Climate Change and the European Water Dimension - Agri ...

Water resource systems adapt over time to the normal range of climatic variability.
This adaptation reflects not only regional rainfall patterns but also contrasts in land
use and, particularly, geology that largely determines the amount of natural water
storage available in groundwater and soils. Where countries are underlain by
permeable rock strata a dominant proportion of their water needs are commonly met
from groundwater. In other areas spring and summer flows are maintained by water
held as snow and ice. Both these types of storage provide a buffer that can greatly
reduce national vulnerability to short-term droughts. However, where several dry
winters cluster together, this buffering capacity may be reduced and severe drought
conditions may develop.
Poor water and land management practices, together with inadequacies in
infrastructure, demand management, governance structures, legislative frameworks
and regulatory mechanisms can increase the adverse impacts of rainfall deficiencies.
This is particularly the case in regions that are already water stressed, and in
extreme cases this can lead to self-perpetuating drought conditions. Poor adaptation
to drought may reflect a limited understanding of how patterns of water availability,
water use and land use can increase or moderate drought vulnerability. Poor
monitoring or reporting capabilities can prevent the timely introduction of mitigation
measures. Possibly most importantly - an absence of political will may mean that
unsustainable water use practices are never addressed. In a changing climate, the
need for optimal and adaptive water management practices will be inescapable.
The increased integration of water resource systems at the regional level, with the
optimal exploitation of both surface and groundwater sources, has significantly
increased capabilities to withstand the impact of within-year drought episodes.
However, in the longer term, demand management initiatives now offer greater scope
for ensuring that limited water resources are used in a sustainable way.
Policies measures are needed
which encourage “soft” demand
management approaches, rather
than “hard” infrastructure supply side
approaches. These will need to be
tuned to local and national
circumstances, and fit within a
suitable pan-European framework.
Measures could include the use of
economic instruments, water-reuse
and recycling, increased efficiency
of domestic, agricultural and
industrial water use – supported by
strong public education
programmes.
We must recognize that climate change, as well as constituting an increasing threat,
has the potential to contribute to an enhanced resilience to droughts across Europe.
An increased frequency of wet winters would generally be beneficial for water
resources and Europe needs to be able to develop water management strategies
that capitalize most effectively on such opportunities, and exploit them in flexible
drought mitigation strategies.
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Figure V.B.2. Example of field irrigation.