UNIVERSITY OF MINDANAO

Matina Campus
Matina, Davao City

In partial fulfillment of the requirements in

Hydrology (CE 443)

Submitted to:

Engr. Showna Lee Sales

Professor

Submitted by:

Balaye, Claire Angelica

Erediano, Jerlyn Mae
Patriarca, Jara Chanta
BS CE 4

Date Submitted:
January 24, 2014

IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN DAVAO CITYS WATER RESOURCES AND ITS

HAZARDS

A case study by:

Balaye, Claire Angelica

Erediano, Jerlyn Mae
Patriarca, Jara Chanta
BS CE 4

Date Submitted:
January 24, 2014

ABSTRACT

With the effect of climate change prevalent in the surroundings, water

resources are at risk of being affected. Water is needed to sustain the community
and the ecosystem, and in the long run, as climate change increases, there is a
possibility that water resources may be affected.
The Davao City water resources and supply are one of the largest resources
in the city and in the Philippines. Although the citys water resources and water
supply is currently beneficial for the community, it is feared that these resources
may deplete or may no longer be used in the future as climate change does its job
in destroying the natural resources.
This study covers effects caused by climate change in Davao Citys water
resources and water supply and its risks to the water supply and the community in
the current and future times.

INTRODUCTION

Water plays a vital role in maintaining life and human activity. Majority of the
earths living things depend on water to sustain health and living. Water is also used
for agriculture, energy production, navigation, recreation, and manufacturing. Since
water is a necessity for both the society and the ecosystem, water resources are
also given importance. Water resources are sources of water that provide the water
supply needed for sustainability of health and human activity.
However, as time passes and as population on earth increases, the demand
for water also increases. The need for water for replenishment and for human
activity put pressure on water resources. The pressure on water resources may be
further exacerbated due to climate change.
In many parts of the world, climate change is pointed out to be one of the
major causes of the increase of water demand and the shrinkage of water supply.
Climate change is a phenomenon that affects the earths temperature, and as the
temperature of the earth increases, evaporation increases, resulting to droughts,
melting of glacial ice in Polar Regions, and potential destruction of water resources,
which leads to decrease of water supply.
This study focuses on the effect of climate change in Davao Citys water
resources and its hazards. The purpose of this study is to determine how climate
change affects the water resources and supply of Davao City and the hazards that it
may bring to the citys water resources and supply.

HYPOTHESES

The study aims to answer the following questions:

Does climate change badly affect Davao Citys water resources?

Does climate change cause hazards to Davao Citys water resources?
Will the water supply in Davao City decrease as the effect of climate change

increases?
Will the quality (taste, odor, color) of water from the citys water supply be
affected due to climate change?
The researchers hypothesized that the climate change badly affects Davao

Citys water resources. Due to climate change, the quality and the volume of the
water supply in Davao City will be affected. The citys water supply may decrease as
the effects of climate change to the earth, particularly in Davao City, increases.
Also, as an effect of climate change, Davao Citys water resources may be put into
danger.
In order for the queries for this study to be answered and for the hypotheses
to be verified whether it is true or false, the researchers for this study conducted
further research in relation to the study. The methods of research used for the study
will be discussed in the methodology section of this study.

METHODOLOGY

The following steps are being done in order to obtain the sufficient data needed in
the study:

The researchers for this study researched on water resource and the impacts
on water resource due to climate change. Researched data may come from
the internet, books, past researches in relation to the study, or any
paraphernalia used for information. The researched data may be focused in

Asia, the Philippines, and/or Davao City and Region XI.

The researchers for this study gathered information about Davao Citys water
resources based on the past discussions and interviews made by several
groups in CE 443/Hydrology class. The data gathered will be used for the

analysis and results of this study.

The researchers planned to conduct a brief interview with Engr. Edwin V.
Regalado, MPA of Davao City Water District about the impact of Davao Citys
water resource and water supply due to climate change.

RESULTS

According to Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services

Administration (PAGASA) infograph Climate Change in the Philippines (2011), the
projected seasonal rainfall change and frequency of extreme events in 2020 and
2050 in the provinces in Region XI are presented in the tables below. The data
obtained from DJF, MAM, JJA, and SON represent the data (temperature, rainfall,
change, and extreme events) obtained from December to February, March to May,
June to August, and September to November, respectively. The predicted values for
mean temperature, rainfall, maximum temperature, and number of dry days and
days in rainfall in Region XI are also presented based on the values obtained from
PAGASAs station in Davao City.

