Three Myths about Water

摘要

It is all about the WATER. It is not global warming that will wake the U.S. up to climate change. (They rather like the warmer temperatures in Minnesota.) Instead, it will be the extremes in water resources that will shake our denial. Let us examine three myths about water that expose the myopia.rnWrong. Most of the U.S. experienced significant increases in precipitation and streamflow (and decreases in drought) during the second half of the 20th century (The Effect of Climate Change on Agriculture, Land Resources, Water Resources and Biodiversity, The U.S. Climate Change Science Program, 2009; ). That is what prompted Milly et al. (Science 2008, 319, 573-74) to comment, "Stationari-ty is dead." Statistical norms from 100 y records at gauging stations are not completely worthless, but the magnitude and frequency of extreme events is changing so rapidly that one does not have much certainty, say, to map 100 y flood plains and to plan communities. In general, arid areas are getting drier and humid areas are getting wetter over the entire planet.