We will identify regional and area office partners within Reclamation to use available downscaled climate projections, translate projections into biological forecasts for projected changes to populations and habitat, conduct probabilistic scenario planning, and recommend management actions. The research will also identify strategic basins to work in, find personnel to conduct the work, and locate external funding and in-kind services (e.g., non-governmental organizations, State agencies, and other Federal agencies).
We will identify fisheries population and fish physiology effects as well as invasive species effects from climate change in Reclamation-managed systems. We will concentrate on effects on species of interest: zebra mussel, quagga mussel, and plant species identified by management. We will determine how best to translate predicted hydrologic inputs for biological models. This is a phased approach. In Phase 1, we will identify personnel, determine management needs, and write a S&T proposal for fiscal years 2012-2014.
