The World Meteorological Organization has published a report highlighting the hydrological conditions and situations of 2022, with the aim of creating awareness around the data of the water cycle. The analysis is intended to support planning, disaster management and collaboration efforts for sustainable environmental and water management. As noted in the report, high impact hydrological events of flooding, heavy rainfall, landslides and drought that occurred in 2022 have had a significant impact on the lives of people, through fatalities, displacement, compromised food security and reduced energy production.
River discharge conditions
According to the report, from the available data 34% of global river discharge conditions were lower than normal, with a smaller proportion experiencing above-normal conditions. The Horn of Africa continued to experience severe drought with much-below-normal river discharge, with the Congo River and the entire Central African catchment area of the Nile River also experiencing reduced river discharge. In South Africa the entire territory experienced above-normal conditions, with the report noting the major flood events in KwaZulu Natal and the Eastern Cape in 2022. Central and Western Europe experienced below normal levels due to extreme heat and drought in 2022, with severe drought continuing in the United States. In Southern India and the lower part of the Indus basin in Pakistan, much-above-normal river discharge was experienced.
First attempt on groundwater resources
The report also includes a section on the status of groundwater resources, with the assessment based on a pilot study involving 10 countries over a 10-year period from 2013. With declining levels in regions such as Chile, France, Brazil and Australia, the report emphasises that the results are not intended to result in conclusions on the levels but are included to demonstrate the feasibility and value of reporting on this for wider geographic coverage.
A section on soil moisture highlights the importance of understanding these patterns for water resource management. The report notes that low soil moisture values in the UK due to heatwave conditions resulted in impermeable landscapes that contributed to an increase in wildfires.
The Third Pole
The Third Pole includes the Tibetan Plateau, the Himalayas, the Karakorum, the Hindu Kush, the Pamirs and the Tien Shan Mountains and as noted in the report, is known as the Asian Water Tower. This is the largest reservoir of ice and snow after the Artic and Antarctic regions, and ensures water supply to 2 billion people. However, glacial melting is increasing, there is evidence of permafrost degradation and the area of snow cover has decreased, contributing to the vulnerability of this region.
The full citation of the report is: WMO-No.1333, State of Global Water Resources 2022, World Meteorological Organization 2022 and is available on the WMO website.
Sustainable Capabilities 