Watersheds

A watershed is a basin, or a land area that collects and delivers water to a central point. Water moves through a watershed through soils, streams and rivers from upper elevations to lower elevations, and exists at an outflow such as a stream, river, lake, or the ocean. Watersheds are complex and unique containing different topographies, soils, vegetation and land-uses. Watersheds are affected by climate changes that are altering the quantity, quality, timing and distribution of water. The cumulative impacts of past land-uses, water withdrawals, and disturbances in a watershed are all exacerbated by climate changes. Changes vary by scale and location in a watershed, but affect the management of downstream uses, and may present challenges to those seeking to manage watersheds for water quality or supply; protection of cultural resources; biodiversity; productive timber; recreation; or the provision of habitat for wildlife and rare species.

Rangeland ecosystems are diverse

Changes in the timing and availability of water resources across the Northwest are affecting rangelands. Warming winter temperatures are reducing mountain snowpack and resulting in earlier snowmelt and less available water in the summer months. Reduced water availability,…

Building Water Resilience in the Northwest Through Rangeland Management

Soil conglomerates up close

Changes in the timing and availability of water resources pose significant challenges to irrigated and dryland agriculture across the Northwest. Warmer winters are shrinking mountain snowpack and melting snow is entering streams and rivers before water is needed for irrigating…

Building Water Resilience in the Northwest Through Soil Management

An oak woodland in California.

California's forests play a critical role in providing ecosystem services such as fresh air, clean water, timber, and spaces for cultural and recreational opportunities. From the open, grassy hillsides of blue oak woodlands, to the park-like settings of ponderosa forests, to the…

Keeping California Forests and Woodlands Healthy

Wild Rice

Non-forested wetlands are important habitats that can also help reduce climate change impacts within watersheds. The USDA Northern Forests Climate Hub and the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science has partnered with the Wisconsin Initiative on Climate Change Impacts to…

Climate Adaptation Tools for Wetland Conservation and Management

Tree at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

The USDA Northern Forests Climate Hub and the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science (NIACS) have partnered with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to develop a series of brochures that describe options landowners and land managers have to adapt…

NRCS practices can support climate change adaptation

A newly constructed stream simulation culvert on the George Washington National Forest.

Extreme Precipitation and Trends There is clear evidence that precipitation in the Northeast is more intense than it was in the past. The increase in the Northeast has been greater than any other region in the U.S. (Figure 1). Between 1901 and 2014, total annual precipitation…

Storms and Stream-Crossings

Lakeshore

Taking action now can help forested watersheds prepare for and adapt to a changing climate. Forested watersheds improve water quality and enhance water storage, naturally regulate streamflows, reduce flood damages and stormwater runoff, replenish groundwater and provide a…

Forested watersheds climate change adaptation

21st century

Growing Season Length Warmer temperatures have resulted in a longer freeze-free season and longer growing season across the region (Frumhoff et al. 2007, Kunkel et al. 2013). The freeze-free season, which is the period between the last occurrence of 32 °F in the spring and the…

Shifts in Growing Degree Days, Plant Hardiness Zones and Heat Zones

Little Sand Bay, WI.

Traditional and indigenous knowledge and perspectives have not often been recognized in climate adaptation planning efforts focused on natural resources. The Northern Forests Climate Hub is collaborating with regional tribal partners to address this gap, and collaborating to…

Climate Adaptation and Indigenous Knowledge in the Great Lakes

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