Climate Literacy 201 Department of Water Resources May 22, 2013

Water, Ecosystems & Land Use Connecting the Dots for Climate Resilience Michelle Selmon Senior Environmental Scientist Climate Change Specialist

Overview ◊ Climate change and… Water resources Ecosystems Land use ◊ Developing a comprehensive strategy to achieve climate resilience

Climate Change and Water Resources How are climate change and water linked? Current impacts of climate change on water resources Potential future impacts of climate change on water resources Mitigation and adaptation in the water resources sector

Climate Change and Water Resources Climate change is resulting in a warmer planet Warmer temperatures are affecting the water cycle ‘Stationarity’ is no longer an acceptable assumption for planning Image credit: Localfloodservice.comLocalfloodservice.com

Current Impacts on the Water Sector Changes in the timing of peak flood flows 10 % loss of snowpack in the Sierra Nevada an average of 7 inches of sea level rise along the CA coast Image credit: coastalcare.org

Future Impacts on the Water Sector Less summer runoff More intense wet and dry periods 25-40% reduction in Sierra Nevada snowpack by 2050 Less supply and predictability of water resources for urban, agricultural and environmental uses Image credit: Scripps Institute

Climate Change Mitigation AB 32 Scoping Plan Measures for Water Water Use Efficiency Water Recycling Water System Energy Efficiency Reuse Urban Runoff Increase Renewable Energy Production Public Goods Charge Image credit: DWR

Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in the Water Sector Water conservation in the urban and agricultural sectors Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) Expand conjunctive management of surface and groundwater resources Sustain and enhance ecosystems

Climate Change and Ecosystems Ecosystem vulnerability to climate change Current impacts from climate change Future impacts from climate change Mitigation and adaptation

Climate Change Impacts on Ecosystems Current Impacts Species range shifts Changes in timing of flowering Future Impacts Additional stresses on sensitive species could lead to CESA/ESA listings and possible extirpations Image credit: csmonitor.com

Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in Ecosystems Facilitate landscape-scale planning and management Practice environmental stewardship Protect carbon sequestration capacity Promote sustainability and resilience

Climate Change and Land Use The linkage between climate change and land use Mitigation and adaptation in the land use sector

Climate Change and Land Use Globally Land use changes account for a substantial amount of GHG’s in the atmosphere Future land use decisions will impact the global capacity for adaptation Locally Land use and ‘vehicle miles traveled’ (VMT) Land use patterns can constrain options for water and ecosystem management

Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation in the Land Use Sector Sustainable Communities Urban development patterns that discourage sprawl Bike and walking paths Commercial and residential areas co-mingled

Land Use and DWR Activities Sacramento/San Joaquin Delta restoration efforts CCLU-In (land use subgroup of the CAT) CA Landscape Conservation Cooperative

Climate Change, Land Use and Infrastructure (CCLU-In) Subgroup of the CA Climate Action Team ◊ SB 375 – Sustainable Communities Strategies ◊ Web portal for planners: Central clearinghouse for planning information for MPOs, cities and counties Access existing state programs, projects, guidance and resources related to land use and sustainable community planning

California Landscape Conservation Cooperative (CA-LCC) Management-science partnership among agencies, NGO and others Informs on-the-ground conservation actions addressing climate change and other stressors within and across landscapes

Water – Ecosystems – Land Use Connecting the Dots for Climate Resilience Water conservation = Energy conservation climate mitigation and adaptation Sustainable communities climate mitigation and adaptation Ecosystem stewardship climate resilience

Water – Ecosystems – Land Use Connecting the Dots for Climate Resilience water planning, ecosystem management and land use decisions are intricately connected water managers, ecosystem managers, land-use planners and policy-makers need to work together to address climate change challenges (reject the ‘silo’ mentality) rather than an insurmountable hurdle, climate change presents an opportunity for creating a more sustainable society