According to the same infograph from PAGASA, the following are the effects
of climate change on water resources:

Water stress (both in quantity and quality), which will most likely affect

forestry, agriculture and livelihood, health, and human settlement

Large decreases in rainfall and longer drier periods will affect the amount of
water in watersheds and dams that provide irrigation services to farmers,
especially those in rain fed areas, thereby, limiting agricultural production.
Energy production from dams could also be rendered insufficient in those
areas where rainfall is projected to decrease, and thus, could largely affect
the energy sufficiency program of the country. Design of infrastructure,
particularly of dams, will need to be re-visited to ensure that these will not be
severely affected by the projected longer drier periods

In areas where rainfall could be intense during wet periods, flooding events
would follow and may pose danger to human settlements and infrastructure,
in terms of landslides and mudslides, most especially, in geologically weak
areas. Additionally, these flooding events could impact severely on public

infrastructure
Critical water shortages can be expected leading to possible reduction of
water available for domestic consumption, less irrigation service delivery, and
possibly, decreased energy generation in dams.
In another researched data on Climate Change Hazards, Vulnerabilities, and

Risks which is an overview of the climate change in Asia and the Philippines,
greenhouse effect, which is a by-product of climate change, may cause the a huge
impact on water resources, particularly large bodies of water such as seas and
oceans. The changes in oceans due to climate change and its effects are shown in
the figure below.

In the same research, the following effects of climate change in our water resources
are listed below:

Climate change will exacerbate water shortages in many water-scarce areas

of the world. Runoff and water availability may decrease in arid and semi-arid

Asia
Human health would be threatened by possible increased exposure to water

borne diseases and heat stress

Decreases in agricultural productivity and aquaculture will ensue due to
thermal and water stress, sea-level rise, floods and droughts, and tropical
cyclones. This will diminish food security in many parts of Asia, including the

Philippines.
Accelerated sea level rise will expose many human settlements to increased
risk of coastal flooding and erosion and saltwater intrusion into freshwater
resources.

Coral reefs will be negatively affected due to coral bleaching. Coral bleaching
is the loss of color of corals due to loss of pigmentation of algae caused by

climate change. Diversity of corals may also be affected.

Due to the Philippines geographical location, our country is more prone to
natural hazards such as typhoons, storm surges, flash floods, and sea level
rise. Severe El Nio and La Nia events are also experienced since 1980 due

to climate change.
In the graph in the next page, the mean sea levels in Manila, Legazpi, Davao,
Jolo, and Cebu are being observed from 1948 to 1994. In the graph, it is
shown that there is an increase of mean sea levels in the five areas. Due to
the increase of sea level as an effect of climate change, freshwater, coastal,
and marine resources are adversely affected.

Due to El Nio and climate change, fish kills and several red tides may occur.
El Nio phenomena in the past caused drought and water shortages, which
could likewise lead to food shortages if not attended to and anticipated by

the government
According to Department of Environment and Natural Resources, some
provinces in Region XI, particularly Davao del Norte and Davao del Sur, are at

a high risk to projected temperature increase and drought, which may cause
risks to water resources in the particular area.
The following data are also obtained regarding Davao Citys water resources
and water supply, specifically the water that is used for human consumption:

The Davao River catchment is the third largest river catchment on the
Southern Philippines Island of Mindanao. It drains an area of over 1700 km
with a river length of 160 km. Most of the area is uplands. Average flows
within the river near to the mouth are estimated at 70-80 cubic meters per
second. The climate type is relatively uniform throughout the year with
evenly

distributed rainfall and temperatures

and

humidity

(rainfall

2600mm, Actual Evap 1028mm). The area rarely experiences typhoons.

River discharge measurements taken from 1984 to 1990 indicated an

average river flow of approximately 78 cubic meters per second for the
period.

The main drinking water sources for Davao City are in the neighboring Talomo
watershed. These sources are under pressure and the Davao River Basin is
likely to be required for water abstraction in the near future.

The Environmental Management Bureau samples 8 sites from the confluence

of the Tamugan river downstream to the mouth of the river. From the
Tamugan River confluence with the Davao River downstream to DDF
Subdivision, Mandug the water is classified as Class A Public Water Supply
Class II. Downstream of this point to the sea is classified as Class B or
recreational water class I. Analyses for dissolved oxygen over the past 4

years has indicated no significant change in quality. The current monitoring

of water quality is insufficient to monitor and evaluate pollution levels and
trends in the river.

