National Water Program prepares for climate change
October 6th, 2008 by cdunaganThe Environmental Protection Agency has issued a report about what climate change could do to the nation’s water resources and how people should respond.
The report, from EPA’s National Water Program, is called Water Impacts of Climate Change (PDF 584 kb).
The report relies on scientific predictions, which suggest that climate change will bring warmer air and water, a shift in the location of rain and snow, increased storm intensity in some areas, a rise in sea level, and changes in the ocean ecosystem.
Some of the predicted effects:
- Oxygen: Warmer water will hold less oxygen, resulting in increased stress on aquatic organisms and an increase in harmful algal blooms,
- Pollution: Heavier precipitation will increase surface water flows, affecting aquatic health and releasing more nutrients, pathogens and toxic chemicals into water bodies.
- Water supplies: In some areas of the country, droughts will decrease water supplies for drinking, for industrial uses and for agriculture. In other areas, sea level rise will lead to salt water intrusion with similar effects on water supplies.
- Invasive species: As waters become warmer, aquatic life in many areas will be displaced by plants and animals better adapted to warmer waters. Because the changes will occur at an uneven pace, harmful species could become established.
- Combined effects: Coastal areas could see a combination of these various effects — including sea level rise, increased storm intensity and floods, reduction in drinking water supplies and greater ocean acidity.
As a result of these effects, the National Water Program is calling for five goals to respond to ongoing climate change:
- Goal 1, mitigation: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions through existing programs; promote carbon sequestration with regard to energy production and industrial processes; and support improved operation of water systems.
- Goal 2, adaptation: Be ready with new strategies to adjust to changes in watersheds, wetlands other natural systems. Develop tools and science to guide and support planning and management.
- Goal 3, research: Strengthen the link between EPA water programs and climate change researchers to allow water managers to anticipate changes.
- Goal 4, education: Educate federal, state and local water program managers to better anticipate and respond to climate change.
- Goal 5, management: The National Water Program should maintain its Climate Change Workgroup and reach out to other federal agencies dealing with climate change.
Tasks to be completed to help all regions of the U.S. adjust to the water-related impacts of climate change:
- Data: Agency scientists need to develop information to understand how the environment is changing.
- Extremes: Water managers need to plan and be prepared for extremes, including heavy storms, excess water and water shortages.
- Resilience: A “watershed approach” based on science should increase the long-term sustainability of ecosystems.
- Analysis: Water managers need to acquire a range of analytical tools to help them understand and respond to climate change.
- Partnerships: Sharing information across geographic areas and among levels of government should help water managers develop the best strategies in response to climate change.
Tags: Climate change, Environmental Protection Agency, global warming, water resources
Scripps Interactive Newspapers Group
October 6th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
One of the things the report says is, “Changes in climate could change the range and distribution of aquatic species with, for example, warm water species expanding their habitat range and increasing in number and cold water species reducing their range and being eliminated in some waters.”
Which means all of our salmon saving efforts may be doomed anyway.
So, should we take all the salmon restoration money and put it toward climate change mitigating water resource projects?
You can’t – on one hand – regulate water resource decisions under the assumption that climate change is happening and – on the other hand – regulate salmon recovery as though it isn’t.
Which is it?
October 7th, 2008 at 10:08 am
As I’ve said many times, I am not an expert on climate change. I would welcome comments from more knowledgeable people, but let me note that policy leaders have established goals. Some are outlined in the original post above.
So, how does this relate to salmon? Let me give it a shot, off the top of my head.
First, if greenhouse gases can be reduced, it will mitigate the effects of climate change. Maybe we won’t lose so many species, and maybe our adaptable Northwest salmon can survive.
Second, experts argue that if we develop adaptation strategies, it could reduce the ultimate impacts. For example, knowing that climate change is coming, we can make sure that streams are lined by trees, which will help cool the water. Low-impact development moves water underground, where it can be kept cooler. Cooler water is more favorable to salmon and less favorable to many of their predators. I’m sure researchers have other ideas for adaptation.
Third, only research can help identify reasonable actions in the light of so much uncertainty.
Perhaps the other two goals, education and management, are self-explanatory.