Confluence of Conservation and Local Community Planning on Aquatic Climate Adaptation

Climate models project considerably warmer temperatures, a more truncated precipitation season, and greatly reduced snow pack across the western United States by the late 21^st century.  Over the past four years Geos Institute has been working with communities and natural resource managers in six basins and two states to brainstorm approaches for reducing the vulnerability of natural and human systems to these changing climate conditions.  

Experts on aquatic ecosystems, agriculture, and community infrastructure all react similarly to these projections … “Ee gads! How are our fish / our crops / our residents going to make it through such wet winters /  dry summers?” Despite a substantial trend in the United States toward restoring fish migration routes and improving water quality by removing dams, our collective reaction to climate change may put dams right back on the screen as a way to store winter precipitation for summer use and keep floodplain developments from frequent flooding. However, maintaining migration and movement corridors will be essential to providing our native fishes the opportunity to adapt to changing conditions.

Recommendations that benefit natural resources and human communities offered by community groups working with Geos Institute can help fisheries professionals and aquatic ecologists navigate the “minefields” as they work to develop adaptation strategies for changing temperature and precipitation patterns.