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Water: Climate Change

Strategy Implementation

This web page presents some of the products developed under the 44 “key actions” described in the Strategy. The key actions support goals in five key areas:

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  • Adaptation
  • Mitigation
  • Research
  • Education
  • Management

 newcontent2010-2011 National and Regional Highlights of Progress
The National Water Program Strategy: Response to Climate Change, 2010-2011 National and Regional Highlights of Progress is the third progress report of the 2008 Strategy, highlighting the accomplishments of the National Water Program in 2010 and 2011.

2009 Implementation Progress Report  
The National Water Program Strategy: Response to Climate Change Progress Report for 2009 describes the climate change accomplishments of the National Water Program in the areas of climate change mitigation, adaptation, research, education, and management during 2009.

2008 Implementation Progress Report
The National Water Program Strategy: Response to Climate Change Progress Report for 2008 describes the the climate change accomplishments of the National Water Program in the areas of climate change mitigation, adaptation, research, education, and management during 2008.

Implementing the National Water Program Strategy: Response to Climate Change - Progress Report for 2008 (PDF)

Adaptation Products

The Climate Ready Water Utilities page provides information on a variety of resources to help utilities to understand and plan for potential climate change impacts, including a Toolbox  and the Climate Resilience and Evaluation Tool (CREAT).

Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments: Four Case Studies of Water Utility Practices ((March 2011)

This study is a companion to the 2010 study, "Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments: A Review of Water Utility Practices,"  This report presents a series of in depth case studies describing the approaches currently being taken by four water utilities in the United States to assess their vulnerability to climate change. The case studies illustrate different approaches that reflect specific local needs and conditions, existing vulnerabilities, local partnerships, and available information about climate change. Information from these case studies will be of use to water utilities and other members of the water resources community to inform the development of strategies for understanding and responding to climate change.

Climate Change Vulnerability Assessments: A Review of Water Utility Practices (PDF) (August 2010) (31 pp, 625K)
This report describes the activities of eight water utilities who have conducted climate vulnerability assessments: East Bay Municipal Utility District, City of Boulder Utilities Division, Denver Water, Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, New York City Department of Environmental Protection, Portland Water Bureau, Lower Colorado River Authority, and Seattle Public Utilities.  This study examines the steps taken by each, in order to identify the emergent characteristics of water utility climate change vulnerability assessments. The study discusses the approaches taken, and describes the steps, information, and judgments needed for such decision making.

Charter for State-Tribal Climate Change Council of the National Water Program (PDF) (5 pp, 821K)
A key goal of the National Water Program Strategy: Response to Climate Change is to engage States, Tribes, and others in addressing the complex issues posed for water quality program managers by a changing climate. In an effort to strengthen cooperation amongst these groups, a State Climate Council of the EPA National Water Program has been formed. The charter outlines the Council's purpose, membership, and operation.

Climate Ready Estuaries
The EPA Office of Water is implementing a Climate Ready Estuary Program as described in key action #22.

BASINS Analytic Tool
The EPA Office of Water is promoting the Climate Assessment Tool (CAT) within the BASINS analytic program (see key action #21).

Mitigation Products

Geologic Sequestration of Carbon Dioxide
EPA Office of Water has published final rules concerning injection of CO2 into geologic formations.

Promoting Green Infrastructure
The EPA Office of Water is implementing a policy to use green infrastructure to protect water quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Energy Efficiency and Production
The Office of Water and The Office of Air and Radiation had signed a memorandum of Understanding in November 2008 to support coordination of related to improving energy efficiency at wastewater and drinking water treatment plants (see key action #1).

WaterSense Program
The EPA Office of Water is implementing a range of programs to promote water conservation.

Education Products

The following two powerpoint presentations provide an overview of the impacts of climate change on water resources and EPA's National Water Program, and describe the work EPA has been doing over the past two years to address these impacts. (October 2009)

Management Products

Interagency Coordination

  • WestFAST Inventory - April 2010 (18 pp, 160KB)
    In support of the Climate Change Impacts elements of the 2008 “Next Steps” (Western Governors’ Association (WGA)) report (actions 30-40), the Western States Federal Agency Support Team (WestFAST) conducted an inventory of the current water science and water management climate change activities of its member agencies. The purpose of this inventory is to share information on Federal climate change programs that are relevant to western water managers to facilitate closer coordination between Federal agencies and State water scientists and managers.

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