Many challenges, including climate change, face the Nation¿s water managers. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has provided estimates of how climate may change, but more understanding of the processes driving the changes, the sequences of the changes, and the manifestation of these global changes at different scales could be beneficial. Since the changes will likely affect fundamental drivers of the hydrological cycle, climate change may have a large impact on water resources and water resources managers. The purpose of this interagency report is to explore strategies to improve water management by tracking, anticipating, and responding to climate change. Charts and tables.

The impacts of human-induced climate change are largely mediated by water, such as alterations in precipitation and glacial melt patterns, variations in river flow, increased occurrence of droughts and floods, and sea level rise in densely populated coastal areas. Such phenomena impact both urban and rural communities in developed, emerging, and developing countries. Taking a systems approach, this book analyzes evidence from 26 countries and identifies common barriers and bridges for local adaptation to climate change through water resources management. It includes a global set of case studies from places experiencing increased environmental and social pressure due to population growth, development and migration, including in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North and South America. All chapters consider the crosscutting themes of adaptive capacity, equity, and sustainability. These point to resilient water allocation policies and practices that are capable of protecting social and environmental interests, whilst ensuring the efficient use of an often-scarce resource.

This book provides a comprehensive approach to all aspects of water-related subjects affected by climate change that expand readers' attitudes toward future of the management strategies and improve management plans. It summarizes climate change scenarios, models, downscaling methods, and how to select the appropriate method. It also introduces practical steps in assessing climate change impacts on water issues through introducing hydrological models and climate change data applications in hydrologic analysis. The book caters to specialist readers who are interested in analyzing climate change effects on water resources, and related issues can gain a profound understanding of the practical concepts and step-by-step analysis, which is enriched with real case studies all around the world. Moreover, readers will be familiar with potential mitigation and adaptation measures in sustainable water engineering, considering the results of hydrologic modeling.

Covering the various aspects of water and climate change, Climate Change and Water Resources presents the principles of climate change science and its effects on earth’s water supply. Utilizing the knowledge and expertise from well-known experts in the field, the text provides a broad outline of the many interrelated aspects of climate variations, climate change, and connections to water resources. Designed to help managers with developing strategies, implementing policies, and investing in infrastructure and information sources for integrated water resources management, the text addresses many issues regarding climate change and water resources. It also includes adaptation options, which are essential to water resource sustainability. The material is divided into four sections. The first part of the book provides an introduction to climate change and considers theoretical aspects and available tools. The second part of the book examines the impacts that climate change has on the water sector. The third part focuses on the different adaptation measures needed to minimize the effects of climate change. The fourth part presents a number of case studies. Focused on climate change in the water sector, Climate Change and Water Resources closely analyzes scientific research and fuels study for a greater understanding of climate change and the proper management of water. This text is useful for undergraduate and postgraduate students, scientists, and design engineers as well as those working at research institutes and implementing and planning agencies.

This book discusses different aspects of water resources, ranging from hydrology and modeling to management and policy responses. Climate changes and the uncertainty of future hydrological regimes make sustainable water resources management a difficult task, requiring a set of approaches that address climate variability and change. The book focuses on three main themes: hydrological changes, adaptive decision-making for water resources, and institutional analysis and risk management. It discusses the applications and limitations of climate change models and scenarios related to precipitation projection, which predicts to the future availability of water. It also offers interesting examples from around the globe to describe the policy options for dealing with climate change. Addressing emerging issues that need to be resolved and techniques that can be applied for sustainable climate-change-sensitive water resources protection and management, this practical, state-of-the-art reference book is a valuable resource for researchers, students and professionals interested in sustainable water resources management in a changing climate.

The book explores the geo-chemical, physical, social and economic impacts of climate change on water supplies. It contains examples and case studies from a wide range of countries, and addresses the need to promote sustainable water use across the world.

The book provides an overview of climate change-sensitive water resources management with consideration of adaptation approaches, the assessment of climate change impacts, current contemporary management techniques, and ecological responses. Comprehensive assessments and studies from eight countries using innovative approaches that aid water management under evolving climates are documented. Topics ranging from hydrologic design to management and policy responses to climate change are discussed, which demonstrate updated theories that highlight methods, tools, and experiences on the topic of water resources under climate change. The generic approaches discussed, and their applications to different climate change-related problems, make this book appealing to a global readership. The practical and applied methodologies presented in the book and through insightful case studies discussed will provide readers worldwide with ready-to-use information to manage water resources sustainably under evolving climate. This book is ideally suited for water resource managers, scientists, professionals from water management agencies, graduate students, and national laboratory agencies responsible for water and environmental management.

This book reviews the concept, contemporary research efforts and the implementation of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM). The IWRM concept was established as an international guiding water management paradigm in the early 1990ies and has become a vital approach to solving the problems associated with the topic of water. The book summarizes fourteen comprehensive IWRM research projects with worldwide coverage and analyses their motivations, settings, approaches and implementation of results. Aiming to be an up-to-date interdisciplinary scientific reference, this book provides a comprehensive theoretical and empirical analysis of contemporary IWRM research, examples of science based implementations and a synthesis of the lessons learnt. It concludes with some major future challenges, the solving of which will further strengthen the IWRM concept.