Adaptive Management of Water Resources

• Effective pilot research-applications partnerships result in experimental use of more accurate hydrologic forecasting tools and improved decision making

• A regional demand exists among stakeholders for emerging CCSP data and information to support decision making

• Decision support systems have been adapted to use emerging CCSP data and information

• Improved information and technology have resulted in improved operational management of water resources, such as water allocations and reservoir operations

• New infrastructure (e.g., groundwater backup systems for surface reservoirs) provides a more stable supply of water

• More effective water resources planning structures, such as state drought task forces and agency capital investment plans, have been initiated that explicitly consider climate change

Scenarios of Greenhouse Gas Emissions

• Accepted proposals for domestic emissions control measures

Solar Forcing

• Public understanding of the importance of solar variation in climate change relative to other radiative forcing (e.g., greenhouse gases) is improved

Aerosol Forcing

• Regional air quality is improved as a result of aerosol emission regulations

Sea-Level Rise

• “No-build” zones established between structures (e.g., roads, railways, houses) and the shoreline protect communities from sea-level rise

Effect of CO₂ on Land Carbon Balance

• Crop productivity is improved because of use of forecasts that take into account changes in CO₂, ozone, and climate

• Conservation reserves are more resilient because of use of knowledge of how changes in CO₂ affect plant competition and ecosystem structure

Climate-Vegetation Feedbacks

• Increased public understanding of the role of climate and other environmental stresses on ecosystems

• Evidence of improved ecosystem management as a result of use of improved data and analysis tools and understanding of ecosystem function