Synthesizing Management Outcomes and Information on Climate Change Impacts on Surface Water Flows in the Rio Grande Basin (Phase 1)

Stretching almost 1,900 miles from Colorado to the Gulf of Mexico, The Rio Grande supplies drinking water for more than 6 million people and irrigation for about 2 million acres of cropland. In addition to the ecosystem services it provides, the river supports habitat for many native species, such as trout, and the endangered silvery minnow and southwestern willow flycatcher. In 2010, a joint stakeholder committee, comprised of stakeholders in the South Central CASC and the USDA Southwest Climate Hub, focused on developing an improved understanding of changes in water availability and implications for natural resources and their management. Since then, the committee has identified the need for a forum to discuss research needs in the [...]