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May-June 2009 Southwest Hydrology: Beyond Stationarity
May 23, 2009 | Posted by Michael "Aquadoc" Campana
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The May-June 2009 issue of Southwest Hydrology features Beyond Stationarity.
By stationarity we mean, that statistically speaking (e.g., means, standard deviations), the future looks like the past, whether we are talking about precipitation, runoff, or other flows in the hydrologic cycle.The assumption of stationarity allows engineers to design dams, calculate flood return periods, etc., with some degree of confidence.
Stationarity is a hot topic in hydrology today. I’ve posted on it a number of times over at WaterWired - here is a post from 24 February 2008 that will help you understand what it is and why it’s important to water managers. You can download Chris Milly’s Science article here.
Here is a post from 7 July 2007 with short articles on stationarity.
Water managers know that climate change will impact their supplies in the future, but the timing and amount of impact that will occur remains uncertain. Articles in this issue explain how climate change projections are evaluated by experts worldwide, why model results can differ widely, and how those results are being reconciled. Examples from communities and utilities illustrate ways to cope with climate change and other future uncertainties, many of which are translatable to other regions.
You can download the entire issue, or individual articles:
IPCC: Handling a Hot Topic, by Eric Barron
Reconciling Projections of Colorado River Streamflow, by Martin Hoerling, Dennis Lettenmaier, Dan Cayan, and Brad Udall
Scenario Planning: Making Strategic Decisions in Uncertain Times, by Ralph Marra nd Timothy Thomure
Resources for Climate Planning and Adaptation, by Holly Hartmann
Coping with Climate Change at a Local Level, by Elizabeth Wilmott
Beyond Stationarity: Building the Center for Change, by Kimery Wiltshire
You can also download the individual departments as well: On the Ground, Government, HydroFacts, etc. There is a new feature, The Water Page, with some great graphics – precipitation, snowpack, storage, etc.
In the On the Ground department there is a great little article, The Surprising Value of Saltcedar, in which Edward Glenn, Pamela Nagler, and Jeffrey Lovich report that recent studies show that saltcedar water use is in line with those of native vegetation and that there is likely little to be gained by ripping up saltcedar stands to increase water availability. And its reputation as a poor wildlife habitat is apparently underserved.
So leave those saltcedar alone!
“One of the greatest labor-saving inventions of today is tomorrow.” — Unknown
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