September 2010: The International Water Management Institute (IWMI) has released a paper describing the need for systematic planning in water storage and management to cope with increased rainfall variability.

“Water Storage in an Era of Climate Change: Addressing the Challenge of Increasing Rainfall Variability” describes rainfall variability and the range of above- and below-ground water storage options. It notes that water storage increases water security, agricultural productivity and adaptive capacity, but cautions that poorly planned storage is a waste of financial resources and may aggravate climate change impacts. It calls for systems that combine complementary storage options and urges consideration of uncertainty in planning. IWMI is a member of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). [IWMI Paper]