DMCA
For Clean Water Services
BibTeX
@MISC{Palmer_forclean,
author = {Richard N. Palmer and Erin Clancy and Nathan T. Vanrheenen and Matthew W. Wiley},
title = {For Clean Water Services},
year = {}
}
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Abstract
This report addresses the potential future impacts of climate change on the Tualatin River Basin and the region’s ability to meet current and future water demands. Although there is a growing preponderance of evidence that the earth’s climate is changing, the exact type and magnitude of change that will occur in the future in relatively small river basins is not easily estimated. To address this issue, the report presents the results of a series of loosely-integrated models that track the impacts of climate change on precipitation and temperature, on streamflow, and finally, on water management. Impacts on Temperature and Precipitation Using the average output of six General Circulation Models of global climate, it is estimated that average monthly temperatures will increase by as much as 2°F by 2040 and as much as 4°F by 2080. The increase in temperatures will be the most dramatic during the winter and summer months. Although average annual precipitation will increase in future decades, this will be due to increased precipitation in the winter months. Summer months, particularly the late summer, will become drier. This will stress the ability of the Tualatin system to meet water temperature standards and maintain instream flows. Figures ES1 and ES2 summarize the predicted impacts of climate change on temperature and precipitation, respectively.
Keyphrases
climate change clean water service summer month late summer figure es1 potential future impact average output loosely-integrated model exact type average annual precipitation predicted impact water temperature standard precipitation using general circulation model global climate tualatin system future decade small river basin winter month water management earth climate instream flow average monthly temperature future water demand tualatin river basin
