Economic consequences of optimized water management for a prolonged, severe drought in California
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Harou, Julien J.
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Economic consequences of optimized water management for a prolonged, severe drought in California
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Abstract
If abrupt climate change has occurred in the past and may be more likely under human
forcing, it is relevant to look at the adaptability of current infrastructure systems to severe
conditions of the recent past. Geologic evidence suggests two extreme droughts in
California during the last few thousand years, each 120-200 years long, with mean annual
streamflows 40% - 60% of the historical mean. This study synthesized a 72-year drought
with half of mean historical inflows using random sampling of historical dry years. One
synthetic hydrological record is used and sensitivity to different interpretations of the
paleorecord is not evaluated. Economic effects and potential adaptation of California’s water supply system in 2020 to this drought is explored using a hydro-economic
optimization model. The model considers how California could respond to such an
extreme drought using water trading and provides best case estimates of economic costs
and effects on water operations and demands. Results illustrate the ability of extensive,
intertied, and flexible water systems with heterogeneous water demands to respond to
severe stress. The study follows a different approach to climate change impact studies,
focusing on past climate changes from the paleo record rather than downscaled general
circulation model results to provide plausible hydrologic scenarios. Adaptations
suggested for the sustained drought are similar for dry forms of climate warming in
California, and are expensive but not catastrophic for the overall economy, but would
impose severe burdens on the agricultural sector and environmental water uses.
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This work was funded by the PIER program of the California Energy Commission.
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URI: https://repositorio.uchile.cl/handle/2250/125417
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WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH, VOL. 46, W05522, 12 PP., 2010
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