With extreme weather events on the rise and government research budgets getting slashed, the need for locally relevant data is more important than ever for managing resources at the municipal scale.
CSI’s 11th Annual Volunteer Symposium, “Community-Based Monitoring in a Changing Climate” will highlight how changes in the climate have the potential to impact local water resources and the way we manage our towns and cities.
Researcher Mark Wysocki from the Northeast Regional Climate Center will present local climate projections, including expected changes in precipitation patterns. Michael Thorne, City of Ithaca Superintendent of Public Works, will present on how the City of Ithaca is planning for flooding and extreme weather events. CSI Executive Director Steve Penningroth will tie it all together and discuss the value of local data for adapting communities to climate change, and how the expected changes can inform where and how data are collected.
Climate change isn’t just about warmer temperatures. A rise in heavy precipitation events in recent years has already begun to show just how destructive rain events can be to water quality. CSI volunteers collected water samples during the September 8, 2011 rains from Tropical Storm Lee and results can be seen online at www.communityscience.org/database. Data showed that rain event washed more sediment into the Cayuga Inlet than in the three previous years combined, underscoring the need for monitoring extreme weather.
“Community-Based Monitoring in a Changing Climate” will take place on Wednesday, April 15th from 6-8 PM in the BorgWarner Room of the Tompkins County Public Library, located at 101 E. Green Street in Ithaca.
This event is free and open to the public.
