HyCRISTAL: Integrating Hydro-Climate Science into Policy Decisions for Climate-Resilient Infrastructure and Livelihoods in East Africa
Lead Research Organisation:
British Geological Survey
Department Name: Groundwater
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Planned Impact
HyCRISTAL will have a positive impact on 7 groups of beneficiaries through the process and research outcomes.
1) COMMUNITIES IN THE LAKE VICTORIA BASIN
Communities will have the opportunity to access, input to, and benefit via their livelihoods from the research. Development options and pathways for climate-smart fisheries/agriculture, sustainable water use, access & distribution, will enhance productive and WASH outcomes in the region with such measurable livelihood improvements as greater levels of savings or tradeable assets. At least 400 households will participate in the adaptation trials. Wider engagement will occur via community exchanges, district workshops and regional learning platforms.
2) WATER PLANNERS/MANAGERS IN GOVERNMENT & POLICY
Close links with resource planners and government policymakers (East African Community, Lake Victoria Basin Commission, Uganda National Water and Sewerage Co, Local Authorities) will facilitate the 2-way flow of information, tools & guidance needed to support livelihoods & water management. Training will be tailored to user needs and through inclusive participation, empower women & youth to co-design and better apply planning tools. These stakeholders will act as researcher-advocates and contribute to policy uptake via "fit-for-purpose" evidence of the pilot outcomes. Value-added impact of such interventions on the local economy & livelihoods will result from investments to Treasury & donors. Local/sub-national governments in the region now have devolved responsibilities for climate services and will also benefit from improved evidence of benefits.
3) INTERNATIONAL & BILATERAL DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS
These will benefit from robust quantitative & qualitative evidence to inform programmes of support to national innovation support systems (including advisory services, SME promotion, regulatory frameworks). USAID & EU, World Bank, UNEP, UNDP, WFP, WHO and others are active in this region and will be invited to participate in the high-level Learning Platforms.
4) NGOs
Close collaboration with international (Practical Action) & local NGOs (Rural Environment & Development Organisation, OSIENALA, Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern & Southern Africa) will inform their livelihood and WASH programs development and provide evidence of their own interventions and modes of working with pilot communities.
5) CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS (CSOs) & MEDIA
CSOs, national/sub-national farmer/fisher & urban organizations will benefit from evidence supporting lobbying for improved water services and climate-smart fisheries/agriculture management. Some CSOs already provide innovation support services (Uganda National Farmers Federation) and will be able to use the project findings to enhance such service provision. Engagement with CSOs & the media (local FM stations) will raise awareness of the research process and outcomes (planning information & decision tools). Wider coverage of the research & analytical methods will help to showcase benefits & attract future investment, stimulating collaborations beyond HyCRISTAL
6) RESEARCH INSTITUTES & MET SERVICES
HyCRISTAL will work with weather forecasters, hydrologists, hydrogeologists & users of medium-long-range forecasts, through project partnerships. These partners benefit via access to improved climate risk information and by strengthening utility of their climate services at regional to community levels.
7) PRIVATE SECTOR
African companies (Kisumu Water and Sewerage Company) will benefit from exposure to the knowledge products helping to inform their future business plans. Communities across the region will indirectly benefit from improved innovation support policies and interventions that are evidence based and tuned to the ways in which they seek support in their innovation & livelihood decision-making resulting in increased household capacity to invest in new livelihood options as current ones become unsusustainable
1) COMMUNITIES IN THE LAKE VICTORIA BASIN
Communities will have the opportunity to access, input to, and benefit via their livelihoods from the research. Development options and pathways for climate-smart fisheries/agriculture, sustainable water use, access & distribution, will enhance productive and WASH outcomes in the region with such measurable livelihood improvements as greater levels of savings or tradeable assets. At least 400 households will participate in the adaptation trials. Wider engagement will occur via community exchanges, district workshops and regional learning platforms.
2) WATER PLANNERS/MANAGERS IN GOVERNMENT & POLICY
Close links with resource planners and government policymakers (East African Community, Lake Victoria Basin Commission, Uganda National Water and Sewerage Co, Local Authorities) will facilitate the 2-way flow of information, tools & guidance needed to support livelihoods & water management. Training will be tailored to user needs and through inclusive participation, empower women & youth to co-design and better apply planning tools. These stakeholders will act as researcher-advocates and contribute to policy uptake via "fit-for-purpose" evidence of the pilot outcomes. Value-added impact of such interventions on the local economy & livelihoods will result from investments to Treasury & donors. Local/sub-national governments in the region now have devolved responsibilities for climate services and will also benefit from improved evidence of benefits.
