Integrated water resource management in changing climate and local development and social cohesion mechanisms

The Lake Chad has experienced from a reduction in the water regime, particularly streamflow patterns, has undergone significant changes in recent decades. This decrease in the flow regime is attributed to climate change. The objective of this study is to examine how, and to what extent, Integrated water resource management (IWRM) principles and guidelines facilitate adaptive capacity to climate change impacts and social equity. The Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP21) system was used to study the impacts of future climate change on water resources in the Lake Chad. Future climate data (rainfall and temperature) for the period 2051–2080 was generated from the World Bank Water Data for RCP4.5 scenario under CORDEX experiment. The results of the study indicate that the Lake Chad will experience a temperature increase by 8.23% and a 17% reduction in rainfall resulting in 58.3% reduction in water resources in the area. The climate change impact analysis indicates a reduction in the lake streamflow due to decrease in rainfall. Therefore, the application of IWRM as far as it is possible, needed to adapt and curb the effects of climate change at basin-scale and for a social cohesion.