What is Ecology doing to address Climate Change in the Columbia
River Basin?
Ecology is participating with other state and federal agencies to fund a
study by the Climate Impacts Group that will provide greater accuracy in
predicting climate change in the Columbia River Basin - with a particular focus
on the Yakima, Walla Walla, Wenatchee, and Okanogan watersheds. The study is expected
to be completed in 2010.
What are the effects of Climate Change on the Columbia River?
In addition to changing supply, climate change has the potential to
change existing crop demands. For example, in Eastern Washington (within
the greater Columbia River Basin), US Geological Survey reports
approximately 1.7 million acres of irrigated crops in the greater
Columbia Basin. If 20 years from now climate change has resulted in a
need for an added inch of water per acre, due to hotter weather and
decreasing summer rain, then 140,000 acre-feet more water will be needed
to maintain current crop production. There is also 5.3 million acres of
non-irrigated agriculture in the basin (e.g. dry-land wheat). Increasing
temperatures and shifting of water availability due to climate change
may result in some of these lands moving to irrigation to maintain yield
and profitability, or a decrease in yield for those that cannot obtain
irrigation water. This issue will be included in the next Ecology
agricultural demand study in 2009.
|
