April 19, 2018: Balancing on a Roller Coaster: Water Policy and planning in a Changing Climate
Kathleen Miller, National Center for Atmospheric Research
Changes in the hydrosphere will play a large role in driving the impacts of anthropogenic climate change on human communities and natural systems. A growing likelihood of erratic shifts between extreme wet and dry periods may be especially problematic. It is important to take these shifting risks and opportunities into account when developing long-range policies and plans for the management of water, land use and infrastructure development. It also is important to base those efforts on a clear understanding of the current institutional and infrastructural context for water management. In particular, the existing structure of interests, entitlements, and decision-making authorities will shape both ongoing conflicts and potential pathways for building resilience to future changes in water availability and flooding risks. Uncertainties regarding the local-scale nature and timing of the hydrologic impacts of climate change are unavoidable, but uncertainty is nothing new in the context of water resource management. In this talk, I will describe our current understanding of the impacts of climate change and ongoing natural variability on water resources. I will then address key challenges for responding to those impacts, and discuss pathways forward.