Merced River below Lake McSwain Dam
Water Resource Management Will Be Among Topics at Climate Symposium
August 21, 2015 - SACRAMENTO -- Impacts for California under a changing climate include rising seas, longer droughts, less snowpack, higher temperatures and earlier snowmelt – all outcomes of climate change that already are underway and projected to continue. They are among the substantial hydrologic changes that will challenge current and future generations of Californians.
To improve the scientific basis for decisions and enhance the consistency of climate change approaches, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) empaneled a Climate Change Technical Advisory Group for guidance on the scientific aspects of climate change, its impacts on water resources, the use and creation of planning approaches and analytical tools and the development of adaptation responses.
The diverse professional team of scientists and practitioners tackled these complicated issues in “Perspectives and Guidance for Climate Change Analysis,” which is released today:http://www.water.ca.gov/climatechange/docs/2015/Perspectives_Guidance_Climate_Change_ Analysis.pdf Analysis.pdf
Actions taken in response to climate change will move California toward more sustainable management of water and related resources. This report assesses climate models to be used in the State’s 4th Assessment Report, which will be announced at the California Climate Change Symposium on August 24-25. The symposium’s program is available here:http://www.californiascience.org/#program.
Additional information on the impacts of climate change on California and adaptation strategies can be found in “California Climate Science and Data for Water Resources Management,” edited by Elissa Lynn, Program Manager of DWR’s Climate Change Adaptation Program. The report was released in June 2015:http://www.water.ca.gov/climatechange/docs/CA_Climate_Science_and_Data_Final_Release_June_2015.pdf
