Calif. Water Agency Wants Managers to Develop Climate Strategies
The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) has detailed how climate change is affecting the state's water supplies in a report, "Managing an Uncertain Future: Climate Change Adaptation Strategies for California's Water."
The report proposes 10 adaptation strategies in four categories. Chief among those recommendations is that California must develop a sustained investment strategy to reliably finance the state's water future. The report suggests that regional and local entities implement a diverse portfolio of water management techniques to better address uncertainties of changing water patterns. This management approach, known as Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM), is already in place throughout the state and a key part of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's vision for California's water future. IRWM will become the core strategy in water planning to adapt to the challenges posed by climate change.
The report strongly suggests that statewide water management systems also adapt as the climate changes. Strategies include coordination of land use, watersheds, reservoirs, floodplains, and aquifers to protect public safety, preserve water quality, and supply and provide for the ecosystem. California must expand research of climate change and its impact on water and the environment as well.
To view the report, visit http://www.water.ca.gov/climatechange/articles.cfm.