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Title: WATER RESOURCES AND CLIMATE

Author
item Garbrecht, Jurgen
item PIECHOTA, THOMAS - UNIV. OF NEBRASKA

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/1/2006
Publication Date: 3/1/2006
Citation: Garbrecht, J.D., Piechota, T.C. 2006. Water resources and climate. In: Garbrecht, J.D., Piechota, T.C., editors. Climate Variations, Climate Change, and Water Resources Engineering. Reston, VA:American Society of Civil Engineers. p. 19-33.

Interpretive Summary: Water resources engineers and managers routinely deal with changes in water availability, demand, and usage. The effects of climate change and variations on water resources represent an additional consideration among others. A book “Climate Change, Climate Variations and Water Resources Engineering” provides the practicing water resources engineer with an overview of the multiple facets of climate change and climate variability that are relevant to water resources. This chapter reviews climate change and variability impacts on hydrology, vulnerability, adaptation, and applications. It was recognized that the water resources decision making process involves many non-climatic considerations (urban sprawl, financial, safety, legal, institutional, uncertain projections, etc.), and water management actions have rarely been taken explicitly and solely to cope with decade-long climate variations or long-term climate change. However, many of the risk-reducing measures taken to alleviate impacts due to non-climatic reasons (higher flood protections, water demand management, increased water conservation, water transfers, etc.) also alleviate anticipated impacts of climate variations and change on water supply and risk. Water resources systems that are most vulnerable are those that are already stressed, have limited capacity, or are subject to strong increase in demand.

Technical Abstract: Water resources engineers and managers routinely deal with changes in water availability, demand, and usage. The effects of climate change and variations on water resources represent an additional consideration among others. A book “Climate Change, Climate Variations and Water Resources Engineering” provides the practicing water resources engineer with an overview of the multiple facets of climate change and climate variability that are relevant to water resources. This chapter reviews climate change and variability impacts on hydrology, vulnerability, adaptation, and applications. It was recognized that the water resources decision making process involves many non-climatic considerations (urban sprawl, financial, safety, legal, institutional, uncertain projections, etc.), and water management actions have rarely been taken explicitly and solely to cope with decade-long climate variations or long-term climate change. However, many of the risk-reducing measures taken to alleviate impacts due to non-climatic reasons (higher flood protections, water demand management, increased water conservation, water transfers, etc.) also alleviate anticipated impacts of climate variations and change on water supply and risk. Water resources systems that are most vulnerable are those that are already stressed, have limited capacity, or are subject to strong increase in demand.