Climate change and hydrodynamic scenario of the Muni Pomadze Lagoon in Ghana

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the changes occurring in the size of the Muni Pomadze Wetland due to changes in climatic conditions, specifically rainfall and temperature. Temperature and rainfall data were obtained from the Ghana Meteorological Agency for the years 1990 to 2019. Remotely sensed images from 1990, 2000, and 2019 were used to model the size of the Muni Pomadze lagoon during the study period. The Mann–Kendall test and Sen’s Slope Estimator were employed to analyze the climatic data. Satellite images were analyzed using ArcGIS 10.1 to extract the extent of coverage of the lagoon for the years under study. The analysis of the annual average temperature and rainfall anomalies over the 30-year period indicated an insignificant upward trend. However, these changes were found to be insufficient to cause noticeable alterations in the size of the Muni Pomadze lagoon. Surprisingly, satellite imagery analysis demonstrated that the lagoon is actually expanding, deviating significantly from reports in similar studies conducted worldwide. This study concludes that the majority of the natural changes occurring to the lagoon are attributed to the activities within the lagoon’s catchment and the efforts made by the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission in the Effutu Municipality.