The changing hydroclimatology of Southeastern U.S.

The allocation of the water resources of Southeastern United States have given rise to inter-state political conflicts for decades. The limited water resource are not only required to satisfy the demand of rapidly growing urban areas, but also the power industry, recreational needs and the environment. Although water resource variability has been attributed to various teleconnections, knowledge of long-term water resource availability is limited. In this paper historical (1952–2014) precipitation and streamflow data from 18 basins in southeast United States are analyzed for long-term changes in the hydroclimatology, possibly brought by urbanization, climate change and/or changed precipitation patterns. A Pettitt test indicates a change in the precipitation-runoff relationship in the late 1990s. After the shift, basin records indicate decreased precipitation storage and consequently increased streamflow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]