The browser you are using is not supported by this website. All versions of Internet Explorer are no longer supported, either by us or Microsoft (read more here: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/windows/end-of-ie-support).

Please use a modern browser to fully experience our website, such as the newest versions of Edge, Chrome, Firefox or Safari etc.

Petter Pilesjö

Petter Pilesjö

Professor

Petter Pilesjö

Variabilities and trends of rainfall, temperature, and river flow in sipi sub-catchment on the slopes of mt. Elgon, uganda

Author

  • Justine Kilama Luwa
  • Jackson Gilbert Mwanjalolo Majaliwa
  • Yazidhi Bamutaze
  • Isa Kabenge
  • Petter Pilesjo
  • George Oriangi
  • Espoir Bagula Mukengere

Summary, in English

The variabilities in rainfall and temperature in a catchment affect water availability and sustainability. This study assessed the variabilities in rainfall and temperature (1981–2015) and river flow (1998–2015) in the Sipi sub-catchment on annual and seasonal scales. Observed daily rainfall and temperature data for Buginyanya and Kapchorwa weather stations were obtained from the Uganda National Meteorological Authority (UNMA), while the daily river-flow data for Sipi were obtained from the Ministry of Water and Environment (MWE). The study used descriptive statistics, the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI), Mann–Kendall trend analysis, and Sen’s slope estimator. Results indicate a high coefficient of variation (CV) (CV > 30) for August, September, October, and November (ASON) seasonal rainfall, while annual rainfall had a moderate coefficient of variation (20 ˂ CV ˂ 30). The trend analysis shows that ASON minimum and mean temperatures increased at α = 0.001 and α = 0.05 levels of significance respectively in both stations and over the entire catch-ment. Furthermore, annual and March, April, and May (MAM) river flows increased at an α = 0.05 level of significance. A total of 14 extremely wet and dry events occurred in the sub-catchment during the post-2000 period, as compared to five in the pre-2000. The significant increased trend of river flow could be attributed to the impacts of climate and land-use changes. Therefore, future studies may need to quantify the impacts of future climate and land-use changes on water resources in the sub-catchment.

Department/s

  • Centre for Geographical Information Systems (GIS Centre)
  • Centre for Advanced Middle Eastern Studies (CMES)

Publishing year

2021-07

Language

English

Publication/Series

Water

Volume

13

Issue

13

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

MDPI AG

Topic

  • Earth and Related Environmental Sciences

Keywords

  • Annual and seasonal scales
  • Extremely wet and dry
  • Mt. Elgon
  • Uganda
  • Variabilities
  • Water resources

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 2073-4441