Climate change is contributing to an increase of hydrological extremes, with increased storm intensity and increased drought. We are largely unprepared to forecast the specific magnitude and location of hazardous responses in the form of flood and landslide damage that can threaten lives, property and infrastructure. The ability to assess multiple development scenarios which can contribute to water supply and hazard forecast and planning would be helpful to community leaders as they assess impacts of a changing climate.
The objective of this project is to understand and predict trends in the hydrologic status of regional watersheds in central Virginia, with an emphasis on flood and drought vulnerability. Leverage recently developed datasets, data processing and simulation methods for real time, short, medium and long term projections of expected hydrologic extremes. The model can be used to pose multiple scenarios in weather through climate trajectories, and land use.
