CA LCC Project

Assessing the impacts of future climates and fire on hydrologic regimes in the Mediterranean-type ecosystems of southern California

Key Links

Project Information

The Mediterranean climate region of southern and coastal California is a globally
recognized biodiversity hotspot, in addition its natural landscapes provide a suite of ecosystem
services including water provision to the high density urban populations and agricultural lands in
close proximity. The provisioning of water is also critical to sustained ecological function,
including habitat for endangered species like the southern California steelhead. Given the
importance of water provisioning and other ecosystem services, there is surprisingly little known
regarding their vulnerability to future climates and increasing fire in southern California.
This is particularly concerning given the predicted impacts of climate change and altered fire
regimes in southern California (Shaw et al., 2009, Keeley and Fotheringham, 2003). It is
essential for natural resource managers and water managers in these chaparral-dominated
systems to understand the spatial patterns of water provision services together with the
interacting threats of climate change and fire, as a necessary step for managing for their longterm
sustainability.

Project Objectives:
- Calibrate the Basin Characterization Model to Mediterranean type climate regions
- Assess the impact of fire on hydrological regimes and measuring post fire recovery
- Assess the impact of future climates on hydrological regimes
- Develop a management workflow and tool to assist in natural resource decision making

Full Proposal Title: 
Assessing the impacts of future climates and fire on hydrologic regimes in the Mediterranean-type ecosystems of southern California
Project Lead: 
Emma Underwood, UC Davis, and Lorraine Flint, USGS (Science Co-Leads), and Hugh Safford (Natural Resource Management Lead), Regional Ecologist, US Forest Service
Status: 
In Progress
Starting Date: 
2015-07-01
Ending Date: 
2017-07-01
Total LCC Funding: 
139996
Total Matching or In-Kind Funds: 
317336
Attachments

Products of this project

Titlesort descending Deliverable Type Release Date Commons Catalog Record or External Link
Analysis of change in hydrological regimes under future climates Publication Jun 2017
Hydrologic regime data Datasets / Database Dec 2015
Management workflow and visualization tool Applications and Tools Jun 2017
Measuring impacts of fire on hydrologic regimes Publication Dec 2016
Remote sensing analysis of post fire vegetation recovery Methodology / Protocol Mar 2016
Workshop Training / Outreach / Workshop May 2016