Spatio-Temporal Evolution of Rainfall over the Period 1981–2020 and Management of Surface Water Resources in the Nakanbe–Wayen Watershed in Burkina Faso

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

The paper is worthy of publication because it documents the long-term variability of extreme precipitation in an African country (Burkina Faso) that has not been well studied. The contents are acceptable, but it requires revision concerning presentation of the methodology and results.

[Main comments]

@ It is recommended to make the procedure of analysis clearer. The authors state that "the spatialized products were used in addition to the data from in situ stations" (Line 92). Does this mean that the in situ data (obtained using raingauges) were used if available, and otherwise the data from CHIRPS were used instead? If so, please write this situation more clearly.

@ The authors state "Precipitation data from the Climate Hazards Group Infrared Precipitation with Stations (CHIRPS) version 2, were selected from a set of commonly used satellite precipitation products" (Line 98). Were the CHIRPS data available for all the analysis period from 1981 to 2020? Please write explicitly.

[Other comments]

@ Figure 1 contains four maps. Please make it clear how each map relates to each other. It is also desired to show the location of Burkina Faso in the African continent.

@ Some tables and figures have French expressions (Table 2, Figs.1, 2, 3). Please change them into English.

@ There are two subsections "2.3.2" (Lines 120 and 141).

@ Line 127 "maximum and minimum temperature pairs --- " --- I understand that the temperature data were not used for analysis. It is unnecessary to write about them.

@ Line 174 "Table 1" --- Do you mean Table 2?

@ Line 177 "This implies that CHIRPS satellite rainfall and temperature data" --- Have you used temperature data for the present study? Or, does CHIRPS provide temperature data as well?

@ Line 188 "P-value =0, 35"--- Do you mean 0.35?

@ Line 209 "0.23 mm/day" --- The unit of the SDII trend should be "mm/day per year".

@ The decimal points used in Fig.3 (for trends and P-values) should be changed to "." from ",". In the caption of Fig.3, please explain the meaning of "t".

@ Please write the unit of S (slope) in the caption of Figs.4 to 10.

@ Line 222 and elsewhere "CDW" --- CWD.

@ Line 264 "Mann-Kendall and Sen trend and slope statistical tests of ---" --- I think Table 6 shows the values of Sen's slopes, and the statistical significance evaluated using the MK test. Please write the situation more clearly.

@ Please make the color scales in Fig.10 clearer, such that the readers can find quantitatively how much the yellow color represents. It is needed to add a unit for each scale.

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

Thank you for taking the time to amend our manuscript. This will improve the quality of the document. All your amendments have been integrated point by point.

Please find attached the details below. The initial line numbering has changed due to the amendments. Thank you for your understanding.

I remain at your disposal should you have any queries.

Best regard,

Virginie.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

Thank you for taking the time to amend our manuscript. This will improve the quality of the document. All your amendments have been integrated point by point.

Please find attached the details below. The initial line numbering has changed due to the amendments. Thank you for your understanding.

I remain at your disposal should you have any queries.

Best regard,

Virginie

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 3 Report

The study presented here is very interesting, in the sense that from european countries we know little about what is going on African countries in relation to the effects of climate change and its impact on water resources. I find this paper very interesting, and it presents a high amount of data. The results are interesting and exhibit patterns of change in the rainfall period in an area very sensitive to changes due to its proximity to the Sahara desert and subsaharian area.

I think the paper could be improve a bit if the authors increase the length of the introduction section. I think that providing a global overview about the Sahel area rainfall cahracteristics would provide an increased knowledge of what is going on within these areas in relation to the amount of population and the amount of water resources available.

In the stydu area section, I would reccommend the insertion of a figure showing the annual rainfall regime. Readers would like to know when is the rainy season produced and when is the dry season produced. An average value would be fine.

It would also be interesting to know something about the river you are studying: discharges, extremes, fluvial regime, where doues it flow? Information related with the river is interesting to understand the water cycle on this area.

Table 2 is not good: equation should be insereted by typing them. Use the Equation tool from Word. Right now this figure is not acceptable. In addition, it is also half written in french and english. Please unify language. 

Section 2.3.2 should be reorganized. Paragraphs are not clear and titles in line 126 and 133 are uncelar. Maybe they are not needed.

In the results section, I think that an average rainfall map would be very needed to understand the current situation. Table 5 is fine, but watch that some numbers are hidden by the lines.

I do not know whether plots could be better organized. R program can produce better organized outputs. Please invest some time in improving the output information: there is a lot of it, and it is interesting and it is worth to make it clear and compact. Some improvement can be made. Figure 3 has the years in french. Subsequent figures could also be improved in the same way, and the same for the final average rainfall and calculated indices applied. Some of the titles are half cut.

 

Author Response

Dear Reviewer,

Thank you for taking the time to amend our manuscript. This will improve the quality of the document. All your amendments have been integrated point by point.

Please find attached the details below. The initial line numbering has changed due to the amendments. Thank you for your understanding.

I remain at your disposal should you have any queries.

Best regard,

Virginie.

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

I appreciate the authors' effort of revision. A minor revision is recommended as to some technical points.

@ What quantity was used for the performance evaluation in 2.3.1 and Table 4? Monthly precipitation amount, or daily precipitation? Please add explanation.

@ It is needed to write the units of dimensional quantities in Table 4, Table 5, Fig.3b, Figs.4-10, and Table 6. The unit of slopes (S) in the caption of Figs.4-10 should be like "mm/year".

@ Fig.1b "Rainfull" --- Rainfall.

Author Response

Dear reviewer,
Thank you for your comments and suggestions.
I have taken them all into account.  
New corrections are highlighted in blue.

Best regard,

Virginie

Author Response File: Author Response.docx