Translating Existing Model Results to Aid in Resource Management Planning for Future Precipitation Extremes in Hawai‘i and Southeast Alaska

Changing climate in the “Ridge-to-Reef" (R2R) and “Icefield-to-Ocean" (I2O) ecosystems of Hawai‘i and Southeast Alaska is expected to influence freshwater resources, extreme precipitation events, intensity of storms, and drought. Changes in these regions will not be uniform, rather they will depend on elevation and watershed location due to their steep-gradient terrains. A better understanding of expected future climate conditions in these regions is essential for natural resource managers to make informed climate adaptation decisions amid a changing environment.  

The Pacific Islands and Alaska Climate Adaptation Science Centers (PI and AK CASCs) are uniquely positioned to address these issues as they have previously supported the development of high-resolution climate model projections for the steep-gradient watersheds of Hawai‘i and Southeast Alaska. However, results from these models are currently not accessible to resource managers in user-friendly formats, and no clear descriptions of the data or uncertainties are available.  

In collaboration with stakeholders and other partners in the Hawai‘i Drought Knowledge Exchange project and the USDA Northwest Climate Hub, this project will codevelop a website to make existing CASC-supported numerical modeling results more accessible for resource managers who experience barriers to incorporating climate change projections into their planning. This joint PI-AK CASC website will serve as a plain-language resource that describes the shared challenges that Hawai‘i and Southeast Alaska face to aid in managment decision-making, planning, and outreach efforts. The site will serve as a go-to resource for climate modeling information and data for Hawai‘i and Alaska, and the platform can be expanded in the future to house new modeling results as they become available.