PROJECT HIGHLIGHT
This project combines several advanced computer models to identify potential cases of “maladaptation”' in water management — when changes made to adapt to climate change inadvertently create new problems for communities or ecosystems. The goal is to create practical decision-making tools that will help water managers in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, and potentially other regions, make better choices as they navigate an uncertain climate future.
PROJECT SUMMARY
Across the globe, environmental change is forcing communities to adopt new technologies, infrastructures and policies. If not carefully managed, such adaptation can turn into what’s known as “maladaptation” — responses that inadvertently worsen vulnerabilities, whether ecological, social or economic. The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is already a water-stressed region, making maladaptation of its water management systems a particular concern.
To address that issue, this project will combine two existing resources — the Community Water Model (CWatM), an established, international model that considers water use and the impacts of water infrastructure, and the Sacramento Water Allocation Model (SacWAM), which is used for operational decisions in the region — to create a more robust picture of future conditions and trade-offs. The tools and processes developed will be open-source and generalizable to other regions; the ultimate goal is to produce decision-making frameworks that can help managers better balance competing needs as they make difficult choices about infrastructure investments and water allocation policies in an increasingly uncertain future.
This project is funded by the Delta Stewardship Council Delta Science Program under Agreement No. DSC23011 and is administered by California Sea Grant.