Wisconsin's Role in Great Lakes Restoration - American Water ...

21. Climate Change Impacts on Wisconsin’s Water Resources
Carolyn Rumery Betz, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, betzc@aqua.wisc.edu
Tim Asplund, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Madison, WI,
tim.asplund@wisconsin.gov
James Hurley, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, hurley@aqua.wisc.edu
The first adaptation strategy report on climate change has been released by the Wisconsin
Initiative on Climate Change Impacts (WICCI). Wisconsin’s climate is changing and our water
resources are changing, too. Climate scientists analyzed seasonal and annual precipitation
and temperature data from 1950 to 2006 to document historical climate change. Water
resource experts also looked at long term ice cover, lake level, groundwater and stream
baseflow data. Changes to our water resources are intimately linked to local and regional
hydrologic conditions.
Members of WICCI’s Water Resources Working Group used projected temperature and
precipitation data to identify six major impacts of climate change on water resources. With
input from other experts, we identified adaptation strategies to address these impacts. The
team is now striving to implement these adaptation strategies by defining and implementing
new research priorities and projects, developing educational materials, and working with
professional and lay audiences who are invested in our state’s water resources.
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