Climate change is expected to deal multiple blows to water resources in New York. Drink in this:
Heavy rain can lead to heavy flooding, and thus heavy pollution. (via NY DEC)
In the coming years, climate change will deal multiple blows to water resources in New York state.
Horton: “We expect more heavy rain events in the future, and that can have very negative impacts on water quality.”
That’s Radley Horton, a climate scientist at Columbia University. He says that heavy rain can cause sediment and pollutants such as farm waste and pesticides to run off into waterways.
At the same time, rising temperatures will cause more moisture to evaporate from the soil – leaving it dry and creating a greater need to irrigate – despite the heavy rain events.
So even though the state has abundant rivers and lakes, New York’s water resources are not immune to the effects of climate change.
Hear More:
Listen to Radley Horton talk about the effects of climate change on the summers and winters in the Great Lakes region.
Get Schooled:
- Learn more about climate change in the Northeast from the National Climate Assessment
- To understand climate change in New York, check out the Department of Environmental Conservation’s webpage
- Check out how climate change is changing weather patterns from the US EPA
The Fine Print:
- This segment was produced with Cornell’s Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future, and supported by agreement with New York Sea Grant, funds provided by the Environmental Protection Fund under the authority of the New York Ocean and Great Lakes Ecosystem Conservation Act. Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this broadcast are those of the originators and do not necessarily reflect the views of Stony Brook University or New York Sea Grant.
