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Profile photo of Ronny Berndtsson

Ronny Berndtsson

Professor, Dep Director, MECW Dep Scientific Coordinator

Profile photo of Ronny Berndtsson

Climate change and transboundary water management in the Tunisian Mellegue Catchment

Author

  • Ronny Berndtsson
  • Sihem Jebari
  • Safouane Mouelhi
  • Cintia B Uvo
  • Akissa Bahri

Summary, in English

Human activities and climate change affect hydrological and sedimentological characteristics within catchments. For arid and semiarid areas this induces direct negative economic and environmental consequences on society. In fact, stability in the rainfall regime and less siltation trapped in reservoirs mean more water for irrigation, water supply, and better flood control. This is especially important in the Tunisian semiarid region where water needs are close to potential water resources and siltation is reducing the reservoir capacity rapidly. Wadi Mellegue was chosen in order to study trends of water resources availability. Linear regression modelling and Mann-Kendall tests were performed for trend analysis. The study dealt with rainfall, discharge, and sediment patterns in the catchment area during a 44-year period. The results display a common decline in rainfall depth at different time scales. However, a positive trend related to discharge and siltation process was found. An increase in vulnerability to the new climate conditions is described. Consequently, water resources and agricultural landscape management for the Mellegue catchment should be revised in order to ensure a sustainable up- and downstream catchment development.

Department/s

  • Centre for Advanced Middle Eastern Studies (CMES)
  • MECW: The Middle East in the Contemporary World
  • Division of Water Resources Engineering
  • LTH Profile Area: Water

Publishing year

2017

Language

English

Pages

131-144

Publication/Series

Vatten: tidskrift för vattenvård /Journal of Water Management and research

Issue

4

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Föreningen Vatten

Topic

  • Water Treatment

Keywords

  • discharge
  • rainfall
  • semiarid
  • siltation
  • trend analysis
  • Tunisia

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 0042-2886