Climate change, hydrology, and water resources

Abstract

Growing atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and other trace gases are leading to climatic changes with important implications for the hydrologic balance and water resources. These “greenhouse gases” are expected to alter the radiative balance of the atmosphere, causing increases in temperature and changes in many other climatic variables. Recent hydrological research strongly suggests that this so‐called “greenhouse effect” will alter the timing and magnitude of runoff and soil moisture, change lake levels, and affect water quality. Such changes raise the possibility of environmental and socioeconomic dislocations, and they have important implications for future water resources planning and management. This paper reviews state‐of‐the‐art research into the implications of climatic changes for the hydrologic cycle and for water resources and discusses the implications of such changes for future water planning and management.