Effect of Climate Change on Groundwater Resources in South West, Nigeria

Abstract

This study examined the impact of climate change on groundwater resources of the south-western region of Nigeria. First, chronological climate (meteorological) and geological and hydrogeological data of Ondo State the various catchment areas within the region which spanned over a period of 30 years (1982 – 2012) were analyzed with a  view to determine whether there has been any climate change in the study area. The Meteorological data such as rainfall and temperature were obtained from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency located in Lagos, while the hydrogeological data such as borehole yield were collected from Benin-Owena river basin in Ondo state. For each location, the graphs of Rainfall versus Month and Maximum Temperature (Tmax), Minimum Temperature (Tmin) versus Month were plotted as a means of obviating the probable change in climate. It was discovered that there was a slight increase in both rainfall and the mean temperature 2% - 8% and 0.1⁰ c – 0.7⁰ c respectively. Thus climate change was observed as a result of increase in the average yearly rainfall and mean temperature. The effect was concluded as not pronounced or significant on the groundwater after all the analyses and studies.

Keywords: groundwater, climate change, temperature, rainfall, south-western, Nigeria.