OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY

In the News

Shrinking glaciers could impact life in Central Oregon

Human caused climate change has accelerated loss of glacial ice, scientists say

“It’s not the movement of any single glacier but the broad trend of glaciers in many different places that give confidence that this is not driven by local changes in precipitation and temperatures and but by the global kinds of changes that are indicated by all the climate records and models,” said Grant.

Below Mount Shasta, a Fight Burbles over Bottled Water

In an aquifer as convoluted as Shasta’s, it’s not easy to determine the effects of pumping groundwater or diverting springs for bottled water, says Gordon Grant, a hydrologist with the U.S. Forest Service’s Pacific Northwest Research Station. With most of the 80 inches of annual precipitation seeping underground, some estimates suggest as much as 40 million acre-feet may be stored in the complex volcanic fissures — more than California’s top 100 reservoirs combined.

More water in meadows unlikely to aid streamflows

“If they are looking to change the composition of the plant community or increase the frequency with which channels flood onto their floodplains, these strategies have a good chance of success,” said Nash. “But if the goal is to increase stream flow late into the summer, they'd be better off trying something else.”

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