Setting the stage for continual assessments of the Colorado River Basin

A report published by CLIMAS and its partners suggests ways for conducting ongoing assessments of climate impacts and adaptation in the Colorado River Basin (CRB).

The CRB is perhaps the most crucial resource in the Southwest, providing water to about 30 million people in seven U.S. states and Mexico. Managing the river sustainably in a changing social and climate landscape is no small task, requiring ongoing vigilance and collaboration by many stakeholders over many years. Given its importance, researchers, managers, and other stakeholders convened in Boulder, Colo., in June 2011 to discuss creating a coordinated network for ongoing assessment and adaptation. Those discussions were synthesized in the report, “Evaluating Our Capacity: A discussion of capability for ongoing climate assessment in the Colorado River Basin.”

Among numerous conclusions, the report states that forming communities of practice that share lessons learned, data, and project information will facilitate assessment. Effective, continuous assessments will also require closer collaboration among stakeholders and researchers and stronger leadership and willingness to act than currently emplaced, the report states.

For more information, visit: http://www.climas.arizona.edu/publications/2375