Distinctive Impacts of Extreme Warm Season Precipitation and Climate Change on the Vulnerable Water Resources of the Southwestern United States

Distinctive Impacts of Extreme Warm Season Precipitation and Climate Change on the Vulnerable Water Resources of the Southwestern United States PDF Author: Michael D. Sierks
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
This dissertation explores the influence of extreme precipitation and the potential impacts of climate change on the vulnerable water resources of the southwestern United States. Specifically, it focuses on 1) the characteristics, origins, and impacts of historical extreme warm-season precipitation in the Lake Mead watershed, 2) improving existing bias correction techniques for projected future streamflows, and 3) investigating the vulnerability of California's largest reservoir, Lake Shasta, to climate change under existing and adaptive operating protocols. Although the North American Monsoon (NAM) is the main driver of summertime climate variability in the American southwest, considerable knowledge gaps exist regarding its impact at the northern extent of the core region (northwestern Mexico, southern Arizona, and New Mexico). The first part of this dissertation catalogues historical extreme precipitation events in the Lake Mead watershed (located at the NAM's northern boundary) and identifies unique synoptic drivers of extreme precipitation between the canonical NAM region and watersheds to the north. From here, the dissertation shifts its focus from the historical period to future climate projections. Motivated by a desire to connect bias correction techniques to the underlying dynamics within earth systems models, a novel statistical method is developed for projected streamflow wherein data are windowed based on hydrograph-relative time, rather than Julian day. This method yields improved preservation of original climate model data for both extreme and non-extreme events. Utilizing these bias corrected streamflow projections, and a simplified model of operations at California's largest reservoir, Lake Shasta, developed by the author, coming threats to water supply and flood risk under existing operations and several forms of adaptive responses to climate change are analyzed. Compared to the historical period, we simulate 27% declines in carryover storage (storage on September 30th) at the end of the 21st century under a severe warming scenario if operations are left unchanged. Despite many simulated interventions favoring water supply over flood risk, historical levels of carryover storage were irretrievable at the end of the century under the warmer of the two warming scenarios examined in this study.

Assessment of Climate Change in the Southwest United States

Assessment of Climate Change in the Southwest United States PDF Author: Gregg Garfin
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781597264204
Category : Agriculture
Languages : en
Pages : 529

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Book Description


Assessment of Climate Change in the Southwest United States

Assessment of Climate Change in the Southwest United States PDF Author: Angela Jardine
Publisher: NCA Regional Input Reports
ISBN: 9781610914468
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Prepared for the 2013 National Climate Assessment and a landmark study in terms of its breadth and depth of coverage, this report blends the contributions of 120 experts in climate science, economics, ecology, engineering, geography, hydrology, planning, resources management, and other disciplines to provide the most comprehensive, and understandable, analysis to date about climate and its effects on the people and landscapes of Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah—including the U.S.-Mexico border region and the lands of Native Nations. What is the climate of the Southwest like today? What has it been like in the past, and how is it projected to change over the 21st century? How will that affect water resources, ecosystems, agricultural production, energy supply and delivery, transportation, human health, and a host of other areas? How vulnerable is the region to climate change? What else do we need to know about it, and how can we limit its adverse effects? In addressing these and other questions, the book offers decision makers and stakeholders a substantial basis from which to make informed choices that will affect the well-being of the region’s inhabitants in the decades to come.

Extreme Weather and Impacts of Climate Change on Water Resources in the Dobrogea Region

Extreme Weather and Impacts of Climate Change on Water Resources in the Dobrogea Region PDF Author: Maftei, Carmen
Publisher: IGI Global
ISBN: 1466684399
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 503

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Book Description
New technologies and assessment methods create improved opportunities to monitor and predict the onset of natural disasters in the era of global warming. Researchers continue to evaluate the changes in weather patterns in order to better understand natural phenomena. Extreme Weather and Impacts of Climate Change on Water Resources in the Dobrogea Region presents a descriptive environmental resource focused on a Romanian region affected by the changing climate. In discussing methods of assessment, monitoring, and prediction, the research included in this publication is an essential resource for policymakers, academicians, researchers, advanced-level students, technology developers, and government officials who wish to expand their research exposure to pertinent topics related to flooding and droughts due to climate change.

Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation

Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation PDF Author: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1107025060
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 593

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Book Description
Extreme weather and climate events, interacting with exposed and vulnerable human and natural systems, can lead to disasters. This Special Report explores the social as well as physical dimensions of weather- and climate-related disasters, considering opportunities for managing risks at local to international scales. SREX was approved and accepted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on 18 November 2011 in Kampala, Uganda.

Review of the Draft Fourth National Climate Assessment

Review of the Draft Fourth National Climate Assessment PDF Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309471699
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 207

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Book Description
Climate change poses many challenges that affect society and the natural world. With these challenges, however, come opportunities to respond. By taking steps to adapt to and mitigate climate change, the risks to society and the impacts of continued climate change can be lessened. The National Climate Assessment, coordinated by the U.S. Global Change Research Program, is a mandated report intended to inform response decisions. Required to be developed every four years, these reports provide the most comprehensive and up-to-date evaluation of climate change impacts available for the United States, making them a unique and important climate change document. The draft Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4) report reviewed here addresses a wide range of topics of high importance to the United States and society more broadly, extending from human health and community well-being, to the built environment, to businesses and economies, to ecosystems and natural resources. This report evaluates the draft NCA4 to determine if it meets the requirements of the federal mandate, whether it provides accurate information grounded in the scientific literature, and whether it effectively communicates climate science, impacts, and responses for general audiences including the public, decision makers, and other stakeholders.

Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States

Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States PDF Author: U.S. Global Change Research Program
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 0521144078
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 193

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Book Description
Summarizes the science of climate change and impacts on the United States, for the public and policymakers.

Climate Variability and Water Dependent Sectors

Climate Variability and Water Dependent Sectors PDF Author: Dannele E. Peck
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317614275
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 141

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Book Description
Demand for water in agricultural, municipal, industrial, and environmental uses is growing. More frequent and severe extreme weather conditions now exacerbate water shortages in many locations and existing infrastructure to store and release water rarely has the capacity to both prevent floods during wet periods and meet demand during drought periods. Competition among sectors adds pressure not only on water infrastructure, but also on management policies and allocation institutions. This book of contributed chapters assesses the performance of existing infrastructure, institutions and policies under different climate variability scenarios. It also provides suggestions for minimizing conflict over scarce water resources. More flexible water-allocation institutions and management policies, and better tools for decision-making under uncertainty will be required to maximize society’s net benefit from less reliable water resources. The chapters show how incentives for individuals to conserve water, and policies for helping vulnerable populations prepare for and recover from extreme events, will also need to be improved. This book was originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Natural Resources Policy Research.

Understanding Hydrological Extremes and their Impact in a Changing Climate: Observations, Modeling and Attribution

Understanding Hydrological Extremes and their Impact in a Changing Climate: Observations, Modeling and Attribution PDF Author: Xingcai Liu
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
ISBN: 2889665941
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 96

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Climate Change and Water Resources Management

Climate Change and Water Resources Management PDF Author: Levi D. Brekke
Publisher: DIANE Publishing
ISBN: 1437920497
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 76

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Book Description
Many challenges, including climate change, face the Nation¿s water managers. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has provided estimates of how climate may change, but more understanding of the processes driving the changes, the sequences of the changes, and the manifestation of these global changes at different scales could be beneficial. Since the changes will likely affect fundamental drivers of the hydrological cycle, climate change may have a large impact on water resources and water resources managers. The purpose of this interagency report is to explore strategies to improve water management by tracking, anticipating, and responding to climate change. Charts and tables.