Changing Planet: Adapting to Our New Water Future

Since ancient times, civilizations have struggled to control water, wringing every drop out of this precious resource. Today, freshwater resources are threatened by rising population and the effects of climate change. On August 25th, 2011, at Arizona State University, a panel of scientists and policymakers discussed how shifting climate patterns are stressing our freshwater resources and how we can develop better, more sustainable water practices. The last installment in a three-part series jointly hosted by the NSF, DISCOVER magazine, and NBC Learn, it was moderated by Anne Thompson, senior environmental affairs correspondent for NBC. Each Changing Planet event is broadcast on The Weather Channel, reaching more than 3 million viewers.

Check out the earlier panel discussions in the series, Changing Planet: The Impact on Lives and Values and Changing Planet: Clean Energy and Green Jobs. And see full coverage of this event in the December issue of DISCOVER.

North America's 2080 water forecast

Climate models predict that as global temperatures rise over the next seven decades, subtropical regions like the American Southwest will get drier, while more northern areas, including much of Canada, will get wetter. But for the rest of North America the 2080 water forecast is mixed. The Northeast and the Pacific Northwest may see only a slight increase in annual precipitation, maybe one or two percent, but storms are likely to become more intense. Seasonal variation is likely to increase as well, leading to wetter winters and drier summers that could disrupt local water supplies. Click here to read more.

Westward H2O!

The Southwest is struggling with drought. The Midwest is soaking under floodwaters. And there may be one solution to both problems: Shift the floodwaters of the Mississippi 1,000 miles west to the Navajo River, a tributary of the Colorado River. Click here to read more.