Risk and Uncertainty Management
All water problems have their roots in any one or combinations of three extremities: too little, too much or too dirty water. These conditions create great hazard to human life, environment, property, social wellbeing and the economy in exposed societies. While too dirty water (pollution) is almost exclusively caused by human activities, too little water (shortages and droughts) and too much water (floods) occur naturally depending on the geographical location of an area. The magnitudes and impacts of droughts and floods can be amplified by human activities. A wealth of knowledge about droughts and floods has been acquired over years. However, most of what is known about these extreme events is derived from probabilistic investigations, which means that their occurrences, magnitudes and impacts cannot be quantified and predicted with absolute certainty. Droughts and floods are natural phenomena which cannot be prevented, mankind can only prepare such that their impacts are minimized. Therefore, it is necessary to continuously update existing information on these events and to develop and implement effective response mechanisms. The Risk and Uncertainty Unit is responsible for keeping KOBWA and exposed communities ready to react appropriately before, during and after floods and droughts. This Unit is involved in:
- Mapping exposed areas;
- Monitoring and predicting extreme climatological events;
- Developing and installing early warning systems;
- Devising emergency procedures and:
- Liaising with relevant authorities in exposed communities.