Climate Change Impacts and Responses: A Case of Shihmen * Reservoir in Taiwan Paper prepared by Keshav R Adhikari1, Yih-Chi Tan2, Jihn-Sung Lai3, Zueng-Sang Chen1, 3 Yong-Jun Lin 1Dept. of Agril. Chem., National Taiwan University (NTU), Roosevelt Rd, Sec. 4, Taipei city 106-17, Taiwan; For correspondence:
[email protected] 2Dept. of Bioenviron. Systems Engg., NTU, Roosevelt Rd, Sec. 4, Taipei city 106-17, Taiwan 3Center for Climate weather and Disaster Research/Hydrotech Research Institute, NTU, Taipei City 106-17, Taiwan * Paper prepared for oral presentation at the 2nd Int’l conference “Climate Change: Impacts and Responses.” University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia, 08-10 July 2010. 2 Climate Change Impacts and Responses: A Case of Shihmen † Reservoir in Taiwan Abstract Built in 1964, one of the oldest and magnificent in Taiwan, the Shihmen reservoir serves the multi-purpose of supplying fresh water (3.4 million people), irrigation (36, 500 ha), hydro-power (200 million units electricity annually), flood prevention and recreation. Scientific observations show that this reservoir is over time affected by increased frequencies of high sedimentation and overflows, due to unpredictable high rainfall and typhoons necessitating heavy repair and maintenance costs. This clearly illustrates an effect of global warming making such phenomena visible at local level (urban heat island effect, for example). A review of existing body of literature on Shihmen reservoir indicated that most previous studies focused from their own disciplinary perspectives. However, the relevant stakeholders of the reservoir including the practitioners and policy makers would be better served if such studies considered using system- approach.