Water and Climate

Climate change has many impacts on our natural resources, including shifts to the local and regional hydrologic (water-flow) cycle. For example, in many areas of our country, frequency of droughts and extreme rainfall events are increasing. Every year seems to bring about an earlier spring melt and increased surface water temperatures. These new patterns are expected to continue and to shift outside of historical trends – making forecasting our water quality and supply more difficult. Additionally, more than two thirds of our country is anticipating water shortages over the next several years.

EPA conducts research to better understand these growing impacts of climate change on water quality and availability. This cutting-edge science helps determine and support new strategies for managing watersheds and wastewater while reducing water-related energy demands. In order to protect public health and the health of our ecosystems in the face of a changing climate, EPA research focuses on:

• Modeling climate-related water resource stressors such as nutrient pollution
• Analyzing biological indicators, such as microbial, and habitat indicators, such as hydrologic alteration, to determine the condition of the watershed
• Determining how climate change affects water quality, flow patterns, and flooding risk
• Understanding estuarine and coastal vulnerabilities to climate-related factors
• Designing predictive tools for improved land use management and water utility practices
• Developing adaptation strategies, including economic, social, and ecological approaches to meet climate-related challenges.

Links

Featured Stories:
Science Matters: Saving our Estuaries: EPA's Climate Ready Estuaries Program Plans Ahead
Science Matters: Climate Change and Aquatic Invasive Species

Workshops/Reports:
Freshwater Biological Traits Database Report
US EPA Proceedings: First National Expert and Stakeholder Workshop on Water Infrastructure Sustainability and Adaptation to Climate Change
Aquatic Ecosystems, Water Quality, and Global Change:  Challenges of Conducting Multi-stressor Global Change Vulnerability Assessments
Climate Ready Estuaries Report -- Volume I
Climate Ready Estuaries Report -- Volume II

Additional Research Webpages:
Global Change Impacts & Adaptation
Water Resource Adaptation Program
Risk Management: Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation
Risk Managment Accomplishments & Activities: Climate Change
Water Quality and Availability
Geologic Sequestration of Carbon
Climate Change and Nutrient Interaction

Tools:
Freshwater Biological Traits Database
Climate Ready Estuaries Coastal Toolkit
BASINS 4.0 Climate Assessment Tool (CAT): Supporting Documentation and User's Manual
WEPPCAT: An Online Tool for Assessing and Managing the Potential Impacts of Climate Change on Sediment Loading to Streams