Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Secure Water Act Report to Congress -- DOI

This report  Reclamation Climate Change and Water 2011 from the Bireau of Reclamation assesses climate change risks and how these risks could impact water operations, hydropower, flood control, and fish and wildlife in the western United States.

The report to Congress represents the first consistent and coordinated assessment of risks to future water supplies across eight major Reclamation river basins, including the Colorado, Rio Grande and Missouri river basins.  The report, which responds to requirements under the SECURE Water Act of 2009, shows several increased risks to western United States water resources during the 21st century.

The report notes that projected changes in temperature and precipitation are likely to impact the timing and quantity of stream flows in all western basins, which could impact water available to farms and cities, hydropower generation, fish and wildlife, and other uses such as recreation.

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