3) INTERNATIONAL & BILATERAL DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS
These will benefit from robust quantitative & qualitative evidence to inform programmes of support to national innovation support systems (including advisory services, SME promotion, regulatory frameworks). USAID & EU, World Bank, UNEP, UNDP, WFP, WHO and others are active in this region and will be invited to participate in the high-level Learning Platforms.
4) NGOs
Close collaboration with international (Practical Action) & local NGOs (Rural Environment & Development Organisation, OSIENALA, Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern & Southern Africa) will inform their livelihood and WASH programs development and provide evidence of their own interventions and modes of working with pilot communities.
5) CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS (CSOs) & MEDIA
CSOs, national/sub-national farmer/fisher & urban organizations will benefit from evidence supporting lobbying for improved water services and climate-smart fisheries/agriculture management. Some CSOs already provide innovation support services (Uganda National Farmers Federation) and will be able to use the project findings to enhance such service provision. Engagement with CSOs & the media (local FM stations) will raise awareness of the research process and outcomes (planning information & decision tools). Wider coverage of the research & analytical methods will help to showcase benefits & attract future investment, stimulating collaborations beyond HyCRISTAL
6) RESEARCH INSTITUTES & MET SERVICES
HyCRISTAL will work with weather forecasters, hydrologists, hydrogeologists & users of medium-long-range forecasts, through project partnerships. These partners benefit via access to improved climate risk information and by strengthening utility of their climate services at regional to community levels.
7) PRIVATE SECTOR
African companies (Kisumu Water and Sewerage Company) will benefit from exposure to the knowledge products helping to inform their future business plans. Communities across the region will indirectly benefit from improved innovation support policies and interventions that are evidence based and tuned to the ways in which they seek support in their innovation & livelihood decision-making resulting in increased household capacity to invest in new livelihood options as current ones become unsusustainable
Publications
McDonough LK
(2020)
Changes in global groundwater organic carbon driven by climate change and urbanization.
in Nature communications
Lapworth D
(2020)
Drinking water quality from rural handpump-boreholes in Africa
in Environmental Research Letters
Bornemann F
(2019)
Future changes and uncertainty in decision-relevant measures of East African climate
in Climatic Change
MacDonald A
(2019)
Groundwater and resilience to drought in the Ethiopian highlands
in Environmental Research Letters
Sorensen J
(2020)
In-situ fluorescence spectroscopy indicates total bacterial abundance and dissolved organic carbon
in Science of The Total Environment
Ascott M
(2023)
On the application of rainfall projections from a convection-permitting climate model to lumped catchment models
in Journal of Hydrology
| Description | There is significant interest in the use and application of new CP4-Africa data and a call for capacity building in data collection, use and modelling. It was acknowledged that an outstanding challenge is to link scientific knowledge with decision makers and there is need to strengthen the science-policy interface. Future river flows are highly uncertain but it is important to represent convection (storms) within impact models to capture potential extremes in future river flow for long term decisions and policy in water resources in the Lake Victoria Basin. |
| Exploitation Route | We are assisting practitioners within the LVB region to access new experiments (e.g. CP4A) and CMIP experiments for scenario assessments. We have applied CP4A within the LVB region to look at river flows, and plan to extend this type of work to assess groundwater recharge impacts in the LVB and other regions in Africa. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Energy,Environment,Transport |
| Description | There have been two publications which fit into narrative impact: Firstly a review paper on Urban water quality in Sub-Saharan Africa, published in Hydrogeology Journal in 2016 and secondly a policy publication called 'Burning questions: East African climate variability and change' published by CDKN - http://2016report.futureclimateafrica.org/reader/east-africa/burning-questions-east-african-climate-variability-and-change/. Hydrological modelling BGS is undertaking in the Katonga catchment is being used by Ugandan Ministry for Water and Environment as part of the water management zone planning activities for this region. The future climate impact modelling work has been extended to the wider Lake Victoria Basin |
| First Year Of Impact | 2017 |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Communities and Social Services/Policy,Environment,Healthcare |
| Impact Types | Policy & public services |
| Description | Katonga catchment hydrological modelling |
| Geographic Reach | Africa |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Title | Data set publication: High resolution meteorological data from a network of five stations in Kampala, Uganda |
| Description | Macdonald, D.M.J.; Miller, J.D.; Winterbourn, J.B.; Warnaars, T.A.; Mwebembezi, L.; Arwat, P.; Tanywa, S. (2018): High resolution meteorological data from a network of five stations in Kampala, Uganda. Centre for Environmental Data Analysis, date of citation. doi:10.5285/a2a8100c46794985b410ea436f24812a. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2018 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Contribution so far: Flood inundation modelling in Kampala Lake Victoria climate project - NCAS plane flight and associated PhD |
