Rainfall distribution and its impact on Penang’s water resource

This paper presents the findings and analysis of a study on the distribution of annual and monthly rainfall based on climate and seasonal change in the Northeast district of Penang, Peninsular Malaysia. The findings, it is proposed, may be used in the management of Penang’s water resources, in particular, with respect to the identification of water sources and its cycle. Records of the rainfall distribution were gathered from five stations of the department of Drainage and Irrigation for the ten year period of 2001 to 2010. The data were then analysed according to annual and monthly rainfalls while comparisons were made based on both spatial and time scales. The analyses of the rainfall concentration patterns demonstrated that for the majority of the years observed (2001 to 2002, 2006 to 2009) rainfalls had concentrated in the north and northwest parts of the district. By comparison, rainfalls had concentrated on the east and northeastern parts of the district for the lesser period of 2003 to 2005, and 2010. All areas analysed showed that except for the Kolam Bersih station all stations had experienced marked increases in rainfall quantities for the period 2001 to 2010.