Potential Consequences of Climate Change for Boulder Colorado’s Water Supplies

Products / Project record

Property	Value
Name	Potential Consequences of Climate Change for Boulder Colorado’s Water Supplies
Release Year	2009
Primary Author	Organization Stratus Consulting
Additional Authors	Organizations AMEC Earth & Environmental City of Boulder : Local Environmental Action Division National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Stratus Consulting University of Colorado at Boulder (CU)
Description	This study combines the potential impacts of climate change with long-term climate variability to examine their effects on the water supply of one community. The study team examined outputs from general circulation models (GCMs; supplied by the National Center for Atmospheric Research) for grid boxes that include Boulder, Colorado, and selected the wettest model, the driest model, and a middle model. Estimates of climate change for 20-year periods centering on 2030 and 2070 were used. In addition, 437-year (1566-2002) reconstructions of streamflow in Boulder Creek, South Boulder Creek, and the Colorado River (conducted by Connie Woodhouse) were used. A “nearest neighbor” approach was used to select years in the observed climate record that resemble the paleoclimate reconstructions. Average monthly GCM changes in temperature and precipitation for 2030 and 2070 were combined with multiple recreations of the paleoclimate record to simulate the combined effects of change in climate and paleoclimate variability.
Sectors	Water Wildlife, Ecosystems, and Forestry Climate-Sensitive Recreation and Tourism
Source	Private Sector
Keywords	Water Quality, Supply, Snowpack, Planning, Conservation, Urban Growth, Vulnerabilities, Policy Recommendations
Homepage	http://www.bouldercolorado.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7871&Itemid=1189