| URL | http://dx.doi.org/10.5285/a2a8100c46794985b410ea436f24812a |
| Title | Supplementary information files for Spatial and temporal scaling of sub-daily extreme rainfall for data sparse places |
| Description | Supplementary information files for article Spatial and temporal scaling of sub-daily extreme rainfall for data sparse places Global efforts to upgrade water, drainage, and sanitation services are hampered by hydrometeorological data-scarcity plus uncertainty about climate change. Intensity-duration-frequency (IDF) tables are used routinely to design water infrastructure so offer an entry point for adapting engineering standards. This paper begins with a novel procedure for guiding downscaling predictor variable selection for heavy rainfall simulation using media reports of pluvial flooding. We then present a three-step workflow to: (1) spatially downscale daily rainfall from grid-to-point resolutions; (2) temporally scale from daily series to sub-daily extreme rainfalls and; (3) test methods of temporal scaling of extreme rainfalls within Regional Climate Model (RCM) simulations under changed climate conditions. Critically, we compare the methods of moments and of parameters for temporal scaling annual maximum series of daily rainfall into sub-daily extreme rainfalls, whilst accounting for rainfall intermittency. The methods are applied to Kampala, Uganda and Kisumu, Kenya using the Statistical Downscaling Model (SDSM), two RCM simulations covering East Africa (CP4 and P25), and in hybrid form (RCM-SDSM). We demonstrate that Gumbel parameters (and IDF tables) can be reliably scaled to durations of 3 h within observations and RCMs. Our hybrid RCM-SDSM scaling reduces errors in IDF estimates for the present climate when compared with direct RCM output. Credible parameter scaling relationships are also found within RCM simulations under changed climate conditions. We then discuss the practical aspects of applying such workflows to other city-regions. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://repository.lboro.ac.uk/articles/dataset/Supplementary_information_files_for_Spatial_and_temp... |
| Title | Supplementary information files for Spatial and temporal scaling of sub-daily extreme rainfall for data sparse places |
| Description | Supplementary information files for article Spatial and temporal scaling of sub-daily extreme rainfall for data sparse places Global efforts to upgrade water, drainage, and sanitation services are hampered by hydrometeorological data-scarcity plus uncertainty about climate change. Intensity-duration-frequency (IDF) tables are used routinely to design water infrastructure so offer an entry point for adapting engineering standards. This paper begins with a novel procedure for guiding downscaling predictor variable selection for heavy rainfall simulation using media reports of pluvial flooding. We then present a three-step workflow to: (1) spatially downscale daily rainfall from grid-to-point resolutions; (2) temporally scale from daily series to sub-daily extreme rainfalls and; (3) test methods of temporal scaling of extreme rainfalls within Regional Climate Model (RCM) simulations under changed climate conditions. Critically, we compare the methods of moments and of parameters for temporal scaling annual maximum series of daily rainfall into sub-daily extreme rainfalls, whilst accounting for rainfall intermittency. The methods are applied to Kampala, Uganda and Kisumu, Kenya using the Statistical Downscaling Model (SDSM), two RCM simulations covering East Africa (CP4 and P25), and in hybrid form (RCM-SDSM). We demonstrate that Gumbel parameters (and IDF tables) can be reliably scaled to durations of 3 h within observations and RCMs. Our hybrid RCM-SDSM scaling reduces errors in IDF estimates for the present climate when compared with direct RCM output. Credible parameter scaling relationships are also found within RCM simulations under changed climate conditions. We then discuss the practical aspects of applying such workflows to other city-regions. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| URL | https://repository.lboro.ac.uk/articles/dataset/Supplementary_information_files_for_Spatial_and_temp... |
| Description | Collaboration with UCL - 3 MSc student projects using TLF in urban settings |
| Organisation | University College London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | MSc projects were undertaken in collaboration with UCL testing and applying TLF methods to understand water quality in urban settings supervised by Richard Taylor and James Sorensen. |
| Collaborator Contribution | 3 MSc students - fieldwork and project writeup |
| Impact | 6 MSc research project dissertations: 2019 Mark Turner, MSc, University College London - Characterising effluent plumes in the Dakar Aquifer, Senegal 2019 Olivia Roshanna Fokeerah, MSc, University College London - Relationship between on-site sanitation and groundwater quality in Lukaya, Uganda 2019 Robert Lyness, MSc, University College London - Evaluating a low-cost optical TLF sensor for the real-time detection of faecal contamination 2018 Andrew Carr, MSc, University College London - Monitoring the relationship between heavy rainfall and faecal contamination of groundwater in Lukaya, Uganda 2018 Laura van der Marel, MSc, University College London - Groundwater contamination and its vulnerability - a comparative analysis of culture-based and real-time methods in Kisumu, 2018 Raphaelle Roffo, MSc, University College London - Mapping risks of faecal contamination of shallow groundwater in Dakar, Senegal: an evaluation of culture-based methods and a real-time technique using tryptophan-like fluorescence |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | PhD studentship - SCENARIO |
