Conserving Freshwater and Coastal Resources in a Changing Climate
Conserving Freshwater and Coastal Resources in a Changing Climate
Conserving Freshwater and Coastal Resources in a Changing Climate
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Table 12. Recommendations: Lake Ecosystems<br />
<strong>Climate</strong> Driven<br />
Change<br />
Increased summer<br />
stratification<br />
Increased water<br />
temperature<br />
Lower summer<br />
water levels<br />
Technology or Future Research<br />
Recommendations<br />
• Monitor dissolved oxygen<br />
levels<br />
• Monitor nutrient levels<br />
throughout the water<br />
column<br />
• Research species’<br />
vulnerability to<br />
temperature change<br />
• Hydrological model<strong>in</strong>g<br />
Potential Adaptation<br />
Techniques<br />
• Nutrient <strong>and</strong> sediment control <strong>in</strong> the<br />
watershed<br />
• Protect connect<strong>in</strong>g rivers <strong>and</strong> streams to<br />
allow ambulatory species the ability to<br />
migrate<br />
• Remove obstacles that impede migration<br />
• Artificial aeration of lakes to promote mix<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>and</strong> <strong>in</strong>crease dissolved oxygen levels<br />
• Protect shorel<strong>in</strong>e trees whose canopies<br />
shade rivers <strong>and</strong> help ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong> lower<br />
temperatures as well as provide additional<br />
habitat<br />
• Promote connections between rivers <strong>and</strong><br />
streams to allow ambulatory species the<br />
ability to migrate<br />
• Remove obstacles that impede migration<br />
• Susta<strong>in</strong>able water resource management of<br />
human water supply<br />
• Protect wetl<strong>and</strong>s as they store water,<br />
ma<strong>in</strong>ta<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g water-table levels<br />
• Dam removal, where possible <strong>and</strong> appropriate<br />
• Susta<strong>in</strong>able dam management<br />
An <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> sea-level rise will lead to the<br />
deterioration of saltwater wetl<strong>and</strong>s <strong>and</strong> the<br />
<strong>in</strong>undation of coastal properties along the entire<br />
coast throughout the Eastern Region. Numerous<br />
species may be affected as they depend on these<br />
ecosystems for food, shelter, <strong>and</strong> as breed<strong>in</strong>g<br />
grounds. Sea-level rise could also lead to saltwater<br />
<strong>in</strong>trusion <strong>in</strong>to groundwater, negatively affect<strong>in</strong>g<br />
water supplies along the eastern coast.<br />
An <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> water temperature is predicted to have<br />
negative effects on plant <strong>and</strong> other aquatic species<br />
liv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> these ecosystems. Species that are mobile<br />
may be pushed further north <strong>in</strong> search of cooler<br />
waters while species which cannot migrate will<br />
be forced to adapt or perish. In addition, as <strong>in</strong>creased<br />
water temperatures yield a decrease <strong>in</strong> water oxygen<br />
levels, even those species which are not adversely<br />
affected by warmer water may be threatened due to<br />
lack of oxygen.<br />
Chang<strong>in</strong>g weather patterns <strong>and</strong> an altered water<br />
regime may threaten aquatic ecosystems <strong>in</strong> a<br />
number of ways. An <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> high <strong>in</strong>tensity<br />
storms may <strong>in</strong>crease erosion of coastal beaches<br />
<strong>and</strong> wetl<strong>and</strong>s <strong>and</strong> leave <strong>in</strong>l<strong>and</strong> properties<br />
unprotected. An <strong>in</strong>crease <strong>in</strong> short term summer<br />
droughts may decrease freshwater levels,<br />
threaten<strong>in</strong>g those species which depend on<br />
freshwater. These droughts may be compounded<br />
by a decrease <strong>in</strong> precipitation fall<strong>in</strong>g as snow,<br />
further threaten<strong>in</strong>g those ecosystems which depend<br />
on an annual flood, driven by snow-melt.<br />
In light of these anticipated changes, immediate action<br />
is imperative. <strong>Climate</strong> driven changes are already<br />
happen<strong>in</strong>g <strong>and</strong> it is essential to implement programs<br />
which create the conditions to allow or assist ecosystems<br />
to adapt, as they do not necessarily have the ability<br />
or the time to do so naturally.<br />
<strong>Conserv<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>Freshwater</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Coastal</strong> <strong>Resources</strong> <strong>in</strong> a Chang<strong>in</strong>g <strong>Climate</strong><br />
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