ANALYSIS

Based on the data gathered, climate change may create a huge impact on
Davao Citys water supply and resources. Such impacts that may be caused by
climate change that may affect the citys water supply and resources are water
stress, large decrease in rainfall and water supply due to drought, critical water
shortages, water borne diseases, and effects on coastal resources such as coral
bleaching and coastal flooding. If not prevented, climate change may not only cause
risks on water resources but also on agriculture, infrastructure, livelihood, and
human settlement.
The Philippines, due to its unique geographical location, is prone to
typhoons, storm surges, flashfloods, and drought. This means that the country is
prone to the effects of climate change. In the past, El Nio and La Nia events are
also experienced since 1980 due to climate change. Also, the geographical location
of Region XI, particularly Davao City, made it prone to drought and projected
temperature increase. It may put Davao Citys water supply and water resource at
risk to the effects of climate change in the near future.
It is also obtained from the data that the current monitoring of water supply
in evaluating pollution levels and trends in the water resource (Davao River) is
limited. However, it is obtained from the water samples that there is no significant
change in the quality of water, which means that as of the current times, the water
is still safe to drink.

CONCLUSION

The researchers conclude that climate change may affect Davao Citys water
resources and water supply as time passes and as the effects of climate change
increases. The water supply may decrease as the effects of climate change
increases. The quality of the water from the water supply, however, may not be
affected by the climate change, and potential health hazards may not occur in the
present.
It is recommended that the City Government of Davao City must allocate
sufficient funds for future projects, researches, and observations in relation to the
citys water resources and water supply. Though it is apparent that the citys water
supply is still sufficient for the needs of the current generation, it is still important to
find more water resources that can potentially be a source for the citys
consumption. It is also important for the city to have an up to date information
regarding the quality of water since the research done about the water quality was
taken several years ago. It is also highly recommended for the other researchers to
further study about this subject as this study is only limited to the impact of climate
change to the citys water supply and resources.
The people living within Davao City should also be given awareness regarding
our citys water supply and water resources. It is important for the community to
know how they can prevent water shortage and avoid the risks that may be caused
by climate change in the near future. With proper education, engineering, and

enforcement, the citys water supply and water resources may be preserved and
may be used by the future generation.

REFERENCES

Climate Change Hazards, Vulnerabilities and Risks: Overview for Asia and the
Philippines Department of Environment and Natural Resources

Philippine

Atmospheric,

Administration:

Climate

Geophysical
Change

In

and
The

Astronomical
Philippines

Services
(2011)

http://pagasa.dost.gov.ph

Climate

Change

Impacts

In

The

Philippines

http://kidlat.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/ndrb/NDRB

Climate Change Impacts in Water Resources, Livelihoods, Related Sectors,

and Ecosystems by Prof. Dr. Ursula Oswald Spring @ http://crim.unam.mx

Hydrology and Water Resources by Nigel Arnell and Chunzhen Liu

Water Resources and Davao City River @ Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org

The Impact Of Climate Change in Water Resource @ GRACE Communications

Foundation

Climate Impacts on Water Resources @ US-EPA (Environmental Protection

Agency)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This study would not be successful without the help and guidance of the
following people who helped us complete this study.
First of all, we would like to express our gratitude to our loving families who
supported us financially and morally and for encouraging us to complete this study
despite of the difficulties we encountered.
We would also like to take the opportunity to give thanks to our professor,
Engr. Showna Lee Sales, who shared her expertise which made this study possible.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us. We are certain that it will be a great
help in attaining our goal to be competitive engineers.
We would also like to thank our friends, classmates, and those who helped us
finish this study. They served as our motivation to finish this study. If it werent for
them we wouldnt be too inspired to work for this study.
Above all, a million thanks to our Almighty God for helping us to succeed in
finishing this case study. Without His help, nothing would be possible. We thank Him
for teaching us the value of patience and hard work. We thank God for unconditional
love, guidance, strength and for all the countless blessings.

APPENDIX

APPENDIX A - Projected temperature increase (in C) under high-range and

medium-range emission scenarios in 2020 based on 1971-2000 normal values in
Region XI

APPENDIX B - Projected temperature increase (in C) under high-range and

medium-range emission scenarios in 2050 based on 1971-2000 normal values in
Region XI

APPENDIX C - Projected temperature increase (in C) under low-range emission

scenarios in 2020 based on 1990-2000 normal values

APPENDIX D - Projected temperature increase (in C) under low-range emission

scenarios in 2050 based on 1990-2000 normal values

APPENDIX E Provinces at risk to projected temperature increase

APPENDIX F Provinces at risk to drought

Sources: PAGASA, DENR