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IMPACTS OF GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTION ON SUSTAINABILITY
Citation:
Goodrich, J A. AND T G. Schade*. IMPACTS OF GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTION ON SUSTAINABILITY. Presented at CERF Symposium, Washington, D.C, 8/15-16/2000.
Description:
This presentation presents the potential impacts that global climate change may have on the quality and quantity of water available to drinking water and wastewater treatment systems and the adaptations these systems might have to employ in order to remain in regulatory compliance and encourage sustainability. Two case study scenarios are presented describing simulated changes in water resources in the Ohio River Basin. Climate change scenarios included temperature increases of 2-4 degrees C and +/- 10 to 20% in precipitation. The first simulation generated changes in runoff available to surface water supplies that resulted in a marked wet/dry season in the more northern and eastern portions of the Ohio River Basin with less variability in the south and west portions of the basin. The second case study scenario modified the weekly low flow streamflows that are used to determine wastewater discharge permits. Results indicated that portions of the river were able to accommodate the decrease in DO but were unable to maintain stream quality for BOD thus, requiring three wastewater plants to modify their treatment systems.