Human-induced climate change is accelerating a water crisis in the American West, reports a study published this week in the journal Science.
Analyzing shifts in river flow, snow pack and winter air temperatures in the Western United States for the past 50 years, Barnett and colleagues show that up to 60 percent of theses changes can be attributed to human-caused climate change. The authors call for fundamental changes to the science behind water planning and policy.
“Our results are not good news for those living in the western United States,” write the researchers, noting that the changes may make “modifications to the water infrastructure of the western U.S. a virtual necessity.”
The authors say that federal, state and local water agencies “have operated on the premise that historical patterns could be counted on to continue. The assumption was that variability from year to year occurred within stationary, unchanging patterns.” The new research shows these assumptions are no longer safe.
“With the climate changing, past years aren’t necessarily representative of the future anymore,” said co-author Dennis Lettenmaier, a professor of civil engineering at the University of Washington. “This paper says that the way business has been done in the past will no longer work in a changing climate.” Global warming worsening U.S. water crisis mongabay.com January 31, 2008
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Analyzing shifts in river flow, snow pack and winter air temperatures in the Western United States for the past 50 years, Barnett and colleagues show that up to 60 percent of theses changes can be attributed to human-caused climate change. The authors call for fundamental changes to the science behind water planning and policy.
“Our results are not good news for those living in the western United States,” write the researchers, noting that the changes may make “modifications to the water infrastructure of the western U.S. a virtual necessity.”
The authors say that federal, state and local water agencies “have operated on the premise that historical patterns could be counted on to continue. The assumption was that variability from year to year occurred within stationary, unchanging patterns.” The new research shows these assumptions are no longer safe.
“With the climate changing, past years aren’t necessarily representative of the future anymore,” said co-author Dennis Lettenmaier, a professor of civil engineering at the University of Washington. “This paper says that the way business has been done in the past will no longer work in a changing climate.” Global warming worsening U.S. water crisis mongabay.com January 31, 2008
LINK to ENERGY SAVING PRODUCTS