ASSESSING THE ROLE OF CLIMATE ON WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

Abstract Many water supply sources (rivers, lakes, groundwater, basins, etc) are already over allocated, suffered degraded water quality and are often not in sufficient conditions to support endangered species. Climate change will exacerbate these water challenges; leading to insufficient water for people and the environment and making it increasingly difficult to meet the needs of both. Implementing actions now to improve water quality and supplies, protect aquatic ecosystems and improve flood management not only make sense, but early will also help reduce future impacts related to climate change. Even if greenhouse gas emissions we reduced today, there is already warming "in the pipeline" that will create additional impacts. Adaptation is not a solution to climate change, however, given the importance of water resources, immediate action is needed to avert significant societal impacts. Reducing the emissions that cause climate change is critical step to be taken and water resource managers and policy makers must act now to adapt to the effects of warming that have already occurred or are unavoidable.