Tigum-Aganan Watershed Management Project, part 1: Exploring vulnerability to climate change

[摘要] This report describes the results of research conducted with the Tigum-Aganan Watershed Management Board (TAWMB) and watershed stakeholders in Iloilo City, Philippines. The research was funded by the CSIRO-AusAID Alliance; an Australian government partnership established to engage scientists and AusAID staff in research for development initiatives.The research was initiated to assist the TAWMB in resolving a number of complex issues associated with watershed management and land use conflicts, and to provide a baseline for future watershed policy, management, and research in the face of climate change. A series of interactive workshops, focus group discussions and a fieldtrip were used to clarify the issues of concern and to allow the collaborative sharing of information. The workshops also provideddata for a preliminary vulnerability and water needs analysis. Thirty two participants engaged in the process for part or the whole of the five day workshop.The key issues identified were: ensuring water security, protection from natural hazards, and poverty reduction through sustainable livelihoods.The initial concerns around water security stemmed from the loss of water in the Tigum River during the 2000 dry season. This was attributed by some to the interception of rainfall and subsequent evapotranspiration by exotic trees planted in the Maasin protected area. Others challenged this interpretation. Rainfall data for the region and data on tree-water use from the island of Leyte suggest that the loss of water in 2000 and the reduced availability duringsubsequent years is due to the interaction of tree-water use and reduced rainfall in the preceding years. Future management of the Maasin protected area to ensure continued water supply toIloilo City will need to consider the vegetation type in light of climate change projections for the region. El Nino droughts, in particular, are likely to cause problems for water supply in the following years.Associated issues are the inadequate resources available for the development and maintenance of water treatment and supply infrastructure, and the non-sustainable extraction of water fromaquifers, particularly in Oton Municipality. These issues will need to be confronted as the population continues to grow and demand for drinking and irrigation water increases.The Philippines is a dynamic environment, subject to extreme climatic events. Typhoons are common, leading to flooding in the lowlands and landslides in the mountains. Many people livein and derive their livelihoods from places in the landscape that are vulnerable to such events. For many, the option to avoid these locations is unavailable due to poverty. Consequently thereis a need for improved hazard warning and response processes in these environments. But the real solution is to address the socio-economic factors that cause vulnerability, rather than relying on immediate disaster response, as is currently the case. Other vulnerabilities can be addressed through better land use planning in more affluent environments, such as in Iloilo City, and through recognising the long term consequences of current non-sustainable resource use and managing demand. For example, excessive extraction of groundwater has the potential to cause ground subsidence in the coastal plains, increasing the flooding risk due to sea level rise and storm events, as well as impacting on livelihoods and food security.A package of recommendations is proposed for consideration by the TAWMB, and as a potential portfolio for investment by AusAID and other international aid programs. The portfolio is multi-scaled and relies on an effective partnership with the TAWMB and communities and institutions within the watershed....

[发布机构] CSIRO

[学科分类] 地球科学(综合)