Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources and Lake Regulation in the Vuoksi Watershed in Finland

The impacts of climate change on hydrology and water resources in the Vuoksi watershed in eastern Finland were studied in order to assess the possibilities to adapt lake regulation to the projected changes. A conceptual watershed model and several climate scenarios were used to estimate the effects of climate change on three lakes in the Vuoksi watershed for 2010–2039, 2040–2069 and 2070–2099. The adaptation possibilities were studied by using alternative regulation strategies. In Lake Pielinen the impacts of these water level changes on social, economic and ecological indicators were assessed with two different outflow strategies. According to the results, climate change will alter snow accumulation and melt and therefore cause large seasonal changes in runoff and water levels. Runoff and water levels will decrease during late spring and summer and increase during late autumn and winter. In some lakes current calendar-based regulation practices and limits, which have been developed based on past hydrology, may not be appropriate in the future. Modifying the regulation practices and limits is a necessary and effective way to adapt to climate change.

[1]  Robert Leconte,et al.  Adaptation to Climate Change in the Management of a Canadian Water-Resources System Exploited for Hydropower , 2009 .

[2]  Richard N. Palmer,et al.  Mitigating the Effects of Climate Change on the Water Resources of the Columbia River Basin , 2004 .

[3]  J. Christensen,et al.  Intensification of extreme European summer precipitation in a warmer climate , 2004 .

[4]  M. Huttunen,et al.  Climate change and water resources in Finland , 1997 .

[5]  S. Steele‐Dunne,et al.  The impacts of climate change on hydrology in Ireland , 2008 .

[6]  M. Huttunen,et al.  Hydrological Forecasting and Real Time Monitoring in Finland: The Watershed Simulation and Forecasting System (WSFS) , 2001 .

[7]  N. Arnell.  The effect of climate change on hydrological regimes in Europe: a continental perspective , 1999 .

[8]  O. Edenhofer,et al.  Mitigation from a cross-sectoral perspective , 2007 .

[9]  Richard N. Palmer,et al.  Water Resources Implications of Global Warming: A U.S. Regional Perspective , 1999 .

[10]  Christel Prudhomme,et al.  Assessing uncertainties in climate change impact analyses on the river flow regimes in the UK. Part 2: future climate , 2009 .

[11]  Vincent R. Gray.  Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis Summary for Policymakers , 2007 .

[12]  Stephan Janisch,et al.  Using the Multiactor-Approach in Glowa-Danube to Simulate Decisions for the Water Supply Sector Under Conditions of Global Climate Change , 2009 .

[13]  Dennis P. Lettenmaier,et al.  A multimodel ensemble approach to assessment of climate change impacts on the hydrology and water resources of the Colorado River Basin , 2006 .

[14]  Bengt Carlsson,et al.  Hydrological Change – Climate Change Impact Simulations for Sweden , 2004 .

[15]  J. Kwadijk,et al.  Impact of Climate Change on Hydrological Regimes and Water Resources Management in the Rhine Basin , 2001 .

[16]  M. Rummukainen,et al.  A regional climate model for northern Europe: model description and results from the downscaling of two GCM control simulations , 2001 .

[17]  J. R. Lund,et al.  Hydro-economic Modeling in River Basin Management: Implications and Applications for the European Water Framework Directive , 2007 .

[18]  H. Fowler,et al.  Modelling the impacts of projected future climate change on water resources in north-west England , 2007 .

[19]  M. Marttunen,et al.  Use of the water-level fluctuation analysis tool (Regcel) in hydrological status assessment of Finnish lakes , 2008, Hydrobiologia.

[20]  T. Carter,et al.  Assessing uncertainties in climate change impacts on resource potential for Europe based on projections from RCMs and GCMs , 2007 .

[21]  F. Giorgi,et al.  An intercomparison of regional climate simulations for Europe: assessing uncertainties in model projections , 2007 .

[22]  Bettina Schaefli,et al.  Accounting for global-mean warming and scaling uncertainties in climate change impact studies: application to a regulated lake system , 2007 .

[23]  Robert Leconte,et al.  Behaviour and Performance of a Water Resource System in Québec (Canada) Under Adapted Operating Policies in a Climate Change Context , 2010 .

[24]  H. Hartmann,et al.  Climate change impacts on Laurentian Great Lakes levels , 1990 .

[25]  Frazil ice problems in changing climate conditions , 2009 .

[26]  T. Oki,et al.  The implications of projected climate change for freshwater resources and their management , 2008 .