How will climate change affect rivers and streams?
Climate change is caused by an increase in greenhouse gas concentrations that is warming our atmosphere. As the atmosphere warms, the distribution and intensity of rainfall is predicted to cause longer droughts but also increased flooding from big storms, as well as longer and more intense wildfire seasons. Reduced snowpack, increased frequency of rain and snow, and earlier runoff of snow will mean increased winter flooding and less cold water in rivers and streams for trout and salmon throughout the year. Human demands for water will also increase in some regions, meaning less water for fish and wildlife. How will climate change affect trout and salmon? Trout and salmon require cold water to survive and the warming of the atmosphere will increase water temperatures, making certain sections of streams and rivers uninhabitable for trout and salmon as water temperatures increase. Most climate change models predict increases of approximately 5.4° F by the year 2050. Fish that are already
