Highlights

Since 1989, the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) has submitted annual reports to Congress called Our Changing Planet. The reports describe the status of USGCRP research activities, provide progress updates, and document recent accomplishments.

In particular, Our Changing Planet highlights progress and accomplishments in interagency activities. These highlights represent the broad spectrum of USGCRP activities that extend from Earth system observations, modeling, and fundamental research through synthesis and assessment, decision support, education, and public engagement.

Green infrastructure projects, such as this stormwater planter, help to collect and absorb runoff, among other benefits. Local-level capacity and reliable cost-benefit information are needed to effectively incorporate such solutions into stormwater manage

Water resources in the United States are affected by a number of climate stressors—including increasing temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, and extreme events like storms and droughts—and these changing conditions have implications for drinking water and stormwater utilities. Federal agencies are working with one another and with state and local partners to build preparedness and sustainability in this essential sector. For instance, the Federal Support Toolbox—grown out of an initiative led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)—serves as a

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Federally coordinated regional science centers work individually and together on projects that support tangible outcomes in their regions. For example, Western Water Assessment (WWA, a NOAA RISA team) is partnering with the DOI North Central CSC on a coll

Climate change affects every region of the United States differently, and no single Federal program can tackle the full range of regional decision-support needs. Coordination at the regional scale is vital to ensuring that Federally supported science and risk management efforts best meet the information requirements of decision makers in a variety of sectors. USDA, NOAA, and DOI individually support a portfolio of complementary regional networks that deliver climate science and tools to public officials, agricultural producers, natural resource managers, and

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In the Southwest, reservoirs such as Lake Powell (above) have reached record-low levels in recent periods of drought. Training for water resource managers is an essential step in preparing for hydrologic extremes in a changing climate.

Climate change presents new challenges for managing water quality and quantity, particularly in areas where water resources are already stressed. Resource managers need scientifically sound, usable information and training to deal with changing patterns of water extremes and other climate-related issues facing the water sector.

To help meet this need, USACE and DOI’s Bureau of Reclamation have developed a training series titled Assessing Natural

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Highlights

Supporting Resilient Water Resources and Utilities

Regional Science Networks for Climate-Smart Decision Making

Building Capacity Among Water Resource Managers