WA’s mountain snow recharges our drinking water, powers our lives. Now it’s turning to rain.

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Precipitation that once fell as snow is instead falling as rain, and the snow that does reach the ground is melting earlier in the year as our dry season trends longer and hotter. All told, Washington will see more water when it doesn’t need it and less water when it does. Guillaume Mauger and Matt Rogers, scientists at the Climate Impacts Group, are quoted, and the Shifting Snowlines and Shorelines report is referenced. 

The increasing risk of flooding: What solutions are Washingtonians considering to manage flooding as the climate changes? – Part One

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As the climate changes, the risk of flooding is increasing in some watersheds. That means how Washingtonians approach floodplain management is changing, too. Guillaume Mauger, a research scientist at the UW Climate Impacts Group, is interviewed for Northwest Public Broadcasting.

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.

Trends show decreasing snowfall in the Pacific Northwest, potential impacts to water supply

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Annual snowfall in the Pacific Northwest appears to have decreased since the 20th century, part of a larger trend of declining snowfalls in the western United States partially driven by climate change. Matt Rogers and Karin Bumbaco (Office of the Washington State Climatologist) are quoted. 

“What we do in the next several decades by mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and also by adapting to how we’re seeing the climate change can really make an impact on how that affects recreation, how that affects people, and whether or not we’re ready for it.” – Matt Rogers 

Register: Ore.-Wash. Water Year 2021 Recap & Outlook Meeting

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The Oregon-Washington Water Year 2021 Recap & 2022 Outlook Meeting will be held as two virtual meetings on the mornings of November 16 and 17. This 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       View agenda 

Day 1: Tuesday, November 16, 2021 9 a.m.–12:15 p.m. PT

The first day will feature a recap of the 2021 water year with a focus on the extreme drought and June heat wave. A panel of agency staff and resource managers will describe impacts they experienced and response actions that were taken.

Day 2: Wednesday, November 17, 2021 9 a.m.–12 p.m. PT

The second day will include the Outlook for the 2022 water year, and a panel by the state climatologists and water resource agencies on multi-year drought. A second series of presentations will feature resource managers discussing the cumulative impacts and response actions to address multiple years of drought.

In advance of the meeting, we are distributing a survey to gather information about impacts that occurred during the 2021 water year due to abnormally dry or abnormally wet conditions, as well as actions taken to prevent or minimize impacts. We encourage you to complete the survey to share your experience. We look forward to presenting and discussing survey results at the meeting as well as summarizing results in the Pacific Northwest 2021 Water Year Impacts Assessment.

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 State University’s Oregon Climate Change Research Institute, the WA Department of Ecology, and USDA Northwest Climate Hub.

Register

View agenda 

New Resource for Water and Drought Management: 2020 PNW Water Year Assessment

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The 2020 Pacific Northwest Water Year Assessment summarizes the water year conditions and connects these conditions with impacts experienced by farmers, water managers, fisheries managers, and more. This assessment was developed in conjunction with the annual water year meeting in October 2020. The authors will develop a similar assessment each year as part of the water year review and they hope it will serve as a resource for managing drought and other climate-related impacts.

Two of the lead authors on the report – Crystal Raymond and Karin Bumbaco – are from the UW Climate Impacts Group and the Office of the Washington State Climatologist, respectively. The Oregon State Climatologist, and Idaho Department of Water Resources also developed the report with support from National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) and state and regional partners.

In water year 2020, most of Oregon experienced a significant drought with dominant impacts that included wildfires, agricultural and livestock losses and limited outdoor recreation. Drought in Washington and Idaho was not as widespread or significant, with localized drought in a few basins in south-central Idaho and east of the Cascade Mountain crest in central Washington. Washington and Oregon also experienced major flood events in February; those impacts and others are highlighted in the assessment.

 Access the Assessment

Please contact Karin Bumbao (kbumbaco@uw.edu) or Crystal Raymond (clrfire@uw.edu) if you have any questions on this assessment or comments for future assessments.