Water Balance Model of Lake Malawi and its Sensitivity to Climate Change

Abstract

Sustainable water resources development of Malawi needs a thorough assessment of the impact of climate change on the future water levels of Lake Malawi because Lake Malawi together with its outflowing Shire river water sys- tem is Malawi's most important water resource for hydropower generation, water supply for industrial and domestic use in the city of Blantyre and its surrounding urban areas together with irrigation water in the Lower Shire Valley (LSV). Any changes in the hydrological or ecological behaviour of the lake will have far reaching consequences on the economy of Malawi. This paper reviews the current literature on the water balance studies of Lake Malawi and introduces climate change modelling into the water balance model to assess the likely future behaviour of the lake.