Water Quantity
What is it about?
In the Water Quantity research theme, we study how future climate change affects the global water cycle and how this impacts water for food, energy and environment. To do this we have developed an integrated water assessment framework called VIC-WUR. This modelling system integrates the macroscale hydrological model VIC, agricultural production model Wofost, an irrigation module and a number of human water use modules. In addition we have developed and tested a novel environmental flow module which quantifies the water needs for the environment. We use this modelling framework to (1) do Integrated climate change impact assessments on water resources and water-food energy nexus (2) develop climate services and (3) Test impacts of and opportunities for upscaling climate change adaptation.
Research sub-themes
Freshwater Scarcity and Sustainable use
In this research line we aim to accurately quantify freshwater availability and use at the scale of a catchment to globally. We use novel and unique numerical models to study the impacts and trade-offs between water used for food, energy, or environmental needs, and to assess current and future sustainability of our water uses.
Projects
PhD Research
Publications
- de Graaf et al., Limits to Global Groundwater Pumping, Nature, 574, 90-94 (2019)
- de Graaf et al., Hyper-resolution continental-scale 3D-aquifer parameterization for groundwater modelling, Water Resources Research, 56, 5 (2020).
Water-Food-Energy Nexus
Sufficient and clean water is a prerequisite for life on earth, but pressure on water is ever increasing. We need to manage water resources in an integrated way: to ensure that scientific knowledge truly meets the needs in generating sustainable solutions and to make sure that management interventions do not have negative side-effects. This research theme focuses on better understanding the water-food-energy-biodiversity nexus at multiple scales and on using this to support the quantitative design of sustainable solutions.
Projects
PhD Research
- SustainIndus - Targeting water and food security interactions in a climate change hotspot
- Sustainable water management for future food security
Publications
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Trade-offs between water needs for food, utilities, and the environment - A nexus quantification at different scales
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From narratives to numbers : Spatial downscaling and quantification of future water, food & energy security requirements in the Indus basin
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Financial feasibility of water conservation in agriculture
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Importance of snow and glacier meltwater for agriculture on the Indo-Gangetic Plain
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The need for bottom-up assessments of climate risks and adaptation in climate-sensitive regions
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The global nexus of food–trade–water sustaining environmental flows by 2050
Climate Services
Multiple sectors are increasingly aware how vulnerable our society is to the impacts of climate change. Following the rapid increase of monitoring of climate data there is a need to transform these into climate information services. This includes ICT-tools, relevant products and aligned services such capacity building, education and networking to benefit society at all scales. To achieve that, the human component needs also to be taken into account to deliver research-based, tailor-made water & climate information services.
Projects
- ML-CLIMATE - iMproving cLimate information serviCes for sustainabLe agrIculture by integrating scientific and indigenous forecasts using Machine leArning TEchniques
- WATERAPPscale - upscaling WATERAPPS information services for sustainable food production in peri-urban delta areas in Bangladesh
- WAGRINNOVA - Co-innovations across scales to enhance sustainable intensification in water-managed agricultural systems in West Africa
- UNCHAIN - Unpacking climate impact CHAINs. A new generation of action- and user-oriented climate change risk assessments
- RECSA - Climate Smart Agriculture for a Resilient Coastal Bangladesh
PhD Research
- Farmer Friendly Climate Information Services for Climate Smart Rice Disease Management in Coastal Bangladesh
- Developing Climate Adaptation Services: what works when and why?
Publications
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Are farmers willing to pay for participatory climate information services? Insights from a case study in peri-urban Khulna, Bangladesh
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Co-producing climate information services with smallholder farmers in the Lower Bengal Delta : How forecast visualization and communication support farmers’ decision-making
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Harnessing local forecasting knowledge on weather and climate in Ghana : Documentation, skills, and integration with scientific forecasting knowledge
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Verification of weather and seasonal forecast information concerning the peri-urban farmers’ needs in the lower ganges delta in bangladesh
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Hydroclimatic information needs of smallholder farmers in the lower Bengal delta, Bangladesh
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Coproducing weather forecast information with and for smallholder farmers in Ghana : Evaluation and design principles
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Bridging science and society : Tailor-made hydroclimatic information service with farmers in Lower Bengal Delta, Bangladesh
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Holistic quality assessment of ECMWF System-4 seasonal climate forecast to support crop production
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Role of information in farmers' response toweather and water related stresses in the lower Bengal Delta, Bangladesh
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Designing agrometeorological information services in Ghana by combining local and scientific forecasting knowledge