Climate change impact on Texas water resources topic at River Systems Institute conference

Posted by Jayme Blaschke
University News Service
April 24, 2008

The Texas Rivers Systems Institute at Texas State University San Marcos will host the conference “Forecast: Climate Changes Impacts on Texas Water” April 28-30 at the Texas State Capitol Expansion in Austin.

This timely conference will look at what is known about climate change and what is needed to know to prepare for the effects on Texas water availability, and impact on communities--both natural and human--which depend on reliable sources of water. Over the course of three days, “Forecast: Climate Change Impacts on Texas Water” will feature national climate change scientists who have conducted cutting-edge work in the prediction of global warming and the impending changes to Earth. It will also highlight climatologists and scientists working to understand what these impacts mean to Texas’ water resources.

The conference will examine the current body of knowledge and ask the hard questions: How do Texans address the uncertainties regarding regional and statewide climate change and associated impacts? With all of the progress Texas has made thus far in water resource planning, has enough been done? What is currently understood of the vulnerabilities of Texas’ water resource supplies and the biological systems that depend upon its availability? What are the agricultural and economic impacts on various regions within the state? What tools are needed to better understand future impacts? What actions will need to be taken to face the climate change impacts to Texas and to ensure the state’s  water future?

Everyone is invited to attend and join in the most comprehensive look yet into climate change and its impacts on Texas water.

For further details and to register, visit http://www.rivers.txstate.edu/CCTW/CCTW08index.htm.