WWA is comprehensively updating and expanding their well-received 2008 Climate Change in Colorado report, also co-produced by WWA and the CWCB. The report synthesizes the best available climate science relevant to the state’s water resources. Like the original, the updated report covers the observed climate patterns and trends in Colorado, a primer on climate models, linking observed state trends with global changes, projections of future climate and hydrology, and guidance on using this information in planning and management. Several dozen stakeholders at the local, state, and federal levels reviewed or contributed to the updated report. One key area of updating was using the new CMIP5 global climate model output; for Colorado, CMIP5 shows a modest shift towards wetter projected precipitation outcomes compared to the previous CMIP3 models. This presented a challenge: acknowledging the resulting shift in ensemble-average modeled runoff, while reaffirming the need to prepare for a broad range of hydrologic outcomes.

Climate Change in Colorado report released in August 2014
Leveraged Funding: Colorado Water Conservation Board