how does climate change affect the water supply?
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With climate change, the water cycle is expected to undergo significant change. For example, a warmer climate causes more water to evaporate from both land and oceans; in turn, a warmer atmosphere can hold more water – roughly four percent more water for every 1ºF rise in temperature.
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Climate change drives changes in marine ecosystems that affect fisheries' productivity and food security. ... These changes are altering the distribution, abundance and health of commercial fish species, and the marine ecosystems on which they depend.
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Climate change tends to increase the frequency and intensity of rainfall; there may be an increase in the occurrence of flooding due to heavy rainfall events. Groundwater recharge may also be affected with a reduction in the availability of groundwater for drinking water in some regions.
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Previous research has suggested that climate change will make the river's flow 50% more variable, swinging from drought one year to flooding the next and making the dam more difficult to operate. During that 15-year period, the new study suggests, flows from the Nile into Egypt could drop by as much as 25%.
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Major and immediate impacts of climate change include increased flooding, storms, drought, and food insecurity. The world's climate depends on the Amazon's rain forests. ... When Amazon rain forests are lost, less water is released into the atmosphere, and fewer clouds form which can promote droughts.
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Impacts of climate change on our natural resources Climate change presents challenges for our air, water, lands, homes and businesses. ... reduced water levels that may eliminate wetlands or affect their ability to reduce erosion, filter contaminants, and provide fish and wildlife habitat.
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Threatened Water Resources Specifically, rain and in higher elevations, snow. But with the climate changing and temperatures rising, the snow on those white-capped mountains is melting quicker and sooner than ever before, with the potential to alter the water cycle throughout the region.
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Warmer temperatures increase the rate of evaporation of water into the atmosphere, in effect increasing the atmosphere's capacity to "hold" water. Increased evaporation may dry out some areas and fall as excess precipitation on other areas.
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How does climate change affect oceans and marine life? ... Sudden rises in temperature and acidification can lead to the loss of marine habitats and species. Shifting ocean currents and warming waters are changing the distribution of fish stocks and altering the structure of ecosystems.
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Climate change is making heavy intense downpours, droughts and rising water temperatures more common. This can alter the quality of our drinking and recreational water. Bacteria and viruses thrive in these new conditions and when they come into contact with humans, can cause numerous illnesses.
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Why does it matter? As greenhouse gases trap more energy from the sun, the oceans are absorbing more heat, resulting in an increase in sea surface temperatures and rising sea level. Changes in ocean temperatures and currents brought about by climate change will lead to alterations in climate patterns around the world.
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Studies incorporating both observations and climate model simulations of global warming indicate that over time, precipitation will increase in rainy areas and evaporation will increase in dry areas, making fresh areas of the ocean fresher and salty areas of the ocean saltier.
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Water shortages may be caused by climate change, such as altered weather patterns including droughts or floods, increased pollution, and increased human demand and overuse of water. A water crisis is a situation where the available potable, unpolluted water within a region is less than that region's demand.
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1. Oceans are getting hotter. Changes in water temperature can affect the environments where fish, shellfish, and other marine species live. As climate change causes the oceans to become warmer year-round, populations of some species may adapt by shifting toward cooler areas.
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The Ministry for the Environment says the greatest effect of climate change is likely to be on New Zealand's water resources, with higher rainfall in the west and less in the east. Extreme climate events such as droughts could become more frequent in eastern areas, with increased flooding after major downpours.
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Sea level can rise by two different mechanisms with respect to climate change. First, as the oceans warm due to an increasing global temperature, seawater expands—taking up more space in the ocean basin and causing a rise in water level.
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Climate change is rapidly warming the Earth and altering ecosystems on land and at sea that produce our food. ... But as this happens, it will change ocean circulation patterns and make ocean food chains less productive.