Responding to evolving stakeholder needs for 21st century hydrologic scenarios: the Pacific Northwest/Columbia River basin climate change scenarios project

In collaboration with the Washington State Department of Ecology and a group of regional stakeholders in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, and British Columbia, the Climate Impacts Group has conducted a two-year climate change study over the Columbia River basin and coastal drainages in Washington and Oregon. The study, which is one of the most comprehensive of its type in the country, provides detailed hydrologic data for 297 river locations in the Pacific Northwest as well as a regional database of gridded hydrological data over the entire study domain (http://www.hydro.washington.edu/2860/). Using climate change scenarios from the 10 best global climate models for the Pacific Northwest from the IPCC AR4 and three different statistical downscaling approaches, the study provides hydrological projections for 77 climate change scenarios and historical conditions. The analysis and data delivery were designed to support water resources planning as well as terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems research. The study results are already being used by a wide range of regional stakeholders including Seattle City Light, U.S. Geological Survey, Bonneville Power Administration, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Boise Aquatic Research Laboratory, and the National Marine Fisheries Science Center.