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I’ve talked a lot about changes in discharge associated with climate change. In fact, I’ve been talking about it for the last three and a half months, like a demonic hydrological record stuck on repeat. For the most part, it’s also been very sciency: numbers, figures, theories, possible impacts, models. This is all well and good, but all these numbers and theories are not an abstract nothingness. The changes in discharge they suggest may occur will have an impact on us fleshy things: humans. We cause the changes, and we also have to bear the brunt of them.

Natural river flow regimes define ecosystems found in rivers, the movement of water and the sediment within it shaping the physical structure of the environment and thus habitat (LeRoy Poff, et al. 1997). These ecosystems are incredibly important for a variety of human functions including food production (e.g. irrigation), power production, waste management and flood control (LeRoy Poff et al., 1997). We must acknowledge that a change in the regime of a river (i.e. changes in discharge) will change ecosystems found in rivers, and then may affect our ability to use them in the same way. Changes in food production could be particularly important in areas where irrigation fed agriculture is key for producing staple foods in local diets (e.g. rice growing). The loss of natural flood control functions could be a considerable problem for communities that rely on river ecosystems for protection during high flows.

In regions of the world where discharge may increase in the future, the frequency of flooding may also increase. Floods can have significant health consequences for humans, ranging from short term (e.g. injuries, communicable disease, exposure to toxicants) to the more long term (e.g. malnutrition, mental health disorders, water-borne disease) (McMichael, et al. 2006). Reductions in discharge may cause droughts, which have the greatest global effects because of the large areas that are often affected, the main problems being famine and disease (Sari Kovats, et al. 2003).

I am just scratching the surface here in this short blog post with regards to the possible effects changes in discharge could have upon humans. But my point is that all the complex hydrological science that has come before does not exist purely for the sake of hydrological interest, but is of real importance for the future of millions of people around the world; their livelihoods, health and property. This is really happening, and we need to think about what are going to do about it, before it is too late.