University of Nevada, Reno

This project examines community perceptions and decisions about climate science, economics, and policies associated with resilience strategies that address increasing water scarcity in the Southwest. Strategies to be evaluated include: investments in built infrastructure (e.g., reservoirs and pipelines); incentive-based risk-sharing agreements; and watershed ecosystem services. The project emphasizes how ecosystem services can buffer water impacts of climate change, as well as the potential for climate mitigation as a strategy to enhance water supply security. Project outputs will include a replicable method for co-producing resilient water-related climate adaptation and mitigation strategies, including scientific and economic evaluation. Potential outcomes include improved water supply reliability and cooperation on adapting to shortages for a regional economy that exceeds $3 trillion annually.

Impact Case Study - Water Resource Planning: Community-Based Responses to Climate-Related Water Challenges

Project Partners: School of Natural Resources and the Environment, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Arizona Department of Water Resources, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Central Arizona Project, Salt River Project, University of Nevada, Reno,  University of Colorado, Sonoran Institute, The Nature Conservancy
 

Additional Funders: U.S. Dept. of the Interior – Southwest Climate Science Center, U.S. Department of Interior—Landscape Conservation Cooperatives

In spring 2018, a group of Colorado River basin water providers approached the CLIMAS and Western Water Assessment (WWA) RISAS with a request for a comprehensive, state-of-the-science synthesis of the science related to Colorado River climate and hydrology. WWA took the lead in working with 15 researchers and 14 water agencies to develop a report. The final report, over 500 pages in length, was the culmination of 2 years of work to compile and interpret the latest research on this topic. By synthesizing the state of the science in the Colorado River Basin regarding climate and hydrology, this report seeks to establish a broadly shared understanding that can guide the strategic integration of new research into practice. https://wwa.colorado.edu/publications/reports/CRBreport/.

This web page documents the process through which this report was generated. https://sway.office.com/F1DIHYaF36kgDuqK?ref=Link

Project Partners:  National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, University of Nevada, Reno,  University of Colorado, Boulder, NOAA National Snow and Ice Data Center, ETH Zürich, Lynker Technologies
 

Additional Funders: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Colorado Water Conservation Board, Southern Nevada Water Authority

Persistent drought and climate change affect water and energy costs, and hence choices made by farms, cities and industrial water and energy users, as well as energy and water providers’ operations. This project examines potential climate change and variability adaptation strategies related to water and energy in the Colorado River and Rio Grande Basins, including northwestern Mexico. Researchers are investigating how climate influences the market price of water and developing a menu of water and energy supply reliability tools with guidelines for using these tools.