The LCCs are partnerships of governmental (federal, state, tribal and local) and non-governmental entities. The primary goal of the LCCs is to bring together science and resource management to inform climate adaptation strategies to address climate change and other stressors within an ecological region, or "landscape." Each LCC will function in a specific geographic area and together will form a national and ultimately an international network. To learn more about LCCs go to www.fws.gov/science/SHC/lcc.html.

The Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) and the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) are the co-leads, as well as partners, in the effort to establish the Desert and Southern Rockies LCCs. Reclamation and FWS are in the process of establishing Steering Committees for each of the LCCs. The Steering Committees will guide the LCC activities once they are established.
(Map of Desert and Southern Rockies LCCs)

National LCC GIS Datasets

Research Projects to Boost Science Receive $1.7 Million in WaterSMART Funding for Desert and Southern Rockies Landscape Conservation Cooperatives - (August 15, 2012) Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Michael L. Connor announced today 12 applied science projects will receive $1.2 million, and Reclamation will partner with other federal agencies and contribute $451,835 to applied science projects to benefit the Desert and Southern Rockies Landscape Conservation Cooperatives. This funding will be matched to provide more than $3.5 million for these applied science projects. More... | List of Projects Selected

Desert LCC Report Available - (July 23, 2012) The Desert LCC has released a report summarizing the activities of the Desert Landscape Conservation Cooperative. Report (PDF)

Listserve - Reclamation has launched a listserve that you can join if you would like to be notified of the latest information on the Desert or Southern Rockies LCCs. Just send an email to the Listserve and you will be joined to it.

Genevieve Johnson Selected as Coordinator of Desert Landscape Conservation Cooperative - (May 3, 2012) Genevieve Johnson has been selected as Coordinator for the Desert Landscape Conservation Cooperative (LCC). Johnson will provide ongoing facilitation and operational leadership to the Desert LCC consistent with the goals, objectives and guidance of the Desert LCC Steering Committee. More...

Informational webinar; Downscaled hydrology information (Now available) and the Colorado River Basin Study - Reclamation invited the Desert and Southern Rockies LCC partners to participate in an informational webinar on January 10, 2012.  The purpose of the webinar was to inform LCC partners on the Colorado River Basin Water Supply and Demand Study and the new downscaled climate and hydrology projections that have been developed through the West-Wide Climate Risk Assessments.  Basin Studies, WWCRAs, and LCCs activities are complementary and represent Reclamation’s three-part approach to the assessment of climate change impacts on water supplies and the identification of adaptation strategies.  

Carly Jerla, Co-Study Manager for the Colorado River Basin Study, presented a summary of the study activities completed to date, as well as an overview of Phase 4 activities.  Katrina Grantz, Technical Lead for WWCRAs, provided an overview on WWCRAs activities and described the climate and hydrology projection data that is currently available for use by stakeholders. 

Background Information:

Colorado River Basin Water Supply and Demand Study
The Bureau of Reclamation's Upper Colorado and Lower Colorado Regions, in collaboration with representatives of the seven Colorado River Basin States (non-federal Cost Share Partners), are currently conducting  the "Colorado River Basin Water Supply and Demand Study" under Reclamation's Basin Study Program. Reclamation recently announced the initiation of Phase 4 of the Colorado River Basin Water Supply and Demand Study: Development and Evaluation of Opportunities for Balancing Water Supply and Demand.  During this phase, the Basin Study team is seeking input on a broad range of options to help resolve future water supply and demand imbalances in the Colorado River.  The team will explore the effectiveness of various options and groupings of options for helping resolve projected future imbalances.  Additional information on the Study, including a report describing the preliminary assessment of potential future imbalances, the process for submitting options, and how options will be evaluated is available online at: http://www.usbr.gov/lc/region/programs/crbstudy.html

West-Wide Climate Risk Assessments (Future hydrology projection data now available)
The WWCRAs identify risks to water supplies and demands and impacts to operations within eight major Reclamation river basins. The WWCRAs focus on the development of consistent baseline information of the risks and impacts associated with climate change as they relate to the mission of the Bureau of Reclamation.  WWCRA implementation activities focus on consistent west-wide assessments of Climate Projections, Surface Water Supply, Water Demand, Risks to Operations, and Impacts on Aquatic Ecosystems for each of the eight major Reclamation river basins.  Future projections of runoff, snowpack and evapotranspiration across the entire Western United States developed through the WWCRAs are now available on line at: http://gdo-dcp.ucllnl.org/downscaled_cmip3_projections/dcpInterface.html.  Additional information about WWCRAs activities can be found at: http://www.usbr.gov/WaterSMART/wcra/index.html

Climate Science Center Funded Projects for Southwest and North-Central Climate Science Centers

Last updated: 10/12/12