2013
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Rocky Mountains to warm more than lower elevations, according to new paper
SpotlightThe Rocky Mountains can expect more warming in the future than lower-elevation regions at the same latitude during the cold season, according to a new analysis of the latest (CMIP5) global climate model runs. WWA’s Imtiaz Rangwala and two colleagues from Rutgers University analyzed the model output for temperature changes as function of surface elevation in the northern mid-latitudes for a paper published in June in Environmental Research Letters. The study, which built upon Rangwala’s investigations when he was a PACE postdoc co-sponsored by WWA, found that these enhanced future warming projections are in part due to a proportionately stronger water vapor feedback at high elevations, and also to reduced snow cover that facilitates greater heating of the land surface.
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WWA welcomes Imtiaz Rangwala back to Boulder
SpotlightImtiaz Rangwala, who worked with WWA from 2009-2011 as a PACE postdoctoral fellow, has returned to Boulder and WWA for a second postdoc stint. Imtiaz will be working with WWA’s Bill Travis and Joe Barsugli, Gregg Garfin of CLIMAS, and colleagues at The Nature Conservancy to analyze, synthesize and communicate the latest climate science to support land conservation efforts throughout the four-state region of Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona. We’re very fortunate to have him and his considerable climate expertise bolstering our team again.
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WWA study assesses usefulness of river forecast applications for water management
SpotlightA study led by NOAA's Kevin Werner, along with co-authors Kristen Averyt and Gigi Owen, used a scenario-based approach in a workshop setting to explore if and how people implement forecast information into reservoir operations decisions. The study found strong tendencies for participants to wait for observed information, as opposed to forecast information, before making decisions. The study, "River Forecast Application for Water Management: Oil and Water?," has been published in the journal Weather, Climate, and Society.
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WWA and NIDIS release special drought briefing for the Intermountain West
SpotlightWith drought conditions and impacts affecting much of the region this summer, WWA and the National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) have released a two-page Summer 2013 Drought Summary and Outlook for Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico. This briefing summarizes recent precipitation, current and expected drought conditions, spring-summer streamflows, reservoir levels, agricultural impacts, and wildfire risk.
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WWA contributes to paper on how climate change will affect the Colorado River’s flow
SpotlightRecent studies of the impact that climate warming will have on flow in the Colorado River have produced an unsettling range of estimates, from a modest decrease of 6 percent by 2050 to a steep drop of 45 percent by then. A new paper by researchers at CIRES Western Water Assessment, University of Washington, and NOAA investigates and explains why those estimates differ and summarizes what is known about the future of this iconic Western river—key information for decision makers.
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WWA welcomes Elizabeth McNie
SpotlightWestern Water Assessment is proud to welcome the newest member of our research team, Elizabeth "Bets" McNie. Formerly an Assistant Professor of Political Science and Earth, Atmospheric & Planetary Sciences at Purdue University, Bets will serve as the evaluation coordinator for Western Water Assessment and conduct research on the effectiveness of regional climate services. Her primary area of expertise is improving the utility of climate-science information for decision makers, and the design and function of climate-service organizations. She is also interested more broadly in linking knowledge with action, climate-science policy, and how to shape research agendas to improve the relevance of scientific information for policy. In her spare time Bets likes playing guitar around a campfire, cooking gourmet meals, and living in a 'tiny home'.
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WWA team members present to Navajo Nation on climate adaptation
SpotlightLast month, WWA team members Karen Cozzetto and Julie Nania presented on climate change adaptation planning at the 4th Annual Navajo Nation Agricultural Conference. Their presentation, which was also translated into Navajo, provided background information and examples from the in-progress Navajo Nation Climate Adaptation Report, and noted other adaptation efforts by the Navajo Nation.
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WWA study assesses joint impact of dust-on-snow and climate change on Colorado River streamflow
SpotlightA study led by WWA's Jeff Deems, along with co-authors including WWA team members Joe Barsugli and Brad Udall, used hydrologic modeling to assess the impact of dust-on-snow—including the extreme dust loadings experienced in 2009 and 2010—on the volume and timing of runoff in the Upper Colorado River Basin under multiple climate scenarios. The study, "Combined impacts of current and future dust deposition and regional warming on Colorado River Basin snow dynamics and hydrology," has been published as a "discussion paper" in the journal Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, and anyone who is interested is invited to submit review comments on the paper.