HR: 11:30h
AN: H32E-05 INVITED    [Abstracts]
TI: The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation's use of Climate Information Products to support Reservoir Operations and Water Management
AU: * Brekke, L D
EM: lbrekke@do.usbr.gov
AF: U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, Technical Service Center Bldg 67, Rm 506, 86-68520, Denver, CO 80225, United States
AB: Climate forecast information plays an integral role in Reclamation's operation of surface water systems located throughout the western United States. These systems include over 300 reservoirs, 16000 miles of canals, and 245 million acre-feet of storage capacity. Combined, their operation leads to approximately $9 billion in annual agricultural benefits, enough energy to supply 6 million homes, 308 public recreation areas, and billions of dollars in avoided flood damages. Reclamation's use of climate information varies with decision application, which might be characterized by lead- time, application horizon, and reversibility. This presentation will provide an overview of Reclamation's short- to long-term climate-affected decisions, where and why climate information products are currently used, where products are desired but are absent, and where products are available but are not used for various reasons. The presentation will also highlight lessons learned from recent efforts to introduce new uses of climate forecast information in Reclamation decision processes (e.g., use of short-lead teleconnections to potentially support Spring season flood control management in the Pacific Northwest, use of CPC local 3-month temperature outlooks to support Summer-Autumn stream temperature management in California, and development of downscaled WCRP CMIP3 climate projections to support long-term system evaluations throughout Reclamation's service regions).
DE: 1807 Climate impacts
DE: 1834 Human impacts
DE: 1880 Water management (6334)
DE: 1884 Water supply
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting