Journal of Emerging Trends in Engineering and Applied Sciences: Research Areas

Article Title: Changing Precipitation Patterns over Two Climatic Periods and Impacts on Water Resources in Lagos Metropolis
by S.O. Adesogan, O. O. Aiyelokun, O. A. Agbede

Abstract:
Effective water resources management is dependent on the understanding of climate change and variability. This study adopts the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) for assessing the changing precipitation patterns in Lagos Metropolis using historical data, with the aim of identifying how these changing patterns affect water resources. The study reveals that monthly rainfall has a decreasing trend from 1957 to 2016 and fluctuated seasonally between the two climatic periods of 1957 to 1986 and 1987 to 2016.Based on 12-month Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI-12), only severely wet and near normal conditions increased in the second climatic period, while other SPI classes such as extremely wet, moderately wet, extremely dry, severely dry, and near-normal decreased between 1987 and 2016, compared to the first climatic period. The alterations of monthly rainfall were an indication of changing climate which can affect groundwater, streamflow, and reservoirs in Lagos Metropolis. These results would be useful in proper decision-making for water resources management in the study area.

Keywords: Climate Change, Standardized Precipitation Index, Water Resources Management

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