The Upper Tuolumne River Ecosystem Program: Whitewater boating and climate change

Monday, July 18, 2011

Whitewater boating and climate change

Scott Ligare photo.

Scott Ligare and Josh Viers of UC Davis have posted results of research into the effects of climate change on whitewater boating in the Sierra on UC Davis' California WaterBlog. Under mild warming (+2° C or 3.6°F), changes in runoff are likely to increase the average number of boatable weeks per year. However, under extreme warming (+6° C or 10.6° F) there will be a significant decrease in the average boatable weeks per year across the Sierra Nevada. These results vary depending upon location and gradient of the run. Read more on the UC Davis California WaterBlog.

About the Program

The Tuolumne River is located on the west slope of the Sierra Nevada in central California. With headwaters in Yosemite National Park, the Tuolumne flows westward 150 miles to its confluence with the San Joaquin River in California's Central Valley.

The Upper Tuolumne River Ecosystem Program (UTREP) is a collaborative, long-term, science-based river management program led by the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC).

The UTREP monitors river ecosystem conditions and develops recommendations for river management downstream of Hetch Hetchy Project facilities to support broad river ecosystem values, while maintaining water supply reliability for 2.6 million San Francisco Bay Area customers and providing clean hydropower for San Francisco municipal facilities.

Scientific collaborators include Yosemite National Park, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, Stanislaus National Forest, consultants, researchers, and academics.

STATUS: UTREP efforts are currently focused on technical review and revision of the O'Shaughnessy Dam Instream Flow Management Plan and routine annual monitoring.