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UcL-~~-l~~~ ~~.yr rKUN LLLnW)~ ~~WH~~ .' . r-r<;:I,.JI"1 OJV U::lC.,M ,-.;.CU1UI'i 0 UC.H IU :;l-Ooo'-t'-tr.... 1:.83.1~~: l~:57 , .'-"'0:.>......- ,:..Jo:.>u JllJ217 . climatic changes could make things a whole lot worse,' said Gleidc, I Under the present management 51'S rem, even modest decreases in runoff would lead to :I,astie ~eclinei in the levels, of the mujn,r reservoirs, big drops In the generation of hY<l!oeJectndty, and cutbacks In Water delIveries to some US~rs. Even tOurism llnd recreation could be affected: the temperature Increases expected to occur with the greenhouse effect would have major adverse effects on the recreational skllndustry in tht Rocky Mountalro because of a substanti!\l shortenJng of the ski season, a decline III snowpack, and a higher ratio of raIn to snow, These same temperature Increases coul~ increase the risle of spring flooding, And reservoir levels could experience much larger fluctuations than at present, I The greate.t problem In the basin Is with water quaJIty, speCifically the &lilt contenti (or 5aJlnlty) of the water, Even without cHmatic changes, salinIty standards are violated: regularly, and even slight decreases fn runoff would lead to much worse water quell!)', Even' if c1imat(c changes were to increase overall rtlnoff, salinIty standards will be violatedl regularly, . I I TIle study authors recommend that water managers begin to think about ways Ofi reducing the risks of cl!matlc changes In the regIon, IncreMing the fle:dbiHty of water. II delivery systems and laws, and incorporating the issue of the greenhouse effect Into long" range planning. \ In Summary I The hydrologic modeling results presented here suggest that large changes in: streamflow may occur In the Colorado River Bas!n as a result of climatic changes, USilli I sensitivity studles and projections from several general ~lrcu!Ht!on models, this new study' suggests that runoff in the baS..ln is more likely to decrease tnan increase, Results oC the II study suggest that the impacts of these potentIal changes in streamflow would be felt throughout the ba~il1 as changes in water deliveries, reservoir storage, and hydroeiemicity 1 productIon. , "We've spent billions of dollars buJldlng dams and lnst1tutions to control the natural : flows of the Colorado River to protect ourselves froMl natural droughts and floods, Now, i virtually every drop of river water is spoken for. ~ a result, any permanent reductIon in \ average flows is bound to adversely affect some or all users, and our best Inrormation says : that some permanem reductions are likely," s;~id Glelck. I I' I This new study luggests that these effects wlll be slgnlffcanr. Coping wIth such cI1ll1ale-lnduced changes. In the hydrologic regime will therefore require t1cxiblll!)', innovation. and a degree of political consensus that may not eXist in today's system of water nlanagement in the Southwest. "The Colorado Bas!n has seen natural droughts in the pasl as severe as some of the changes studied here, The difference is. that climatic changes caused by the greenhouse effect would be permanent: said Peler Oleick. [ATTACHED TO THIS RELEASE IS "BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY" AND A SUMMARY OF THE REPORT'S "MAJOR fiNDINGS, "j , ,{ :' A" .. (''Y,', ,):