IMPLICATIONS OF CLIMATE WARMING ON LOCAL WATER MANAGEMENT IN THE SOUTH FORK OF THE AMERICAN RIVER, CALIFORNIA

摘要

The above example illustrates how the WEAP framework can be used as a decision support tool by water managers to explore how future changes in climate and other stressors could impact their ability to achieve management goals, in this case new IFR regulations. The example also demonstrates well how the tool can be used by local resource managers to develop adaptation strategies to climate change. While only a simple climate sensitivity experiment was presented here, WEAP can readily accommodate single or multiple climate time series developed by any appropriate climate downscaling methodology. From these time series, WEAP can generate hydro-logic responses that are characteristic of a watershed under consideration. These future hydrologic conditions, in turn, drive the analysis of how a water system might be operated to meet multiple objectives. All of this analysis takes place within integrated, user-friendly, transparent, readily available software. Collaboration continues with water managers from the El Dorado Irrigation District on the use of WEAP as a decision support tool for water management under current and future climate and management conditions.