*Special Topics
ISciences staff
Mexican Drought in Historical Context: A sign ...

The ISciences Global Water Monitor and Forecast Watch List provides monthly reports of data collected by our Water Security Indicator Model (WSIM), which monitors and forecasts water anomalies on a global basis.

Mexican Drought in Historical Context: A sign of more extreme heat-driven drought to come
*Water Watch Lists
ISciences staff
ISciences Worldwide Water Watch List April 2024

The forecast for April 2024 expects significant water deficits for the 12-month period of January 2024 through December 2024 in South America, northeastern Africa, and the Middle East. Areas expected to experience surplus include eastern to eastern Africa, northern Australia, Europe, and Southeast Asia.

ISciences Worldwide Water Watch List April 2024
East Asia
ISciences staff
East Asia: Exceptional deficits continue in N, ...

The forecast indicates that exceptional deficits will persist in northwestern regions of China, but lessen in size in northern and northeastern China. Surpluses occurring in Tibet are also expected to remain but diminish in size. 

East Asia: Exceptional deficits continue in N, NW China
Southeast Asia & Pacific
ISciences staff
Southeast Asia and the Pacific: Surplus spreads ...

The forecast indicates that deficits will persist throughout Mainland Southeast Asia, but decrease in intensity, becoming mostly moderate to severe anomalies. Intense surplus is expected to expand throughout Maritime Southeast Asia, particularly in central Indonesia, Papua, and Papua New Guinea. 

Southeast Asia and the Pacific: Surplus spreads throughout Maritime SE Asia
South Asia
ISciences staff
South Asia: Surplus expands throughout India

The forecast indicates that most exceptional deficits in Pakistan and Afghanistan will dissipate, though some regions are expected to experience lingering deficits. India is expected to observe widespread surplus throughout the country. 

South Asia: Surplus expands throughout India

Central Asia & Russia

Central Asia & Russia: Water deficit forecast in Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, esp Fergana Valley

Central Asia & Russia: Water deficit forecast in Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, esp Fergana Valley

Exceptional water surpluses in European Russia will shrink and downgrade. The Ob River Basin will transition from surplus to deficit, with a block of exceptional deficit in the Tobol River watershed south of the city of Tyumen. Intense surpluses are expected to persist around the city of Krasnoyarsk on the Yenisei River. Deficits will emerge in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, and exceptional deficits in the Fergana Valley, western Kyrgyzstan, and southern Tajikistan. Severe deficits are forecast Kazakhstan along the Ural River in the west leading into Orenburg, Russia.

Central Asia & Russia: Water deficits to emerge in Kazakhstan

Central Asia & Russia: Water deficits to emerge in Kazakhstan

Exceptional water surplus in European Russia will shrink and downgrade, though widespread surpluses will continue to emerge and will remain intense from St. Petersburg to the Rybinsk Reservoir and in Murmansk. Exceptional surpluses will emerge in the Vakh River Basin stretching east across the Yenisei River between the Angara and Podkamennaya Tunguska Rivers. Deficits near Yekaterinburg will upgrade, deficits around Yamal will downgrade, and deficits in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan will moderate. Kazakhstan will transition from surplus to deficit. After April, much of the region will transition to deficits of varying severity. 

Central Asia & Russia: Water deficits in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan

Central Asia & Russia: Water deficits in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan

The forecast through March indicates exceptional surpluses in European Russia, along the Middle Ob River, the Tom River Basin, and Aktobe Region, Kazakhstan. Surpluses are also forecast for much of the Yenisei River. Exceptional deficits are expected in the Yamal Peninsula. Intense deficits are forecast for Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. After March, surpluses in Russia are forecast to diminish. Deficits will downgrade in Yamal, persist in Turkmenistan, and spread in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. Moderate deficits will emerge in the Caucasus, western Kyrgyzstan and western Tajikistan. 

Central Asia & Russia: Widespread water surpluses to persist in W Russia

Central Asia & Russia: Widespread water surpluses to persist in W Russia

In the near-term, surpluses are forecast in Russia along the Sukona River; the Upper Volga River, Volga Uplands, Lower Volga, and Transvolga Region; and the Ob, Vakh, and Tom Rivers. Deficits will persist in the Yamal Peninsula and across the Gulf of Ob. Exceptional surpluses will continue to emerge in Aktobe, Kostanay, and western Akmola Regions in Kazakhstan but widespread intense deficits will emerge in the northeastern part of the country. Deficits in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are expected to moderate. After February, deficits will spread in Central Asia and Russia.

Central Asia & Russia: Water deficit forecast for Turkmenistan; surplus for Volga Basin

Central Asia & Russia: Water deficit forecast for Turkmenistan; surplus for Volga Basin

In the near-term water, surpluses reaching exceptional intensity will continue to emerge in Russia’s Volga River Basin and on the Ob, Vakh, and Tom Rivers, and in Aktobe, northern Kostanay, and western Akmola Regions, Kazakhstan. Exceptional deficits will increase in Yamal, Russia. Moderate to severe deficits are expected in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. In the spring, Volga Basin surpluses should downgrade, though remain widespread. Surpluses will persist between the Tom and Yenisei Rivers, and along the Ob and Irtysh Rivers. Severe deficits will continue to emerge in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. 

Many analyses reported in ISciences-authored blog posts are based on data generated by the ISciences Water Security Indicator Model (WSIM). Other sources, if used, are referenced in footnotes accompanying individual posts. WSIM is a validated capability that produces monthly reports on current and forecast global freshwater surpluses and deficits with lead times of 1-9 months at 0.25°x0.25° resolution. This capability has been in continuous operation since April 2011 and has proven to provide reliable forecasts of emerging water security concerns in that time-frame. WSIM has the ability to assess the impacts of water anomalies on people, agriculture, and electricity generation. Detailed data, customized visualizations, and reports are available for purchase.

For more information contact info@isciences.com.

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