RECENTLY INCREASED RIVER DISCHARGE IN SCOTLAND - EFFECTS ON FLOW HYDROLOGY AND SOME IMPLICATIONS FOR WATER MANAGEMENT

A marked trend to increasing wetness over Scotland, amounting to aroun d 40 per cent in terms of yearly mean flows during the 1970-89 period, is demonstrated by analysis of annual, seasonal and extreme monthly r iver flow in six key catchment areas. The absence of a reliable databa se precludes the direct investigation of any associated rise in flood emergencies and losses, but examples are provided of the effects of in creased runoff on reservoir storage. Questionnaire responses showed th at, whilst over two-thirds of the 28 senior water managers sampled wer e aware of this recent shift in hydroclimate, their organizations lack ed any means of dealing with climatic uncertainty in future planning.