Running dry: Where will the West get its water?

J. Thompson

Treesearch

Running dry: Where will the West get its water?

Informally Refereed

Authors:

J. Thompson

Year:

2007

Type:

Science Findings

Station:

Pacific Northwest Research Station

Source:

Science Findings 97. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p

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Download (PDF 815 KB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/28879.pdf

Abstract

Late summer streamflow in western and central Oregon and northern California is almost exclusively due to immense groundwater storage in the Cascade Range. The volume of water stored in permeable lava flows in the Cascades is seven times that stored as snow. Nonetheless, until recently, virtually all examinations of streamflow trends under future climates in the West have focused on the anticipated loss of snowpack. This has painted an incomplete picture of the looming water resource crisis that is expected because of global warming.

Keywords

Groundwater, hydrology, Cascade Range, snowpack, climate change, streamflow

Citation

Thompson, J. 2007. Running dry: Where will the West get its water?. Science Findings 97. Portland, OR: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station. 5 p