Climate Change - Effect On Water Resources

Fresh water, both on the surface of the land and in the ground, is an extremely valuable resource. We drink it, bathe in it, depend on it for transportation and recreation, water our lawns and crops with it, and eat the life that swims in it. Too much or too little water can have disasterous effects on our lives - floods, droughts, erosion, sinkholes, pests, and diseases are all related to the presence of more or less water than we usually experience.

Our water supply is directly tied to climate. The figure below shows annual mean runoff in the Upper Midwest as simulated using weather analyses from 1963 through 1995. Scientists now understand that the climate we experience today is not constant. Climate has been very different in the past and may be quite different from today's climate in our not-too-distant future.

Researchers at the Upper Midwest RESAC are studying how our regional water supply has changed in the past, and how those changes are related to climate. Our researchers are also developing techniques to investigate how future climate changes, such as global warming, may effect the supply of water in our area of the world. This research is intended to alert us regarding potential water resource problems in the future, and guide us in preventing those problems as much as possible.

Tips to Fight Global Warming

1. Replace five incandescent lightbulbs in your home with compact fluorescents: Swapping those 75-watt incandescents with 19-watt CFLs can cut 275 pounds of CO2.
2. Instead of short haul flights of 500 miles or so, take the train and bypass 310 pounds of CO2.
3. Sure it may be hot, but get a fan, set your thermostat to 75 degrees and blow away 363 pounds of CO2.
4. Replace refrigerators more than 10 years old with today's more energy-efficient Energy Star models and save more than 500 pounds of CO2.
5. Shave your eight-minute shower to five minutes for a savings of 513 pounds.
6. Caulk, weatherstrip and insulate your home. If you rely on natural gas heating, you'll stop 639 pounds of CO2 from entering the atmosphere (472 pounds for electric heating). And this summer, you'll save 226 pounds from AC use.
7. Whenever possible, dry your clothes on a line outside or a rack indoors. If you air dry half your loads, you'll dispense with 723 pounds of CO2.
8. Trim down on the red meat. Since it takes more fossil fuels to produce red meat than fish, eggs and poultry, switching to these foods will slim your CO2 emissions by 950 pounds.
9. Leave the car at home and take public transportation to work. Taking the average U.S. commute of twelve miles by light rail will leave you 1,366 pounds of CO2 lighter than driving. The standard, diesel-powered city bus can save 804 pounds, while heavy rail subway users save 288.
10. Finally, support the creation of wind, solar and other renewable energy facilities by choosing green power if offered by your utility. To find a green power program in your state, call your local utility or visit U.S. Department of Energy's Green Power Markets page. See also our Green Power Utilities Product Report.