{"title":"Climate variability and hydrology impacts in east Africa’s Rwenzori Mountains","authors":"","doi":"10.1016/j.ejrh.2024.101922","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Study region</h3><p>The eastern flank of the 4 km Rwenzori Mountains and the Mobuku catchment 0.25–0.4 N, 29.85–30.1E are the geographic area for detailed analysis.</p></div><div><h3>Research focus</h3><p>Hydro-climate variability is studied using high resolution satellite- and model- assimilated products in the period 1980–2023. The Mobuku catchment receives rainfall of 3–6 mm/day which generates an eastward discharge of 100 m<sup>3</sup>/s that declines rapidly downstream, thereby limiting hydro-power availability.</p></div><div><h3>New insights</h3><p>Long-term trends in cloud fraction and potential evaporation reveal a tendency for drying associated with increasing easterly winds, subsidence near the mountain top, and warming of +.04 C/year that is melting glaciers. These constrain runoff on the eastern flank of the Rwenzori Mountains. Low river flows in Dec-Mar correspond with dry air intrusions from the northeast. High river flows in Jul-Nov are modulated by sea temperatures in the Indian Ocean that oscillate east-west at ∼3 year interval. Improved understanding of climate variability will contribute to better management of Uganda’s hydro-power resources.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":48620,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Hydrology-Regional Studies","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":4.7000,"publicationDate":"2024-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581824002714/pdfft?md5=915f54b59354a20ddcbb0947ce0e9a38&pid=1-s2.0-S2214581824002714-main.pdf","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Hydrology-Regional Studies","FirstCategoryId":"89","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581824002714","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"WATER RESOURCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Study region
The eastern flank of the 4 km Rwenzori Mountains and the Mobuku catchment 0.25–0.4 N, 29.85–30.1E are the geographic area for detailed analysis.
Research focus
Hydro-climate variability is studied using high resolution satellite- and model- assimilated products in the period 1980–2023. The Mobuku catchment receives rainfall of 3–6 mm/day which generates an eastward discharge of 100 m3/s that declines rapidly downstream, thereby limiting hydro-power availability.
New insights
Long-term trends in cloud fraction and potential evaporation reveal a tendency for drying associated with increasing easterly winds, subsidence near the mountain top, and warming of +.04 C/year that is melting glaciers. These constrain runoff on the eastern flank of the Rwenzori Mountains. Low river flows in Dec-Mar correspond with dry air intrusions from the northeast. High river flows in Jul-Nov are modulated by sea temperatures in the Indian Ocean that oscillate east-west at ∼3 year interval. Improved understanding of climate variability will contribute to better management of Uganda’s hydro-power resources.
期刊介绍:
Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies publishes original research papers enhancing the science of hydrology and aiming at region-specific problems, past and future conditions, analysis, review and solutions. The journal particularly welcomes research papers that deliver new insights into region-specific hydrological processes and responses to changing conditions, as well as contributions that incorporate interdisciplinarity and translational science.