Freshwater Resources

Discussion led by Greg Knight (Penn State) and Betty Connor (Penn. League of Women Voters)

• In case of floods, concerns:
  · Hydro power supply--change in probable maximum precipitation will lead to flooding (storm damage)
  · Flood plain land use--if magnitude of 100 year flood increases, then more costs for insurance & relief
  · Agriculture affected by floods; rains
  · Runoff, erosion risk increases--water quality issues
  · Forests vulnerable to wind with storms, especially when soil is saturated
  · Impacts to estuaries (managers, fishing, recreation)
  · Flood impacts on aquatic systems ('96 NE, '98 Buffalo)
  · Storm impacts on farm manure storage; collapse?
  · Flood impact on potable water quality
  · Water planning
  · Flood impacts on infrastructure
  · Atmospheric deposition/chemistry
  · NPS pollution and storm events

• In the case of drought, concerns:
  · Long term decrease in soil moisture and groundwater
  · Water supply
  · Time issues…soil drought, climatic drought, hydrologic drought
  · Impacts on stressed urban forests
  · Timing is important to impacts!
  · Water quality re: Low flow
  · Low flow and fish habitat
  · Tourism impacts
  · Forest fire danger & use limits
  · Thermal pollution

• Information Needs
  · Design criteria (max floods; change in probabilities)
  · Mitigation alternatives (flood stage forecasts)
  · Forecasting in real time - high frequency observation (ppt intensity)
  · Apply drought/flood resilient
  · Planning and design
  · Water supply systems
  · Forest and urban forests management for watershed protection--recharge vs. runoff
  · Storm water management

• Information Needs - Drought
  · Probability, frequency of drought events
  · Groundwater levels as drought indicator
  · Predict changes in demand by location and sector; competition between consumptive vs. non-consumptive use
  · Impact of regulations and drought on withdrawal of groundwater
  · Better metrics of drought
  · Potential for brush and forest fires

• Research Issues
  · Aquifer behavior
  · Wet and dry deposition of pollutants with climate change (amount, chemistry, location…)
  · Flood impacts on fish, etc. populations (water bodies, wetlands)
  · Effective data sharing
  · Ranges of tolerance to changes in temperature, flow, etc.
  · Urban forest species tolerant to climate change (e.g. drought resistance)
  · Human impacts…thresholds for behavioral change
  · Direction and magnitude of climate change; timing
  · Disease, pest research

• Water Stakeholders
  · Large water users (e.g. utilities)
  · Government agencies at all levels:
    - Planners
    - Emergency managers
  · Water suppliers
  · Developers; civil engineers; construction firms
  · Professional water associations
  · Insurance sector
  · Financial
  · General public
  · Infrastructure folks
  · NGO's - land trusts, etc.
    - Watershed groups
  · Political people
  · "Interest" groups (e.g. anglers,…)

• Dissemination of Information
  · Flood inundation maps to local levels
  · Info tailored to audience specific to stakeholders
  · Involve planners-scenario building - get feedback going
  · Use organizations in place
  · Peer education: e.g. data sharing
  · Aim to school children

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