Water Stewardship Information Sources
| ID | 1470 |
|---|---|
| Citation | Porter, M. and M. Nelitz. 2009. A future outlook on the effects of climate change on bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) habitats in the CaribooChilcotin. Prepared by ESSA Technologies Ltd. for Fraser Salmon and Watersheds Program, B.C. Ministry of Environment, and Pacific Fisheries Resource Conservation Council. |
| Organization | Ministry of Environment |
| URL | http://www.thinksalmon.com/reports/BullTroutHabitatOutlook_090314.pdf |
| Abstract/Description or Keywords | Due to climate change by the 2050s average annual air temperatures and average annual precipitation in the Cariboo-Chilcotin are predicted to increase from 2.0-2.5 ﾰC and 5-20% respectively, although in some locations summer precipitation is expected to decrease by as much as 5% (Dawson et al. 2008). Such changes in air temperatures and precipitation are expected to lead to significant changes in hydrology and water temperatures (Tyedmers and Ward 2001; Pike et al. 2008a). Snowmelt-dominated watersheds of the CaribooChilcotin tend to have peak flows in the spring, low flows in the late summer and fall - due to low precipitation and dwindling snowpack - and low flows through the winter due to cold conditions that lead to precipitation accumulating as snowpack (Eaton and Moore 2007). In the future, these types of watersheds are expected to see shifts in runoff where periods of snow accumulation are reduced and peak flows start earlier in the spring (Pike et al. 2008b). Given the known relationship between air and water temperatures (Moore 2006; Nelitz et al. 2007b; 2008) increasing thermal regimes can also be expected in tributary and headwater systems. The biological implications of such climate-induced changes are significant given their fundamental linkages to behavioural and physiological responses of life stages of freshwater dependent fish species, such as bull trout (e.g., Dunham et al. 2001; 2003). climate change, adaptation, salmonids, low flows, stream temperature, environmental flows, snowmelt, streamflow |
| Information Type | report |
| Regional Watershed | Fraser |
| Sub-watershed if known | Bridge River, Seton |
| Aquifer # | |
| Comments | |
| Project status | complete |
| Contact Name | Marc Porter |
| Contact Email | [email protected] |