Water scarcity Hazard level: Very low ?

In the area you have selected (Sierra Leone) water scarcity is classified as very low or non-existent according to the information that is available to this tool. However, additional information may show some level of hazard. If local or additional information sources suggest that there is drought hazard, follow the recommendations below and seek expert guidance on additional recommended actions. In the area you have selected droughts will occur much less than once every 1000 years. Based on this information, drought hazard does not need to be explicitly considered for your project. Although the drought hazard is considered to be very low or non-existent in the project location, additional information may show some level of hazard. If local or additional information sources suggest that there is drought hazard, follow the recommendations below and seek expert guidance on additional recommended actions.

Climate change impact: Model projections are inconsistent in their estimates of change in drought hazard, which influences water scarcity. The present hazard level may increase in the future due to the effects of climate change. It would be prudent to design projects in this area to be robust to increased drought hazard and water scarcity in the long-term.

Recommendations

• SEEK INFORMATION: Conduct a risk assessment to further evaluate if your project is vulnerable to water scarcity/drought and whether a more detailed assessment and/or intervention should be considered. More information
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  Drought is a slowly evolving hazard leading to water scarcity that may impact large geographical areas and multiple sectors, ranging from crop failures and reductions in food production to reduced availability of electricity and fresh water.

  The water scarcity information provided by ThinkHazard! should be considered as a preliminary information in defining water scarcity in your project area. To further determine the potential risk, a detailed assessment should be undertaken to identify the vulnerability of your project or project area to water scarce conditions. For example, an assessment to determine the vulnerability of project beneficiaries to water scarcity and drought related problems such as food security and failing crops, or the potential disturbance of public services (transport, communication, sanitation fresh water, and electricity supply) and its impacts on your project.

  • Be aware that the hazard level provided by ThinkHazard! should be considered a first estimate of water scarcity. Further clarification of the local water scarcity may be required.
  • Evaluate the vulnerability of your project beneficiaries to water scarcity related problems such as food security and failing crops.
  • Evaluate the vulnerability of your project to the disturbance of public services, like transportation, communication, sanitation, fresh water supply, electricity supply etc
  • Identify if any local regulations exist concerning water scarcity & droughts. This may refer to limits on water use and electricity rationing when water is scarce.
  • If your project is interdependent with other projects, it is important to assess the vulnerability of all projects.

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• EXISTING INFORMATION: Obtain pre-existing drought and water scarcity information. ThinkHazard! predominantly uses global datasets, therefore you should determine the availability of pre-existing local information to check whether your project is indeed located in a region prone to water scarcity / drought. More information
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  Acquisition of the available local water scarcity and drought hazard data should be undertaken for all sites and all hazard levels. Information about water scarcity can take multiple forms; this includes spatial maps of water scarcity, local reporting of previous drought events, and local official and/or indigenous knowledge.

  Observations of previous drought events and its impact on water resources can also be used to define water scarcity. The identification of previous drought events occurring at a given location will clearly indicate the presence of a significant hazard. This can be used to refine the hazard levels provided by the ‘Think Hazard!’ tool. However, the non-existence of an event in these archives should not be used to infer the non-existence of a hazard. It simply means that an event has not yet been recorded officially.

  Documentation of previous events, through local news reports, can also provide a useful insight into previous events, and help to define the risk of water scarce conditions at a more local scale. Organisations such as Reliefweb (reliefweb.int) also represent a useful resource, providing information about previous events and their consequences.

  In addition to drought and water scarcity modelling, mapping and documentation, local knowledge can provide a useful source of additional information that can be used to identify water scarcity. Local government officials may provide written records, observations or insight into previous drought events that have occurred. Likewise, local residents may have a good understanding of the local behaviour of the hydro-economic system, particularly if they have resided within the project region over a significant period of time. These sources of local knowledge should be used to further inform the likely water scarcity level at a given location.

  • Consult local open access drought hazard and water scarcity maps (if readily available).

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• WATER MANAGEMENT: Your project should consider water scarcity/drought management measures to alleviate risk, including water storage, alternative sources, and reduced use of resources. More information
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  Water scarcity management includes all measures that may alleviate water scarcity risk. This can range from pre-stocking of food and fresh water resources, to storing rainwater, providing in alternative energy sources (wind/solar), to conjunctively use surface water and groundwater, to minimizing the overuse of fresh water resources, and planting more drought resistant crops.

  The water scarcity management options available will depend upon the type of water scarcity, the size of the project, the resources available, and the willingness/ability of other stakeholders in the region to participate. In the case of large projects, a number of water scarcity management procedures will be available, including taking measures to store fresh water, setting up an alternative energy supply system based on solar or wind power, steps to minimize the overuse of water, and planting of alternative crops (adapt via agricultural management). Regardless of the measures implemented, it is important to note that water scarcity management measures should not be treated in isolation, as their impact on other areas or sectors may be significant.

  • Identify whether water scarcity management plans or procedures are in place in the local region, and how your project will integrate within the existing water scarcity management framework.

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