Freshwater conservation options for a changing climate in California's Sierra Nevada

摘要: Catchments of California's Sierra Nevada have been managed for hydropower, water supply, recreation and the environment, during which regional freshwater ecosystems experienced extirpations anadromous fishes, widespread loss in amphibian abundance increases non-native species. Mediterranean-montane climateis expectedtowarmby 2-68C overthe nextcentury, reducingsnowpack,causingearlier runoffandalteringflows. Freshwater conservation efforts currently rely on a patchwork legal regulatory mechanisms, failed to achieve their full potential because weak uncoordinated implementation. No scheme adequately addresses objectives such as representation persistence, all ignore anticipated impacts climate change. We recommend that (1) existing legislation be fully implemented, with explicit anticipation future conditions, (2) local institutions develop implement systematic plan, focusing resilience warming, (3) policies crafted prioritise catchments emphasise key (e.g. conservation) (4) planning agencies authority formed at catchment level.