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Title: Drought management recommendations for California (Published Abstract for 68th Annual Meeting of the Western Forest Insect Work Conference)

Author
item FETTIG, CHRISTOPHER - Us Forest Service (FS)
item WUENSCHEL, AMARINA - Us Forest Service (FS)
item Balachowski, Jennifer
item BUTZ, RAMONA - Us Forest Service (FS)
item JACOBSEN, ANNA - California State University
item NORTH, MALCOLM - Us Forest Service (FS)
item Ostoja, Steven
item PRATT, BRANDON - California State University
item STANDIFORD, RICHARD - University Of California

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/26/2018
Publication Date: 3/26/2018
Citation: Fettig, C.J., Wuenschel, A., Balachowski, J.A., Butz, R.J., Jacobsen, A., North, M., Ostoja, S.M., Pratt, B., Standiford, R. 2018. Drought management recommendations for California. 68th Annual Meeting of the Western Forest Insect Work Conference, Denver, CO, March 2018. Meeting Abstract. http://wfiwc.org/content/68th-western-forest-insect-work-conference-denver-co-march-26-29.

Interpretive Summary: The state of California is an excellent example of society’s vulnerability to drought. As the sixth largest economy in the world, California is home to nearly 39.3 million people and an agricultural and forestry sector of international significance. The most recent drought (2012–2016) in California was characterized by large precipitation deficits and abnormally high temperatures during both the wet and dry seasons (1). While consecutive years of drought are not uncommon in California, this event was the most severe in the last 1,200 years (2) and may foreshadow future impacts of drought within the state. For example, using 21st century projections of warming and the RCP8.5 emissions scenario total snowpack is projected to decline by 85% during this century (3). Like most western states, mountain snowpacks are a critical resource in California, and supply water for multiple uses throughout much of the state. This poster is based on our contribution to Drought Impacts on U.S. Forests and Rangelands: Translating Science into Management Responses, which will be published later this year. Here we highlight management options for minimizing impacts and for facilitating recovery in several ecotypes in California.

Technical Abstract: The state of California is an excellent example of society’s vulnerability to drought. As the sixth largest economy in the world, California is home to nearly 39.3 million people and an agricultural and forestry sector of international significance. The most recent drought (2012–2016) in California was characterized by large precipitation deficits and abnormally high temperatures during both the wet and dry seasons (1). While consecutive years of drought are not uncommon in California, this event was the most severe in the last 1,200 years (2) and may foreshadow future impacts of drought within the state. For example, using 21st century projections of warming and the RCP8.5 emissions scenario total snowpack is projected to decline by 85% during this century (3). Like most western states, mountain snowpacks are a critical resource in California, and supply water for multiple uses throughout much of the state. This poster is based on our contribution to Drought Impacts on U.S. Forests and Rangelands: Translating Science into Management Responses, which will be published later this year. Here we highlight management options for minimizing impacts and for facilitating recovery in several ecotypes in California.