Climate-Change-impacts-on-the-Great-Lakes-St-Lawrence-Region-Lenters

Climate change impacts on the Great Lakes / St Lawrence region John D Lenters, Ph.D University of Nebraska-Lincoln LimnoTech; Ann Arbor, Michigan Climate change impacts on the Great Lakes / St Lawrence region Outline • Information sources • Global climate change: An overview • Regional and local impacts Information sources Information sources Information sources Global climate change: An overview “Climate is what you expect ” “Climate is what you expect ” “Weather is what you get.” Generally wetter conditions 1991-2011 (compared to 1901-1960) Generally wetter conditions Shifting seasons Future changes Jun–Jul Jul-Aug Aug-Sep Sep–Oct [377] [–246] [–405] [–685] [–32] [–87] [648] [–56] [–111] [–106] [–187] [–74] –458 –324 –251 [–216] month earlier than they did 139 years ago 6c–d) Lakes Superior and Michigan-Huron less pronounced seasonal shifts, but there is indication that the autumn peak in the level of Shifting seasons Future changes FIG Reconstructed lake level anomalies ( diamonds or “+” symbol) based on the endpoin for which the linear trend in L* is statistically by the “+” symbol (1958-2011) (1958-2011) (1920-2008) (1958-2011) (2001-2100) Extreme rainfall and stormwater infrastructure 2011 Don River Watershed (Toronto): Changing Land Use with Time 1990 – 70% Impervious 2005 – 84% Impervious From Amirsalari, 2007, Masters Thesis University of Waterloo, Dept of Geography River / Wetland Restoration Plan • The challenges – – – – Urbanized watershed Changing lake levels Competing uses Climate impacts • Adaptation strategy – – – – – Design for: Low baseflow Range of lake levels Flashy hydrology, floodwater Improved sediment discharge 46 Final thought We are the cause … We can be part of the solution Let’s chart a new future for the Great Lakes … Let’s chart a new future for the Great Lakes … Thank you!