The Climate Impacts Group Annual Fall Forecast Meetings
Every fall, the Climate Impacts Group at the University of Washington hosts workshops highlighting the seasonal climate forecast and water resource outlook for the Pacific Northwest (PNW) for the upcoming water year.
The information presented at these meetings provides public and private resource managers the opportunity to consider how projected seasonal streamflow levels may affect operational decisions in the Pacific Northwest.
The meetings also provide the opportunity to learn about new water resource forecasting techniques and tools.
Quick Links:
| General meeting information |
| Agenda and Presentations |
| Final participant list (pdf) |
| Other climate meetings of interest |
| Contact CIG |
The Climate Impacts Group's (CIG's) fall forecast meeting provided an opportunity to hear how forecasted climate conditions for the winter 2005-2006 may affect regional climate and streamflow conditions in the Columbia River Basin and western Washington and Oregon. The meeting also provided a forum for sharing the latest research on climate impacts and climate forecasting in the Pacific Northwest (PNW). The forecast meeting was held on October 26, 2005 at the Best Western University Tower Hotel in the University District.
The CIG's fall forecast meeting is open to the public. Past meeting participants have included:
- federal, state, and local level water resource managers,
- public and private electric utility managers,
- consultants,
- public lands managers,
- agricultural specialists,
- non-profit organizations,
- tribal members and technical staff, and
- researchers.
A list of final participants for this year's meeting is available here (pdf).
Agenda and Presentations
The agenda for the meeting is available here (pdf). Presentations from the meeting are posted below.
| 12:30-1:00 | ** Registration ** |
| 1:00-1:10 | Welcome and introductions – Nate Mantua, UW |
| 1:10-1:45 | Winter 2004-05 climate recap and outlook for winter 2005-06 (6.2 MB) – Nate Mantua, UW |
| 1:45-2:35 | Seasonal outlooks for hydrology and water resources: Streamflow, reservoir, and hydropower forecasts for major western U.S. river systems (with emphasis on the Columbia River basin ) – Andrew Wood, UW and Alan Hamlet, UW
|
| 2:35-3:05 | Long-range water supply outlooks using Ensemble Streamflow Prediction (ESP) methodologies (3.9 MB) - Stephen King, National Weather Service Northwest River Forecast Center |
| 3:05-3:20 | ** Break ** |
| 3:20-3:50 | Mid-range streamflow forecasts for west Puget Sound water supply basins (8.4 MB) – Matt Wiley, UW |
| 3:50-4:20 | New products and analysis from the NRCS Water and Climate Center (43.8 MB) – Tom Pagano, USDA-NRCS Water and Climate Center |
| 4:20-4:50 | New climate change scenarios for the Pacific Northwest (2.0 MB) – Eric Salathé, UW |
| 4:50-5:00 | Meeting wrap-up – Lara Whitely Binder, UW |
| 5:00 | ** Meeting concludes ** |
Other Climate Meetings of Interest
Idaho Climate and Water Forecasts for the 2006 Water Year - October 13, 2005 (Boise, Idaho)
The Idaho Climate and Water Forecasts meeting provides the opportunity to hear how forecasted climate conditions for the winter 2005-2006 may affect regional climate and streamflow conditions in the Columbia and Snake River Basins in 2006. Information on the Idaho meeting is available on the Idaho meeting website.
Join the CIG and hundreds of other representatives from the PNW in a major conference on planning for climate change. Conference objectives include understanding the degree of climate change predicted in 20, 50, and 100 years in Washington State; identifying resource and information needs for impacted sectors; and identifying approaches for improving sector-specific plans to adapt to climate change including risk assessment and response. More information is available on the meeting website.
Join the Canadian Climate Impacts and Adaptation Research Network and other sponsors for a 3 day meeting exploring emerging issues about the impacts of climate and climate change on marine and freshwater ecosystems, aquatic and fisheries resources, and communities in British Columbia, Washington and the Pacific Northwest.
The Climate Impacts Group, University of Washington
Questions? Contact Lara Whitely Binder, 206-616-5349