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Reclamation Releases Literature Synthesis on Climate Change Implications for Reclamation's Water Resources
Media Contact:
Peter Soeth, 303-445-3615, psoeth@usbr.gov
For Release: February 22, 2010
Building on Secretary Salazar's announcement today of the WaterSMART initiative, Reclamation today released a scientific report summarizing recent literature on the past and projected effects of climate change on hydrology and water resources in the western United States.
The report entitled "The Literature Synthesis on Climate Change Implications for Reclamation's Water Resources," leverages the latest understanding of the science of climate change and ongoing research.
"This information will provide a foundation for water resources planning by providing consistent, peer-reviewed material to staff throughout Reclamation and water managers throughout the West," said Commissioner Michael L. Connor.
The scientific data is organized around the five Reclamation regions, which correspond roughly with the Columbia River basin, the Sacramento-San Joaquin Rivers, the upper Colorado River basin, the lower Colorado River basin, and the Great Plains.
It was developed following talks of the Climate Change and Water Working Group, a partnership between Reclamation, NOAA, U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. This group identified that water managers and planners needed consistent, credible material that could provide a background for many kinds of operational and environmental studies. This document will be updated annually to take advantage of ongoing research developments.
You may view or download the report at www.usbr.gov/research/docs/climatechangelitsynthesis.pdf.
Reclamation's Technical Service Center's Water Operations and Planning Support Group prepared this report. It was reviewed by staff from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Regional Integrated Science and Assessment centers; the Western Water Assessment at the University of Colorado; the California Applications Program at the University of California San Diego; the Climate Assessment for the Southwest at the University of Arizona; the Climate Impacts Group at the University of Washington; and the Southern Climate Impacts Planning Program headquartered at the University of Oklahoma.
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