Grantee Research Project Results

2013 Progress Report: Integrating Information from Climate Scientists and Resource Managers: Informing Preparedness and Adaptation to Extreme Event Impacts on Air and Water Quality in California

EPA Grant Number: R835194
Title: Integrating Information from Climate Scientists and Resource Managers: Informing Preparedness and Adaptation to Extreme Event Impacts on Air and Water Quality in California
Investigators: Bedsworth, Louise W , Duffy, Philip B. , Tebaldi, Claudia
Current Investigators: Bedsworth, Louise W , Tebaldi, Claudia , Duffy, Philip B.
Institution: University of California - Davis , Climate Central
Current Institution: Public Policy Institute of California , Climate Central , University of California - Davis
EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: June 1, 2012 through May 31, 2015 (Extended to May 31, 2019)
Project Period Covered by this Report: June 1, 2013 through May 31,2014
Project Amount: $710,529
RFA: Extreme Event Impacts on Air Quality and Water Quality with a Changing Global Climate (2011) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Air Quality and Air Toxics , Water Quality , Water , Air , Climate Change

Objective:

The objective of this project is to develop and test a set of indicators of extreme events under a changing climate that have relevance for preparedness and adaptation within the air and water quality sectors in California. We will do this by integrating information from historical climate data, downscaled climate model simulations of current and future climate, and air and water quality managers' understanding of the vulnerabilities of their systems. The research is motivated by the expressed desire of resource managers to have more relevant and accessible climate change information to improve management of climate risks. By working with resource managers and climate scientists, we will develop more relevant definitions of extreme events to guide the development of policy-relevant climate impacts data.

Progress Summary:

Progress on this project has continued to move slowly as the PI, Louise Bedsworth, received an appointment at a new institution and steps have been underway to transfer the grant to that institution. In addition, the grant has continued to have personnel changes.

We are, however, in the final stages of the grant transfer and work is set to recommence this fall. Due to personnel changes, the project now has a full-time Project Director, employed at UC Davis, who will oversee the day-to-day management of the project, in close collaboration with the PI.

Background work and an updated literature review are underway. Preliminary interviews to shape survey design will begin soon. The goal is to have the survey in the field by the end of the calendar year 2014. Early results from interviews and the updated literature review will be presented at the American Geophysical Union fall meeting in December.

Despite the delays outlined above, work has progressed on this project. The primary focus to date has been on survey development – both the survey populations and the survey instruments. Survey populations have been determined and we are starting preliminary interviews and background research.

Due to the delay in the project timing, we applied for a no-cost extension at the same time that the grant transfer paperwork was submitted.

Future Activities:

The key activities for the next period of this project are the deployment and analysis of the survey instruments. The surveys should be deployed in Fall 2014, with analysis of survey results in early 2015.

Analysis of survey results then will inform selection of agencies to follow-up with for in-depth case study analysis. These case studies will be underway by summer 2015.

We will present preliminary findings, including survey design at the American Geophysical Union Fall meeting in December 2014.

Journal Articles:

No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 15 publications for this project

Progress and Final Reports:

Original Abstract

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.