USCGRP’s Fourth National Climate Assessment Highlights Impacts and Challenges for Water Sector

On November 23rd, the U.S. Global Change Research Program released Volume II of the Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA). The NCA report to Congress is required every four years by the Global Change Research Act of 1990. This Fourth NCA is provided in two volumes. This report, Volume II, draws on the foundational science described in Volume I, the Climate Science Special Report, that was released in November 2017. Volume II focuses on the human welfare, societal, and environmental elements of climate change and variability for ten regions and 18 national topics. The purpose of the assessment is to help inform decision-makers, utility and natural resource managers, public health officials, emergency planners, and other stakeholders by examining the effects of climate change on the US.

Chapter three of the report is on water resources and includes ten key messages for climate change impacts on: 1) the water cycle; 2) water resources use and management; and 3) adaptation and institutional responses. The summary of report findings on water are that “The quality and quantity of water available for use by people and ecosystems across the country are being affected by climate change, increasing risks and costs to agriculture, energy production, industry, recreation, and the environment.” For more information and to read the report, go to: https://nca2018.globalchange.gov/.