Climate change and infrastructure in the Sierra Nevada
| Authors: | Gordon R. Keller, Leslie J. Boak, Michael Furniss |
| Year: | 2021 |
| Type: | General Technical Report |
| Station: | Pacific Southwest Research Station |
| Source: | Gen. Tech. Rep. PSW-GTR-272. Albany, CA: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Research Station: 49-179. Chapter 4. |
Abstract
The Sierra Nevada is a biologically diverse and socially important region of California, providing water, timber, rangeland, recreation, and many other ecosystem services. A significant amount of infrastructure (roads, bridges, structures, etc.) is needed to support these services. In recent years, a period of major drought has led to tree mortality and wildfires. Rainstorms following wildfires have caused debris slides, washouts, and erosion. Billions of dollars of damage to roads, trails, culverts, bridges, dams, campgrounds, buildings, and other infrastructure have been caused by wildfires, extreme rain events, floods, and debris slides.
To address these issues, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service (USFS) conducted a vulnerability assessment on the effects of climatic variability and change on infrastructure in the 10 national forest units of the Sierra Nevada. The assessment was led by the USFS Pacific Southwest Region in partnership with the USFS Office of Sustainability and Climate, Pacific Southwest Research Station, Pacific Northwest Research Station, and the University of Washington. This assessment is intended to be a resource for the agency and its partners to inform ongoing and future planning and projects. Resources at risk were identified by documenting sensitivities to climate-related factors from the scientific literature and expert knowledge (risk assessment), then options for responding to sensitivities were identified from existing best management practices (BMPs) and information elicited from resource managers (risk management).