The Relationship Between Stream Temperature And Precipitation For Chestnut Branch

Climate change has been a topic of concern in many aspects of natural resource management in regards to ecological impacts from the effects of rapidly increasing air temperatures. In this paper we will look at those effects specifically on cold-water fishes within the Southern Rocky Mountains, mainly from Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico. The species most vulnerable to climate change are those that require cold and clean water conditions such as whitefish, grayling, char, trout, and salmon (Williams et al. 2015). The two main properties that are critical for fish survival are warm temperature and precipitation in regards to flow. The air temperatures within the Southern Rocky Mountains have increased faster than other

Shifts in temperature and precipitation will be a shock to fragile ecosystems which depend on specific climatic conditions. Many species will be unable to adapt as fast as their environment changes and face sharply reduced numbers or extinction. Scientists estimate that a warming of just 2 degree will put as many as 30% of the world's species at risk of extinction. Plants and animals aren’t the only ones feeling the pressure of changing ecosystems. Many regions will face severe water shortages in a warmer world, creating the potential for conflict. It is believed that the genocide in Sudan’s Darfur region is at least in part a response to water shortages resulting from global warming.

Climate change data was collected from the IPPC AR4 General Circulation Model (GCM). The GCM is regionally dependent and shows the different mixes of greenhouse gas concentration in the atmosphere. (Sheffield & Wood, 2007, p.81) The simple mutlicalar drought index (SPEI) is used to show the climatic water balance. Monthly or weekly difference physiologically equivalent temperature (PET) and precipitation and is calculated at different times. (Vicente-Serrano, Beguería, & López-Moreno, 2009, p. 1699) Streamflow data was obtained from the U.S. Geological Survey Hydrological Climate Date Network (HCDN). (Regonda, Rajagopalan, Clark, & Pitlick, 2004, p.374) Snowfall data is gathered from surveys that were performed by the Natural Resources Conservation Service and precipitation data was gathered from the National Weather Service Cooperative Network. (Regonda, Rajagopalan, Clark, & Pitlick, 2004, p.375)

Every year, streams and rivers are fed in the spring by fresh cold water given off by the melting snowpack. Since the 1950s, snowpack for spring snow melt in the mountains of the U.S. Northwest is declining, and this trend is projected to continue as the climate warms further this century. While precipitation has increased throughout the 1900s-2000s, temperature increases have had the overpowering affect on the snowpack (Hamelt 4559). Reduced snowpack and early snow melts in areas such as the Rockies, Sierras, and Cascades is likely to hurt hydropower during parts of the year, and to place other stresses on the region 's water supply (Serreze 35). Rivers that rely on the snowpack melt later in the spring such as the Columbia River or

It has been observed through various researches that in the last century, average temperatures across the globe increased by over 1.3°F with an increase of more than two times in the Arctic. (Bates, Kundzewicz, Wu, & Palutikof, June 2008). The results of climate change can also be seen in changing precipitation patterns, increases in ocean temperatures, changes in the sea level, and acidity and melting of glaciers and sea ice (USEPA, 2014).

Stoney creek is a salmon spawning stream located on Burnaby Mountain, British Columbia, Canada (The City of Burnaby, 2016). However, the site is constantly being threatened by nearby urban constructions and development (Stoney Creek Environment Committee, n.d.). Thus, organizations were created to protect, maintain and monitor this important salmon rearing stream (Stoney Creek Environment Committee, n.d.). A few methods that the organizations utilize to analyse Stoney Creek, is to survey its habitat conditions and test the water quality and quantity (Taccogna et al., 1995). This will require the assessment of vegetation availability, flow velocity, volume, discharge, water chemistry and conditions (Taccogna et al., 1995). Compiling and documenting

Study of past geomorphic responses to similar climate changes can provide clues regarding how the region’s watersheds will be affected by ongoing global warming, making this study’s findings relevant to land managers.

Average global temperatures have risen 0.6°C in the last century (Walther, 2002). Warmer water temperature has been shown to kill fish such as trout (Huntsman, 1942) North American summers are predicted to become warmer and drier. The effects of climate change are predicted to have more impact in freshwater than in the ocean. Salmonid fishes will potentially be strongly affected by the predicted climate change. Water temperature effects the rates of biochemical reactions in fishes that are ectothermic. The average upper thermal limit that salmonid species can tolerate is approximately 23.8°C. Thermal limits are influenced by the individual fish’s size, age, and physiological state. (Jonsson & Jonsson, 2009) With the predicted climate change,

The global climate has increased by approximately 0.6°C over the last 100 years (Walther et al. 2002). This increased rate of changes is largely due to humans: the industrial revolution, the advancement of technology and burning of fossil fuels (Timmermann et al. 1999). This human involvement has gradually changed the natural order of the environment and many of its processes. Some of these environmental conditions are not easily predictable, as these climatic changes are also increasing more extreme weather events such as: droughts in the savannah country, floods in low lying areas and an increase in intensity of cyclonic events (Knutson et al. 2010).

In recent years the concern about climate warming has changed to climate change, and climatic factors like precipitation amounts and intensities on one hand and evapotranspiration on the other hand will vary region by region (Ward, 2015). There is a wide range of models, and assessing accuracy and deciding on parameters proves difficult, but consensus amongst scientists and key climate projections, such as UKCP09, for the coming decades indicate that climate change will almost certainly have long lasting and often major impacts for Scottish catchment hydrology and river flow regimes (Climate ready Scotland, 2014).

In the west about seventy percent of the regions precipitation falls during winter. States such as Arizona and New Mexico are critically dependent on this for their water source. As a result of earlier melting snowpacks, and more winter rains instead of snow, many scientists have stressed that drought, decreased water supplies, and floods will be a result. With this earlier melting of snow and stream flows it can cause a stress on plants resulting in a longer dry season between winter and monsoon season thus increasing the risk of forest fires. The melting of snow will result in a more elevated stream flow which lead to a greater risk of spring flooding. This climate change and decrease in water, the cost of maintaining and improving drinking water will greatly increase. Already today in California, a drinking water infrastructure’s needs are an estimated 4.6 billion annually over the next ten years even without taking into the effects of climate change. Farming and agriculture will also be effected greatly in a negative way. A warmer and drier climate is predicted to accelerate water reservoirs to a more urban environment thus taking away from agriculturally driven

The hydrology of the watersheds is regulated by the seasonal influences of a temperate climate, with its maximum flows occurring during snowmelt and its’ minimum flows occurring during base flow in late summer.

To determine how climate change has affected water resources, we have first have to look at the amount of water in the last decade and how that has changed today. According to Cornea and Roca (2011), the estimated amount of water present in the world is about 1.4 billion cubic kilometres (p.427). However, due to global warming, the researchers suggest that “rising in global temperatures has led to the intensification of the hydrological cycle,

Precipitation rates are predicted to increase by about 25 percent by 2050 in response to global warming. However, at regional scales, this increase will be unevenly distributed with either increases or decreases projected in different areas (Knutson and Tuleya, 1999; Walsh and Ryan, 2000; Houghton et al., 2001). Changes in precipitation patterns caused by climate change may have a profound effect on both the growth of mangroves and their aerial extent (Field, 1995; Snedaker, 1995). Regional climate models predict that precipitation will decrease in certain areas (e.g., Central America during the months of winter, Australia in winter) (Houghton et al., 2001). Decreased precipitation may not

by Robert Goodland and Jeff Anhang; and a most recent synthesis report by the Intergovernmental on Climate Change (hereinafter IPCC). Apart from that, secondary data will also be reviewed throughout the research project by using a range of information sources such as academic articles and reliable Internet search engines to aid the research.