Water, Health and Early Warnings

Following on from the previous Chapter are three contributions that cover the remaining “classical” areas for applicatio ns (alongside agriculture) of hydrology and health. Water management is the focus in the first section, in which a number of projects are described whereby historical and forecast information is used directly in planning specific actions; in this cas e the forecaster-user chain is short and manageable at a personal level. Next is a detailed account of the steps required to establish climate services in the health area. Finally, Early Warning Systems are described. Early Warning Systems have not tended to use predictions until recently, traditionally having been built around historical observations. In that context Early Warning Systems provide an example of an application mainly designed for humanitarian benefit built solely using climate data alongside other information, but with growing use of predictions. A worked example is included establishing the impact of climate variability on disease incidence, the results of which provide a basis for incorporating seasonal climate forecasts into a Malaria Early Warning System in southern Africa.