Using high-resolution climate change information in water management: a decision-makers' perspective

Area of Science:

• Climate science
• Hydrology
• Environmental management

Background:

• The UK Climate Change Act mandates reporting on climate change risks and adaptation actions.
• Water management relies on climate projection data to understand potential impacts.
• Accurate rainfall data is crucial for assessing flood risks and drainage management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utility of UKCP Local (2.2km) projections for water management.
• To identify necessary derived products from climate projections for adaptation.
• To inform future development of climate projection data and tools.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of UKCP Local high-resolution climate model simulations.
• Assessment of derived information needs for decision-makers.
• Review of requirements for adaptation and flood risk management.

Main Results:

• UKCP Local projections can resolve subdaily rainfall and inform extreme event analysis.
• There is a need for bias-corrected datasets, uncertainty evaluation, and rainfall narratives.
• Guidance is required for using derived products like flood maps and design storm profiles.

Conclusions:

• Central government support is vital for providing updated climate impact information for flood risk management.
• Future climate projection development requires earlier and focused collaboration with industry and end-users.
• Improved climate data products are essential for effective adaptation to climate change impacts.