Adaptive Management and Climate Change Adaptation: Two Mutually Beneficial Areas of Practice. (15th July 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Marmorek, David; Nelitz, Marc; Eyzaguirre, Jimena; Murray, Carol; Alexander, Clint
• Is Part Of: Journal of the American Water Resources Association. Volume 55:Number 4(2019)
• Page Start: 881
• Page End: 905
• Publication Date: 2019-07-15
• Subjects: adaptive management -- climate change adaptation -- climate variability/change -- watershed management -- aquatic ecology -- fish -- flooding; Water-supply -- Periodicals; Hydrology -- Periodicals; Water resources development -- Periodicals; Water resources development -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; 333.9100973
• DOI: 10.1111/1752-1688.12774
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1093-474X

Abstract

Abstract: Adaptive management (AM) is a rigorous approach to implementing, monitoring, and evaluating actions, so as to learn and adjust those actions. Existing AM projects are at risk from climate change, and current AM guidance does not provide adequate methods to deal with this risk. Climate change adaptation (CCA) is an approach to plan and implement actions to reduce risks from climate variability and climate change, and to exploit beneficial opportunities. AM projects could be made more resilient to extreme climate events by applying the principles and procedures of CCA. To test this idea, we analyze the effects of extreme climatic events on five existing AM projects focused on ecosystem restoration and species recovery, in the Russian, Trinity, Okanagan, Platte, and Missouri River Basins. We examine these five case studies together to generate insights on how integrating CCA principles and practices into their design and implementation could improve their sustainability, despite significant technical and institutional challenges, particularly at larger scales. Although climate change brings substantial risks to AM projects, it may also provide opportunities, including creating new habitats, increasing the ability to quickly test flow‐habitat hypotheses, stimulating improvements in watershed management and water conservation, expanding the use of real‐time tools for flow management, and catalyzing creative application of CCA principles and procedures. Abstract : Research Impact Statement : Adaptive Management (a rigorous approach to learning while doing) and Climate Change Adaptation (a way to reduce risks from climate change) are mutually beneficial and supportive fields of practice.