The Denver Post – July 16, 2010
A National Academy of Sciences study released this morning quantifies potential impacts of climate change – linking water in rivers, crop yields and wildfire damage to specific temperature increases.
For example, for every 1.8 degrees of warming, Colorado can expect 5-10 percent less water in the Arkansas and Rio Grande rivers, the study found.
The study on likely future effects of climate change also anticipates 5-10 percent less total rain in Colorado and other southwestern states. And forest fires are considered likely to devour 3 times more land for each 1.8 degrees of warming.