On March 5th, researchers with the Pacific Northwest Climate Impacts Research Consortium (CIRC), a CPO Regional Integrated Science and Assessmentsprogram, hosted a webinar to present new research on future flooding in the region and facilitate a discussion on the findings. The webinar recording is now available.
The webinar welcomed authors Laura Queen (OSU), Bart Nijssen (UW), and Phil Mote (OSU) to highlight the study’s findings. They found that nearly all locations throughout the northwestern United States will experience an increase in flood magnitudes by 2050. The authors used a large ensemble of simulated flows throughout the northwestern United States to compare daily flood statistics in the past (1950–1999) and future (2050–2099) periods. They found ubiquitous increases in flood magnitude throughout the Columbia River Basin under climate change. In addition, the flood season expands significantly in many currently snow-dominant rivers, moving from only spring to both winter and spring.
In the webinar, discussion included how this research may inform future management of our current flood risk management infrastructure.
