Human influence

Anne F. van Loon, Niko Wanders, John P. Bloomfield, Miriam Fendeková, Cosmo Ngongondo, Henny A.J. van Lanen

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterAcademicpeer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Human interventions influence drought propagation and low flow in a number of ways. Abstraction decreases low flow and makes hydrological drought events more severe; water transfers do the opposite. Reservoirs change water availability in time, and, dependent on the reservoir management, low flow can be increased and hydrological drought shifted in time. Land surface changes affect evapotranspiration, infiltration and surface runoff processes, influencing the timing and severity of hydrological drought. Qualitative methods (e.g., interviews, surveys) and socio-hydrological models can give valuable insights into the complexity of human-water interactions. Socio-hydrological models can also be used to explore feedbacks of water management scenarios. To quantify of the effect of natural and human drivers several approaches using observations, modelling or a combination of both can be used. Here, we demonstrate the use of these approaches to selected case studies around the world and show that the human influence on low flow and hydrological drought can be both aggravating and alleviating.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationHydrological Drought
Subtitle of host publicationProcesses and Estimation Methods for Streamflow and Groundwater, Second Edition
EditorsL.M. Tallaksen, H.A.J. van Lanen
PublisherElsevier
Chapter10
Pages479-524
Number of pages46
Edition2nd
ISBN (Electronic)9780128190821
ISBN (Print)9780128190838
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2023

Keywords

  • Abstraction
  • Anthropocene
  • Human influence on drought
  • Hydrological alteration
  • Land use change
  • Naturalisation
  • Reservoirs
  • Socio-hydrological modelling

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