Assessment of climate risks on water resources for NAP for Bhutan
In the context of the National Adaptation Plan for Bhutan, the risks climate change poses on the countries water resources were assessed. The CRIDA methodology was not used explicitly but a lot of analysis actions concur.
Context
Bhutan has abundant water sources, but its communities and agricultural lands are located in higher altitudes, far from the rivers in deep valleys. The steep terrain makes water pumping costly and impractical, leading to frequent water shortages and making the country vulnerable to water stress.
Cryosphere Change
Climate change is expected to reduce permanent snow cover by 40-60%, affecting river discharge and hydropower production.
Actions
First the most prominent hydrological climate impacts were investigated. The two dominant issues in Bhutan are the drying up of mountain springs and the occurrence of extreme rainfall events. Some other issues are increased snow and glacier melt, glacial lake outburst floods and pests and diseases. Secondly a historical trend analysis and future climate projections were done for Bjutan. The results were presented for several selected indicators, linked to the prominent hydrological impacts. Next the impact of climate change on the water resources was quantified, and more specifically on the two main identified hazards (drying up of the springs and extreme rainfall events and related to that, flash floods). In the final steps possible adaptation options were evaluated. The following actions were subsequently recommended: restoring ecosystems, enhancing water storage and supply systems, improving early warning systems, and increasing hydropower resilience to address climate-related water challenges.
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