Characterizing Rainfall of the Great Kei River Catchment, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa
Characterizing Rainfall of the Great Kei River Catchment, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa作者机构:Department of Geography Kyambogo University Kyambogo-Kampala Uganda Department of Geography Geoinformatics and Meteorology University of Pretoria Pretoria Gauteng South Africa
出 版 物:《Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection》 (地球科学和环境保护期刊(英文))
年 卷 期:2024年第12卷第9期
页 面:93-112页
学科分类:0202[经济学-应用经济学] 02[经济学] 020205[经济学-产业经济学]
主 题:Rainfall Concentration Index Drought Potential Rainfall Variability Trend Analysis
摘 要:This study seeks to understand long-term changes of rainfall for the Great Kei River catchment (GKRc) in South Africa for water resources management and planning. Monthly and annual rainfall time series data from 1950 to 2017 for 11 rainfall gauging stations are analyzed using various statistical methods. Data obtained from South African Weather Services (SAWS) was quality controlled to enable the use of Mann-Kendall (MK), Theil Sen’s method, Precipitation Concentration Index (PCI), among others to characterise rainfall. Rainfall in the catchment is seasonal (particularly wet in spring and summer) and highly variable with a PCI of 17.2. Years which received rain above and below the mean inter-annually were 46% and 54%, respectively. Seasonality trends also confirm that the GKRc has been progressively receiving less rainfall since 1950, especially in the autumn. The methods are novel in understanding historical and existing trends, variability and characteristics that control freshwater availability in this catchment.