| Organisation | University of Surrey |
| Department | Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | PhD studentship for Jade Ward - Project title: Groundwater quality & microbial contamination in Africa - I am lead supervisor |
| Collaborator Contribution | PhD studentship |
| Impact | Ward et al., (2018) Bacterial Contamination in Drinking Water: Comparing Emerging and Established Methods. Oral Presentation at 45th International Association of Hydrogeologists Congress, 9-14 September 2018, Daejeon, South Korea. Sorensen et al., (2018) Real-time detection of faecally contaminated drinking water with tryptophan-like fluorescence: defining threshold values, Science of the Total Environment, 622-623, 1250-1257. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.11.162. Epub 2017 Dec 13 Ward et al., (2018) Assessing microbiological contamination in water sources: Field note on using the UviLux Tryptophan-Like Fluorescence (TLF) Probe. British Geological Survey Open Report, 14pp. (OR/18/042) http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/521705/ Mwathunga et al., (2017) UPGro Hidden Crisis Research Consortium. Survey 1 Country Report, Malawi. British Geological Survey Open Report, 19pp. (OR/17/046) http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/518402/ Ward et al., (2017) Rapid Screening for Pathogens In Drinking Water: Preliminary Results From A National Scale Survey In Malawi. Oral Presentation at 44th International Association of Hydrogeologists Congress, 25-29 September 2017, Dubrovnik, Croatia. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | AGU Talk: Application of scenario-neutral methods to quantify impacts of climate change on water resources in East Africa |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | AGU fall presentation: GC41E-04: Application of scenario-neutral methods to quantify impacts of climate change on water resources in East Africa |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | IMPROVING THE USE OF CLIMATE CHANGE INFORMATION FOR ADAPTATION IN UGANDA - HYBRID WORKSHOP ON 2ND MARCH 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | "Climate change is upon us but we've solutions that we can use to support adaptation and early warning." This statement was made by one of the 47 participants at the end of the hybrid face-to-face/online workshop hosted by the Water Resources Institute of Uganda. Attendees were water practitioners from the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE) Uganda, University of Makerere and the Victoria Institute for Research on Environment and Development in Kenya. Researchers from Uganda, Kenya and the UK shared their practical experiences of using new simulations with new datasets to examine climate futures and potential impacts in Africa. Presentations included talks from ICPAC and MWE. Climate change is a concern for Uganda, with the increased frequency and intensity of periods of both intense rainfall as well as prolonged drought in relatively quick succession already leading to water shortages, crop failure, changes in grazing potential, flooding and land degradation in parts of Uganda. Following group work, quizzes, and the presentations, the participants in Uganda were very interested to use the new CP4-Africa data and models, and called for capacity building in data collection, use and modelling. It was acknowledged that an outstanding challenge is to link scientific knowledge with decision makers and there is need to strengthen the science-policy interface. The workshop was part of HyCRISTAL project of the Future Climate for Africa (FCFA) programme |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://futureclimateafrica.org/news/improving-the-use-of-climate-change-information-for-adaptation-... |
| Description | Integrated water management in Uganda: talk by Callist Tindimugaya |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | >10 researchers attended a talk by Ugandan Water Commissioner, Dr Callist Tindimugaya on integrated water management in Uganda. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Participation in a Podcast on water resources in Africa: Episode 2. How climate change is impacting Africa's water availability |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Podcast discussion on water futures in East Africa and in particular the issues of flooding due to intensification of rainfall in this region |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://futureclimateafrica.org/podcast/?utm_source=FCFA+mailing+list&utm_campaign=78da6d149e-EMAIL_... |
| Description | Stakeholder workshops at HyCRISTAL AGMs in Kampala (2015) and Kisumu (2016) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Approx. 50 people have been reached through stakeholder engagement workshops under HyCRISTAL in 2015, the first one run in Kampala, and in Kisumu in 2016. These included representatives from government, regional authorities, NGOs and industry who have an active interest in future climate and water resources in the Lake Victoria Basin. We have been able to align activities under HyCRISTAL with national priorities for water resources in Uganda and Kenya through deliberate involvement of key partners (e.g. relevant ministries across the LV Basin) at an early stage during project development and scoping. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2015,2016 |
| URL | https://hycristal.wordpress.com/ |