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Article

Climate Change Impacts and Water Management Adaptation in Two Mediterranean-Climate Watersheds: Learning from the Durance and Sacramento Rivers

1
California Department of Water Resources, 901 P Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, USA
2
Irstea, UR HHLY, Hydrology-Hydraulics Research Unit, 5 rue de la Doua BP32108, 69616 Villeurbanne CEDEX, France
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Water 2017, 9(2), 126; https://doi.org/10.3390/w9020126
Submission received: 19 October 2016 / Revised: 9 December 2016 / Accepted: 6 February 2017 / Published: 16 February 2017

Abstract

Climate change is bringing more risk and uncertainty to water management in the world’s Mediterranean-climate regions. In this paper, we compare two Mediterranean-climate watersheds: the Durance basin in southern France, and the Sacramento River in northern California, USA. For the Durance basin, we present new research on climate change impacts on water management, and discuss their implications for potential adaptation responses. For the Sacramento River, we review existing climate data and research on impacts and describe the progress in implementing various adaptation strategies. We find that the Durance and Sacramento—while certainly at different scales—nonetheless share many characteristics, such as a highly variable climate and hydrology, and extensive hydromodification and intense water competition, which will be affected by climate change. Although some issues and approaches to adaptation are unique to each region, at the same time, these two river basins are utilizing some similar strategies to cope with a changing climate, such as regional planning and management and water conservation.
Keywords: water management; Mediterranean climate; climate change; climate adaptation; Durance basin; Sacramento River water management; Mediterranean climate; climate change; climate adaptation; Durance basin; Sacramento River

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MDPI and ACS Style

Andrew, J.T.; Sauquet, E. Climate Change Impacts and Water Management Adaptation in Two Mediterranean-Climate Watersheds: Learning from the Durance and Sacramento Rivers. Water 2017, 9, 126. https://doi.org/10.3390/w9020126

AMA Style

Andrew JT, Sauquet E. Climate Change Impacts and Water Management Adaptation in Two Mediterranean-Climate Watersheds: Learning from the Durance and Sacramento Rivers. Water. 2017; 9(2):126. https://doi.org/10.3390/w9020126

Chicago/Turabian Style

Andrew, John T., and Eric Sauquet. 2017. "Climate Change Impacts and Water Management Adaptation in Two Mediterranean-Climate Watersheds: Learning from the Durance and Sacramento Rivers" Water 9, no. 2: 126. https://doi.org/10.3390/w9020126

APA Style

Andrew, J. T., & Sauquet, E. (2017). Climate Change Impacts and Water Management Adaptation in Two Mediterranean-Climate Watersheds: Learning from the Durance and Sacramento Rivers. Water, 9(2), 126. https://doi.org/10.3390/w9020126

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