Yesterday the U.S. Global Research Program announced the publication of a report that summarizes the science and the impacts of climate change on the United States. The chapter on the Pacific Northwest is ominous reading for salmon and orcas. Two disconcerting predictions are: because precipitation is shifting from snow to rain, peak river flow is shifting away from the late spring flood towards higher winter flows that may scour eggs and carries smolts too soon to the sea; removing the Snake River dams may eventually become an ineffective salmon conservation measure because air temperatures are rising in the up-river Columbia tributaries to levels that could heat waters above what salmon can tolerate in ~1/3 of their existing habitat.
| Regional Climate Change Impacts |
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