TH scores update: WATER SCARCITY #961
Description
Hazard Processing Method
The original approach considers global dataset of Water Crowding Index (WCI) (Veldkamp et al., 2015) based on water availability per capita (Falkenmark et al., 1989). This index is based on estimates of water requirements in the household, agricultural, industrial and energy sectors, and the needs of the environment. Water availability data are available as grid rasters and are summarized per water province (a combination of catchments and administrative areas), as well as for several return periods (2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, 250, 500 and 1000 years).
The following frequency classes are used in ThinkHazard!:
- high: 5-year return period
- medium: 50-year return period
- low: 1000-year return period
It was estimated that 1700 m3 of renewable water resources per capita per year was a threshold, below which a country would experience water stress. For ThinkHazard! the threshold of <500 m3/capita/yr is used for high hazard, as it represents absolute water stress. Thresholds of <1000 m3/capita/yr and <1700 m3/capita/yr are used for medium and low hazard level, as these represent severe water stress and moderate water stress, respectively.
RP-Specific Temperature Thresholds:
- RP5 < 500 = High hazard
- RP50 < 1000 = Medium hazard
- RP1000 <1700 = Low hazard
For discussion @stufraser1
I can easily replicate this approach on the same data; or we can dig for more updated product but likely using a different metric (ASI, SPEI, PDSI, others)