We believe that life originated in the primordial oceans. For most of geologic history, water was the exclusive domain of living things; only recently (comparatively speaking) have living things made their incursion upon "dry" land.
Water flows through all living things. Without water, at best living creatures become dormant, and at worst... they die.
Water flows through the earth, sea, and sky as well. This is called the Hydrologic Cycle.
What may happen when global climate change disrupts the cycle? Let's take a look at the Pacific Northwest, over the fold.
Some of the following is adapted from information available at the Washington State Department of Ecology.
The Hydrologic Cycle
The hydrologic or water cycle is the continuous movement of water between the earth and the atmosphere. Water reaches land as precipitation such as rain and snow. Then the water evaporates, condenses in the atmosphere to form clouds, and falls to the earth again as precipitation, continuing the cycle.
When water falls to the ground it can collect on the land becoming streams, rivers, lakes, or soaks in to the ground to become groundwater. Plants take up groundwater either using it or releasing it to the atmosphere.
Effects of Climate Change
According to the Climate Impacts Group at the University of Washington, the average annual temperature in the Pacific Northwest rose by 1.5° F in the 20th century and is expected to rise 0.5° F per decade in the first half of the 21st century. Because of this, sea levels may rise 7-23 inches by the year 2100, impacting densely populated coastal areas, affecting city infrastructure such as roads, ports and wastewater treatment plants, and moving shorelines many miles inland in flat terrain.
Even worse, local weather variations may become more frequent and severe, leading to floods and/or droughts. Even (seemingly) less dramatic changes in temperature, precipitation, and soil moisture can have severe impacts to ecosystems, crops, and energy production.
In Washington State, two-thirds of our electricity is hydro power, "fueled" largely by runoff from winter snow in the Cascade Mountains. Much of our fresh water supply also comes from the snowpack. According to Wikipedia, about half of all fresh water in the state is contained in more than 700 glaciers in the North Cascades (between the Canadian border and I-90, which traverses Washington from Seattle to Spokane and beyond.)
Between 1984 and 2005, the North Cascade glaciers have lost an average of more than 12.5 meters (40 feet) in thickness and between 20% and 40% of their volume. As of 2005, two-thirds of these glaciers are in disequilibrium and will not survive the current climate trends. Unless temperatures fall and precipitation increases, they will not survive.
Impact of Reduced Snow Pack
Less winter snow means less summer flow. During the warmer months, rivers and streams depend on snow melt for their volume; if there's not enough meltwater, then irrigation, drinking water, fish and wildlife, and hydro power all are affected.
Salmon and many other fish rely on timely, abundant, cold, clean water to spawn and rear young. Projected climate change would increase fall and winter flooding. As peak river flows shift to earlier in the spring, salmon rearing, migration and spawning are negatively affected.
Low flows in spring and summer result in warmer water which holds less oxygen and stresses fish. Increased summer stream temperatures may exceed tolerable limits for coldwater fish. Changing temperatures in lakes, Puget Sound, and the coastal ocean could decrease food for fish.
During the drought of 2001, hundreds of thousands of juvenile salmon were stranded by low flows in the Columbia River and were unable to travel to the Pacific Ocean. In spring 2005, above-average ocean temperatures and reduced ocean movement resulted in a 20-30 percent drop in juvenile marine salmon populations.
When fish are stressed by one process, they are less able to deal with other environmental stressors. One study describes how salmon already stressed by high water temperature are less able to deal with a toxic pollutant, or pathogen. A 2001 study indicates warmer temperatures can increase the infection rate or susceptibility of fish to illness. Loss of streamside tree cover and/or water withdrawals can change water temperatures, particularly critical during peak summer temperatures.
Also, early snowmelt and reduced late-summer stream flows affect aquifer recharge for underground water supplies. More rain in winter could cause more stormwater runoff instead of slow recharge. Higher summer temperatures with less summer rainfall could dry out the soil through evaporation and plant transpiration.
The home I share with Kitsap River depends on a 155-foot deep well for our fresh water. As ground water levels drop, our well could go dry. If we need to deepen our well, pumping costs will go up.
Elsewhere, conflicts over water needed in streams, demands for senior water rights and new water rights could escalate.
Water is Power
Higher, earlier winter peak-flows would increase electricity production during the winter/spring. But lower summer stream flows would decrease energy production in the summer when it is most needed.
Hydro-electric dams generate 72% of the state's electricity (compared to the national average of 7% from dams). Higher temperatures will directly affect power demand by reducing demand for heating in winter (when Northwest hydropower is cheap) and increasing demand in summer for air conditioning (when Northwest hydropower is more expensive).
Washington is a net electricity exporter; our excess power flows to Canada and California, which is the largest net energy importer in America.
If we can't produce enough electricity in the summer for our own state's needs, where can California go for its own requirements? And how much will they have to pay?
Other 350 Climate Action Diaries
7:30 am dsnodgrass
10:30 am LaughingPlanet
11:30 am Kitsap River and Charles Curtis Stanley
1 pm dadanation (or 2 pm)
1:30 pm Patriot Daily
2 pm Patch Adam (1400)
2:30 pm bob zimway
3:30 pm Patric Juillet (AAF)
4 pm RLMiller
4:30 pm Runaway Rose (or 5 pm)
5 pm Brian Amer (5 pm or later)
5:30 pm rb137
6 pm boatsie
7 pm ALifeLessFrightening</textarea>