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Redefine Water Infrastructure Adaptation to a Nonstationary Climate (Editorial)
Citation:
YANG, Y. J. Redefine Water Infrastructure Adaptation to a Nonstationary Climate (Editorial). JOURNAL OF WATER RESOURCES PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT. American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Reston, VA, 136(3):297-298, (2010).
Impact/Purpose:
To inform the public.
Description:
The statement “Climate Stationarity is Dead” by Milly et al. (2008) stresses the need to evaluate and when necessary, incorporate non-stationary hydroclimatic changes into water resources and infrastructure planning and engineering. Variations of this theme echo in several other recent editorials by Rogers (2009), Lettenmaier (2008), and Werick and Palmer (2008). The gravity of this topic was firmly felt among participants at a recent USEPA expert and stakeholder workshop on water infrastructure adaptation to climate change (USEPA, 2009). Two questions remain at the core: [1] is climate change “tangible” for consideration in water engineering and planning? And [2] if so, how can we develop “actionable science” for adaptation? In other words, can adaptation practice define the rate of hydroclimatic changes at local scales that are “tangible” and commensurate with other traditional engineering and planning variables? For “tangible” changes, how do we manage the risk arising from hydroclimatic projection uncertainties and justify the adaptation actions to the public and stakeholders?
