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Effects of climate variability on water storage in the Colorado river basin
- Source :
- Journal of Hydrometeorology 10 (2009) 5, Journal of Hydrometeorology, 10(5), 1257-1270
- Publication Year :
- 2009
-
Abstract
- Understanding the long-term (interannual–decadal) variability of water availability in river basins is paramount for water resources management. Here, the authors analyze time series of simulated terrestrial water storage components, observed precipitation, and discharge spanning 74 yr in the Colorado River basin and relate them to climate indices that describe variability of sea surface temperature and sea level pressure in the tropical and extratropical Pacific. El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) indices in winter [January–March (JFM)] are related to winter precipitation as well as to soil moisture and discharge in the lower Colorado River basin. The low-frequency mode of the Pacific decadal oscillation (PDO) appears to be strongly correlated with deep soil moisture. During the negative PDO phase, saturated storage anomalies tend to be negative and the “amplitudes” (mean absolute anomalies) of shallow soil moisture, snow, and discharge are slightly lower compared to periods of positive PDO phases. Predicting interannual variability, therefore, strongly depends on the capability of predicting PDO regime shifts. If indeed a shift to a cool PDO phase occurred in the mid-1990s, as data suggest, the current dry conditions in the Colorado River basin may persist.
- Subjects :
- Atmospheric Science
vs
Drainage basin
Climate change
drought
western united-states
precipitation
Hydrology and Quantitative Water Management
water resources
enso
watervoorraden
Hydrology (agriculture)
Streamflow
pacific
Precipitation
colorado river
Hydrology
catchment hydrology
geography
WIMEK
geography.geographical_feature_category
climatic change
sea-surface temperatures
Water storage
colorado (rivier)
klimaatverandering
oscillation
Catchment hydrology
Water resources
monitoring
frequency
pdo
hydrologie van stroomgebieden
Environmental science
streamflow
Hydrologie en Kwantitatief Waterbeheer
usa
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1525755X
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Journal of Hydrometeorology 10 (2009) 5, Journal of Hydrometeorology, 10(5), 1257-1270
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....940f8eb00ade2182fda3a3b1f0038d0d