luft, 12/2010 [PDF]
Work package 5: "Operational hydrological modelling and determination of snow water resources"
In
this work package we develop new operational forecast instruments for low flow and snow water resources in Switzerland. To this end we use the numerical model PREVAH driven with observed and modeled meteorological variables (COSMOLEPS, ECMWF EPS). A novel step is to assimilate the actual distribution of snow water equivalent of the alps on a daily basis allowing for issuing long-term predictions of snowmelt-fed reservoirs and streams.
Work
package 6: "Economic benefit of an early warning system of drought and low
flow"
This work package will investigate the type
and amplitude of potential impacts of drought and low flow, the needs and
benefits regarding early warning systems and the requested attributes of such
systems (e.g. lead time). We will analyse how water user groups have so far
coped with drought and low flow conditions and what would be the impacts of
different scenarios of drought and low flow and what could be the contribution
of a warning system to mitigate the potential damages. This will help to
roughly estimate avoidable damage costs and the contribution of early warning
systems to damage mitigation. Finally, we will investigate different financing
modes for early warning systems.
Work package 7: "Development of an information platform for the early recognition of drought"
Based on the scientific basis of the other work packages a prototype of an internet-based information platform for the early recognition of drought in Switzerland has been developed. The aim of this information platform is to provide an integral information on actual or imminent water shortage in Switzerland. On June 1, we will start to run a test operation - with the support of the Federal Office of the Environment and MeteoSwiss. This will allow us to gain experience with such a drought-specific information platform and to assess its potential benefit.
WSL
Project Team
Research Unit Economics and Social Sciences
Research Unit Mountain Hydrology and
Torrents
Other
Project Partners
Funding
source
Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF), National Research Programme (NRP) 61:
Sustainable Water Management >>>
- Portrait of the National Research Programme NRP 61 [PDF]
Contact
| Keywords: |
drought, low flow, early warning, climate change adaptation, sustainable water management |
