Water and Global Climate Change

Foreword     ii

Executive Summary     iii

I. Introduction     1

II. Climate Change and its Potential Impacts on Hydrology and Water Supplies     4

A. Impacts on the Hydrologic System     4
B. Impacts on Regional Water Resources     8

III. Evidence of Temperature and Hydrologic Trends     14

IV. Implications of Climate Change for Managed Water-Resource Systems     18

V. Ecological Impacts     21

VI. Socioeconomic Costs of Extreme Hydrological Events     23

A. Floods     23
B. Droughts     24

VII. Socioeconomic Costs of Changes in Water Supply and Demand     27

VIII. Adapting to Changing Supply and Demand Conditions     31

A. Pressures on Water Resources     31
B. Adaptation     33

IX. Conclusions     38

Endnotes     41

References     42