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HydroVision International WHAT PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES SHOULD A DAM OWNER TAKE IN CASE OF CLIMATE CHANGE ? July 27, 2010 Charlotte, NC USA. Moderator: Ron Lemons, Freese and Nichols, Inc.
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HydroVision International WHAT PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES SHOULD A DAM OWNER TAKE IN CASE OF CLIMATE CHANGE? July 27, 2010 Charlotte, NC USA Moderator:Ron Lemons, Freese and Nichols, Inc. PANELISTS: Denis Aelbrecht, Electricite de FranceLevi D. Brekke, U.S. Bureau of ReclamationChen-Shan Kung, PhD, Sinotech Engineering Services, Ltd., People’s Republic of China Nelson do Canto Oliveira Saks, COPEL, Brazil
Is The Climate Changing? The climate is always changing and we are accustomed to planning for and adapting to it • Runoff - more in dry season and less wet season • Western snowpacks are smaller and melting earlier • Ivie Reservoir - 27% less yield • Canadian River – 80% reduction in runoff / rainfall ratio
Climate Change Misunderstood? Amazon.com has 6,439books on the subject
Each speaker will have Slides to give 5 to 10 minutes of Introductory comments on Climate change
Global Climate Change is creating uncertainty about our water supplies… Considerable uncertainty in the science of prediction of hydrologic impacts and the impacts are regionally variable Non-Climatic Factors ADD to Uncertainties • Population growth and migration • Technology decreasing water usage • Technology allowing use of previously unusable water • Pricing framework decreasing water usage • Changes in governance of water resources
POSSIBLE HYDROLOGICAL IMPACTS Evapotranspiration Increases Water Quality • Higher Water Temperatures ? • Runoff from Wildfire Zones • Evaporation Concentration Dissolved Solids • Increased Point and Non-Point Pollution Streamflow • Decrease or Increase ? • Greater Extremes ? • Snowmelt & Runoff Timing • Decrease Flow from Snow and Glaciers
NO REGRETS APPROACH Regret Over Investment Regret Under Investment No Regrets Approach To Accommodate Unknown Future Conditions Plan for the Future, but Review Frequently and Take Action When Needed
Concluding Thoughts • Learn to Adapt to Unknown Changes • No different from founders of ICOLD a century ago • No Regrets approach • Changes Could Be: • Changes in water quality • More or less streamflow • NO SINGLE APPROACH TO ADAPTATION • Non-Climatic Factors Could ADD to Uncertainties
HydroVision International WHAT PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES SHOULD A DAM OWNER TAKE IN CASE OF CLIMATE CHANGE? July 27, 2010 Charlotte, NC USA QUESTIONS AND COMMENTS Moderator:Ron Lemons, Freese and Nichols, Inc. PANELISTS: Denis Aelbrecht, Electricite de FranceLevi D. Brekke, U.S. Bureau of ReclamationChen-Shan Kung, PhD, Sinotech Engineering Services, Ltd., People’s Republic of China Nelson do Canto Oliveira Saks, COPEL, Brazil