Regional Effects of Climate Change on Freshwater Systems
Rapidly rising average global temperatures are now predicted with great confidence. There is less certainty about exactly how the climate will change in each region.
Most climate models suggest that a majority of arid areas, such as the U.S. Southwest, will be hotter and still drier than they are today. Most other areas will be warmer and wetter, but with altered timing of precipitation and snowmelt. Virtually everywhere, summers will be significantly warmer, spring will arrive earlier, fall will arrive later, and water distribution and timing will change at least to some degree. While at least some change to your watersed is all but inevitable, you can still play an important role in determining how drastic those changes will ultimately be. To find out how you can help by saving water and energy, click here.
The U.S. EPA has prepared a summary of anticipated regional changes, with links to many additional sources of information. Other good sources of information include:
National Center for Atmospheric Research
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
California Department of Water Resources
A look back at how the climate has changed recently provides clues about what changes we might expect as warming continues and accelerates. Below are two figures from the most recent IPCC report showing temperature and precipitation trends around the world.
Click on your region below to see what climate change impacts the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies predicts for your water supply.
For information on the water crisis facing the western United States and how it might be minimized in the coming decades, click here.
