Next-generation drought intensity–duration–frequency curves for early warning systems in Ethiopia’s pastoral region
The pastoral areas of Ethiopia are facing a recurrent drought crisis that significantly affects the availability of water resources for communities dependent on livestock. Despite the urgent need for effective drought early warning systems, Ethiopia’s pastoral areas have limited capacities to monito...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
| Language: | Inglés |
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MDPI
2025
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/172943 |
| _version_ | 1855519681091207168 |
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| author | Tegegne, Getachew Alemayehu, Sintayehu Dejene, Sintayehu Workeneh Gebre, Liyuneh Zeleke, Tadesse Terefe Tesfaye, Lidya Abdulhamid, Numery |
| author_browse | Abdulhamid, Numery Alemayehu, Sintayehu Dejene, Sintayehu Workeneh Gebre, Liyuneh Tegegne, Getachew Tesfaye, Lidya Zeleke, Tadesse Terefe |
| author_facet | Tegegne, Getachew Alemayehu, Sintayehu Dejene, Sintayehu Workeneh Gebre, Liyuneh Zeleke, Tadesse Terefe Tesfaye, Lidya Abdulhamid, Numery |
| author_sort | Tegegne, Getachew |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | The pastoral areas of Ethiopia are facing a recurrent drought crisis that significantly affects the availability of water resources for communities dependent on livestock. Despite the urgent need for effective drought early warning systems, Ethiopia’s pastoral areas have limited capacities to monitor variations in the intensity–duration–frequency of droughts. This study intends to drive drought intensity–duration–frequency (IDF) curves that account for climate-model uncertainty and spatial variability, with the goal of enhancing water resources management in Borana, Ethiopia. To achieve this, the study employed quantile delta mapping to bias-correct outputs from five climate models. A novel multi-model ensemble approach, known as spatiotemporal reliability ensemble averaging, was utilized to combine climate-model outputs, exploiting the strengths of each model while discounting their weaknesses. The Standardized Precipitation Evaporation Index (SPEI) was used to quantify meteorological (3-month SPEI), agricultural (6-month SPEI), and hydrological (12-month SPEI) droughts. Overall, the analysis of historical (1990–2014) and projected (2025–2049, 2050–2074, and 2075–2099) periods revealed that climate change significantly exacerbates drought conditions across all three systems, with changes in drought being more pronounced than changes in mean precipitation. A prevailing rise in droughts’ IDF features is linked to an anticipated decline in precipitation and an increase in temperature. From the derived drought IDF curves, projections for 2025–2049 and 2050–2074 indicate a significant rise in hydrological drought occurrences, while the historical and 2075–2099 periods demonstrate greater vulnerability in meteorological and agricultural systems. While the frequency of hydrological droughts is projected to decrease between 2075 and 2099 as their duration increases, the periods from 2025 to 2049 and from 2050 to 2074 are expected to experience more intense hydrological droughts. Generally, the findings underscore the critical need for timely interventions to mitigate the vulnerabilities associated with drought, particularly in areas like Borana that depend heavily on water resources availability. |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | CGSpace172943 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | MDPI |
| publisherStr | MDPI |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1729432025-12-08T10:29:22Z Next-generation drought intensity–duration–frequency curves for early warning systems in Ethiopia’s pastoral region Tegegne, Getachew Alemayehu, Sintayehu Dejene, Sintayehu Workeneh Gebre, Liyuneh Zeleke, Tadesse Terefe Tesfaye, Lidya Abdulhamid, Numery climate change water management early warning systems drought The pastoral areas of Ethiopia are facing a recurrent drought crisis that significantly affects the availability of water resources for communities dependent on livestock. Despite the urgent need for effective drought early warning systems, Ethiopia’s pastoral areas have limited capacities to monitor variations in the intensity–duration–frequency of droughts. This study intends to drive drought intensity–duration–frequency (IDF) curves that account for climate-model uncertainty and spatial variability, with the goal of enhancing water resources management in Borana, Ethiopia. To achieve this, the study employed quantile delta mapping to bias-correct outputs from five climate models. A novel multi-model ensemble approach, known as spatiotemporal reliability ensemble averaging, was utilized to combine climate-model outputs, exploiting the strengths of each model while discounting their weaknesses. The Standardized Precipitation Evaporation Index (SPEI) was used to quantify meteorological (3-month SPEI), agricultural (6-month SPEI), and hydrological (12-month SPEI) droughts. Overall, the analysis of historical (1990–2014) and projected (2025–2049, 2050–2074, and 2075–2099) periods revealed that climate change significantly exacerbates drought conditions across all three systems, with changes in drought being more pronounced than changes in mean precipitation. A prevailing rise in droughts’ IDF features is linked to an anticipated decline in precipitation and an increase in temperature. From the derived drought IDF curves, projections for 2025–2049 and 2050–2074 indicate a significant rise in hydrological drought occurrences, while the historical and 2075–2099 periods demonstrate greater vulnerability in meteorological and agricultural systems. While the frequency of hydrological droughts is projected to decrease between 2075 and 2099 as their duration increases, the periods from 2025 to 2049 and from 2050 to 2074 are expected to experience more intense hydrological droughts. Generally, the findings underscore the critical need for timely interventions to mitigate the vulnerabilities associated with drought, particularly in areas like Borana that depend heavily on water resources availability. 2025-02-02 2025-02-11T11:11:28Z 2025-02-11T11:11:28Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/172943 en Open Access application/pdf MDPI Tegegne, G.; Alemayehu, S.; Dejene, S.W.; Gebre, L.; Zeleke, T.T.; Tesfaye, L.; Abdulhamid, N. (2025) Next-generation drought intensity–duration–frequency curves for early warning systems in Ethiopia’s pastoral region. Climate 13(2): 31. ISSN: 2225-1154 |
| spellingShingle | climate change water management early warning systems drought Tegegne, Getachew Alemayehu, Sintayehu Dejene, Sintayehu Workeneh Gebre, Liyuneh Zeleke, Tadesse Terefe Tesfaye, Lidya Abdulhamid, Numery Next-generation drought intensity–duration–frequency curves for early warning systems in Ethiopia’s pastoral region |
| title | Next-generation drought intensity–duration–frequency curves for early warning systems in Ethiopia’s pastoral region |
| title_full | Next-generation drought intensity–duration–frequency curves for early warning systems in Ethiopia’s pastoral region |
| title_fullStr | Next-generation drought intensity–duration–frequency curves for early warning systems in Ethiopia’s pastoral region |
| title_full_unstemmed | Next-generation drought intensity–duration–frequency curves for early warning systems in Ethiopia’s pastoral region |
| title_short | Next-generation drought intensity–duration–frequency curves for early warning systems in Ethiopia’s pastoral region |
| title_sort | next generation drought intensity duration frequency curves for early warning systems in ethiopia s pastoral region |
| topic | climate change water management early warning systems drought |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/172943 |
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