January 2012 IWCS now available

The Intermountain West Climate Summary for January 2012 is available here.

New UCS report on water use in power plants, led by WWA's Kristen Averyt

In November, the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) released a report entitled "Freshwater Use by U.S. Power Plants: Electricity’s Thirst for a Precious Resource". This report is the first systematic assessment of the effects of power plant cooling on water resources across the country, and of the quality of information in this area available to decision makers. WWA's Kristen Averyt served as lead researcher and lead author for the report, which is part of the Energy and Water in a Warming World (EW3) Initiative.

Go to the UCS website to learn more and download the report.

Utah Bark Beetles and Watersheds Workshop - December 1, 2011

This workshop was convened by WWA and the US Forest Service Intermountain Region and Rocky Mountain Research Station to explore the water-related impacts of bark beetle infestations in Utah and the Rocky Mountain West. Over 40 forest managers, water managers, snowpack and streamflow forecasters, and others participated in-person, with many others participating online.

Go to the workshop homepage to access the presentations and video.

Colorado Climate Preparedness Project

In early 2011, WWA completed the Colorado Climate Preparedness Project, a catalog of climate impacts and adaptation activities and options for five climate-sensitive sectors throughout the state: water; wildlife, ecosystems, and forests; electricity; agriculture, and outdoor recreation. Download the report (PDF, 5MB) or visit the CCPP database.