Drought planning forum explores risks, solutions for Methow Valley

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The forum brought together water experts from the valley, the state, and federal agencies in early March. They explained hydrogeology and water storage, and outlined steps to preserve water for rivers and fish, residential and business use, and for agriculture. Research from the UW Climate Impacts Group is referenced.

Register Today: Ore.-Wash. Water Year 2022 Recap & 2023 Outlook Meeting

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REGISTRATION AGENDA WATER YEAR SURVEY

Registration is now open for the Oregon-Washington Water Year 2022 Recap & 2023 Outlook Meeting! Participants will meet virtually on the mornings of October 25 and 26. This annual water year meeting, now in its 17th year, is an opportunity to review climate-related impacts of the previous water year and learn about the forecast for the upcoming water year. There is no cost to attend but you are required to register.

The goal of this meeting is to share and gather information regarding climate impacts of the 2022 water year. Continuing drought in some areas, flooding in the fall of 2021, and the exceptionally wet spring will be the focus. This meeting will also offer the opportunity to learn from others about impacts and response actions that were taken. Both days will include time for discussion and peer-to-peer learning, in addition to hearing from forecast experts on what to expect for 2023. A draft agenda is now available. 

We encourage participation from a wide range of sectors including water suppliers, energy, agriculture, recreation, and forestry.

We invite participants (and anyone working in these sectors) to respond to the annual water year survey in advance of the water year meeting. You will be asked to reflect on the impacts of abnormally dry or wet conditions, and actions taken to minimize those impacts. The survey results will be discussed during the workshop. Both the survey and the workshop will help inform an annual PNW Water Year Impacts Assessment. 

This event is hosted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group, and the Office of the Washington State Climatologist with planning committee participation from the Nez Perce Tribe Water Resources Division, Oregon State University’s Oregon Climate Service, the WA Department of Ecology, and USDA Northwest Climate Hub.

Members of the media who are planning to attend the water year meeting or have questions should contact Tess Wrobleski, Climate Impacts Group communications manager, at tessw2@uw.edu.

REGISTER TODAY!

REGISTER: Oregon-Washington Water Year Meeting, October 28 & 29

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The Oregon-Washington Water Year 2020 Recap & 2021 Outlook Meeting will be held as two virtual meetings on the mornings of October 28 and 29. The annual water year meeting is an opportunity to review climate-related impacts of the previous water year and learn about the forecast for the upcoming water year.

In addition to hearing from the forecast experts, both days will include time for discussion and peer-to-peer learning. We encourage participation from a wide range of sectors including utilities, agriculture and forestry.

Register

Day 1: October 28; 9 a.m. to noon P.T.

The first day will feature a recap of the 2020 water year with a focus on extremes — from winter flooding to drought to wildfire. Given the incredible impacts in Oregon this year, the meeting will feature events and impacts from Oregon and also cover key impacts in Washington.

Day 2: October 29; 9 a.m. to noon P.T.

The second day will feature the Outlook for the 2021 water year, as well as new resources that can be used to plan and prepare for the future climate and climate-related events.

View agenda

This year we have a survey to gather information about impacts that occurred during the 2020 water year due to abnormally dry or abnormally wet conditions, as well as actions taken to prevent or minimize impacts. Please complete the survey to share your knowledge about impacts. We look forward to discussing the results and getting your feedback on the survey at the meeting.

Complete survey 

This event is hosted by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS), the University of Washington Climate Impacts Group, and the Office of the Washington State Climatologist with planning committee participation from the Oregon Climate Service, Oregon State University’s Climate Impacts and Research Consortium, the Oregon Water Resources Department, the WA Department of Ecology, and USDA Northwest Climate Hub and Natural Resources Conservation Service.

CIG scientists contributing authors on state-wide climate resilience plan

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Seven scientists from the Climate Impacts Group are named as contributing authors on a state-wide plan to make Washington more resilient to climate change. The state’s Department of Natural Resources announced their Plan for Climate Resilience — which details how the affects of climate change threaten our natural resources, and identifies priority responses — at a press conference Thursday, February 20.

Dr. Crystal Raymond, climate adaptation specialist for the Climate Impacts Group, spoke at the conference and was quoted in a press release about the plan.

“The potential impacts of climate change can seem dire,” Raymond said in the press release, “but the consequences for our natural systems, economies, and local communities don’t have to be. The sooner we collectively act to plan for and manage climate risks, the better prepared we will all be.”

Raymond, Amy Snover, Meade Krosby, Heidi Roop, Guillaume Mauger, Harriet Morgan and Jason Vogel, all CIG scientists, are named as contributing authors, researchers and reviewers on the plan.

Read an article from the Seattle Times that describes the plan, and references the Climate Impacts Group’s involvement.

The plan is available for download on the Department’s website.