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<br />~mba~ ror Relus.: Until:
<br />Frid.,)' 3 D<<ember 1993 .. A.M.
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<br />! f\JTURE CLIMATE CHANGES TIJREATEN COLORADO RIVER
<br />WATER QUANTJ1Y AND QUALITY
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<br />C81 Fie
<br />fOP, STUOIE5 iN OEVHOPMENT.
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<br />N ~T
<br />ENVIRONMENT.
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<br />AND SECURliY
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<br />PRESS REl.EASE
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<br />For Cunher InfQrmatlon: call Dr. Peter Glekk
<br />at the Padnc Instltute, ($10) 2$1-1600.
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<br />Qakland, California.. The water supply system of the Colorado River Basin is exuemely
<br />Vulnerable to future changes 1n dlmate, Such dimati~ changes could have very severe
<br />t,' pacts on water quality and quantity, and on a wld~ range of benefit! provided by
<br />, ; lorado River wllcter, according to a new research reEort just released by the U.S,
<br />'nvironmental Protection Agen~. The mulll-year stud~, 'Th~ Cotorlldo RJver Basin and
<br />GUmatlc Cban&t!," was done by the Paclfi(l Jnstitute for Studies In Develop'ment.
<br />Environment. and $CC\,lrity, an independent research center in Oakland, California,'
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<br />I Unda Nash and Peter Olelck. SenIor Research Associates of the Pacific Institute who
<br />cbnducted the study. evaluated how a range of projected cltangcsln cUmate resulting from
<br />~e greenhou~e effect could alter the hydrologic regime or the Colo:ado River Basln, in the
<br />r rm of changes in runoff, re~ervolr levels, the generation of hydropower, the supply of
<br />ater to different users (Including Mexico, the Central Arizona Project, and the
<br />~etropolltan Water Dlstrlcl o! Southern California), and water quality,
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<br />i "Our results suggest tbat the Colorado River easin is extremely sensitive to cllmatk
<br />change.\ that cO\lld oc~r over the next seyoral decade;. The present approaches to water
<br />management in the ba.\in arc lnedequatc for dealing with competing demands lInd priorities
<br />~nder IIltered climatic conditions" said Dr, Peter Glelck.
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<br />i Deliveries of water to the many users or the frllorado River are goverMd by a
<br />c~mp!ex set of legal and Institutional arransements. The study aSS1,lmeono cl:langes in these
<br />~rransements, but ratber attempted to evaluate how the current system would react to
<br />changes in water avallablUty impo~ed by the greenhouse effect.
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<br />I Using the best estimates of future cllmatlc changes irom large-scale general
<br />drcuhulotl models ot the climate, the new report found that ever. ~ho\,lgh predpit3tlonmay
<br />~crease, a simultaneous Increase in eVllpotransplratlort would result in 8 net decrease of
<br />percent to 20 f,eDt in surface runoff, "The Implications of these decreases in runoff
<br />f r hy~rQeleclrl~ prouuctfon, snllnity, reservoir levels, and water deliveries to different
<br />scr~ (ould be quite dramatic, We already tlllht over scarce water in the western U.S. ..
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<br />:' Th~ Ilu4y Wa.l cor.dueted wilh fundio8 {rom th~ Climate Chango Dhisicn of th~ U,$, En"fonm~~,taJ
<br />Protection Agency 1n. WashlnS!Oft, D,C. The Padr;~ Instillllo is ~ non,profit re~ar~ and p"licy center dO'"3
<br />t~ellIcll Oil a I\ide range o! probiem3 related to the i10bal environment,IUltainable dnelnpment. ~"w
<br />if\wnAliMallecurily and P'J1ilk.!. The rrec rcport CiUl.b! ordmd from the EllA at (513) 891,6%1, or fa.~ed
<br />~rd<:n to (.\13) 891-66135, The report nvmbu I.! EPA *130.R,~.
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<br />120~ Pf',E5EIWATION PAP-X WAY P;,I~!t~ ON IC~" I\tCrCLtO PAPER PHONE, ~ 1 0 "~j ,1 600
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