Preparing for Climate Change in the Rogue River Basin of Southwest Oregon

This report presents the projected impacts of climate change on the Rogue River Basin of southwest Oregon. A panel of scientists and policy experts recommend strategies for building resistance and resilience to climate change for natural, human, built and economic systems in the region.

This project began by downscaling three climate models (CSIRO, MIROC, and Hadley) and incorporating a global vegetation change model (MC1) used by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. A panel of scientists and land managers then assessed the likely risks posed by changing climate conditions to ecological systems and made recommendations for increasing the capacity of ecosystems and species to survive and adapt to those stressors. A panel of policy experts then used this information to assess the likely risks to economic, built, and human systems within the Rogue Basin and recommended ways to prepare those systems for the impacts of climate change. 

Risks to Infrastructure and the Built Environment are discussed for: buildings and real estate, transportation, water supply, and energy systems. Risks to Economic Systems are considered for the agriculture; forestry; and manufacturing, retail and service sectors. Risks to Public Health and Emergency Services are reviewed along with detail on "At Risk areas" and vulnerable populations.  

Detailed recommendations for increasing resistance and resilience for each of these sectors at risk are provided. 

 

 

 

 

Publication Date: December 8, 2008

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  • Assessment
  • Case study

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