Characteristics of Lake Chad Level Variability and Links to ENSO, Precipitation, and River Discharge
This study used trend, correlation, and wavelet analysis to characterize Lake Chad (LC) level fluctuations, river discharge, El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), and precipitation regimes and their interrelationships. Linear correlation results indicate a negative association between ENSO and LC lev...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2014-01-01
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| Series: | The Scientific World Journal |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/145893 |
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| author | Churchill Okonkwo Belay Demoz Sium Gebremariam |
| author_facet | Churchill Okonkwo Belay Demoz Sium Gebremariam |
| author_sort | Churchill Okonkwo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study used trend, correlation, and wavelet analysis to characterize Lake Chad (LC) level fluctuations, river discharge, El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), and precipitation regimes and their interrelationships. Linear correlation results indicate a negative association between ENSO and LC level, river discharge and precipitation. Trend analysis shows increasing precipitation in the Lake Chad Basin (LCB) but decreasing LC level. The mode of interannual variability in LC level, rainfall, and ENSO analyzed using wavelet analysis is dominated by 3-4-year periods. Results show that variability in ENSO could explain only 31% and 13% of variations in LC level at Kindjeria and precipitation in the northern LCB, respectively. The wavelet transform coherency (WTC) between LC level of the southern pool at Kalom and ENSO is statistically significant at the 95% confidence level and phase-locked, implying a cause-and-effect association. These strong coherencies coincide with the La Niña years with the exception of 1997-1998 El Niño events. The WTC shows strong covariance between increasing precipitation and LC level in the northern pool at a 2- to 4-year band and 3- to 4-year band localized from 1996 to 2010. Implications for water resource planning and management are discussed. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c4aae95976a844ba9338dfde9dff129f |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2356-6140 1537-744X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2014-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Scientific World Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-c4aae95976a844ba9338dfde9dff129f2025-08-20T02:18:46ZengWileyThe Scientific World Journal2356-61401537-744X2014-01-01201410.1155/2014/145893145893Characteristics of Lake Chad Level Variability and Links to ENSO, Precipitation, and River DischargeChurchill Okonkwo0Belay Demoz1Sium Gebremariam2Beltsville Center for Climate System Observation (BCCSO), Atmospheric Science Program, Howard University, Washington, DC 20059, USABeltsville Center for Climate System Observation (BCCSO), Atmospheric Science Program, Howard University, Washington, DC 20059, USABeltsville Center for Climate System Observation (BCCSO), Atmospheric Science Program, Howard University, Washington, DC 20059, USAThis study used trend, correlation, and wavelet analysis to characterize Lake Chad (LC) level fluctuations, river discharge, El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), and precipitation regimes and their interrelationships. Linear correlation results indicate a negative association between ENSO and LC level, river discharge and precipitation. Trend analysis shows increasing precipitation in the Lake Chad Basin (LCB) but decreasing LC level. The mode of interannual variability in LC level, rainfall, and ENSO analyzed using wavelet analysis is dominated by 3-4-year periods. Results show that variability in ENSO could explain only 31% and 13% of variations in LC level at Kindjeria and precipitation in the northern LCB, respectively. The wavelet transform coherency (WTC) between LC level of the southern pool at Kalom and ENSO is statistically significant at the 95% confidence level and phase-locked, implying a cause-and-effect association. These strong coherencies coincide with the La Niña years with the exception of 1997-1998 El Niño events. The WTC shows strong covariance between increasing precipitation and LC level in the northern pool at a 2- to 4-year band and 3- to 4-year band localized from 1996 to 2010. Implications for water resource planning and management are discussed.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/145893 |
| spellingShingle | Churchill Okonkwo Belay Demoz Sium Gebremariam Characteristics of Lake Chad Level Variability and Links to ENSO, Precipitation, and River Discharge The Scientific World Journal |
| title | Characteristics of Lake Chad Level Variability and Links to ENSO, Precipitation, and River Discharge |
| title_full | Characteristics of Lake Chad Level Variability and Links to ENSO, Precipitation, and River Discharge |
| title_fullStr | Characteristics of Lake Chad Level Variability and Links to ENSO, Precipitation, and River Discharge |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characteristics of Lake Chad Level Variability and Links to ENSO, Precipitation, and River Discharge |
| title_short | Characteristics of Lake Chad Level Variability and Links to ENSO, Precipitation, and River Discharge |
| title_sort | characteristics of lake chad level variability and links to enso precipitation and river discharge |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/145893 |
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