Zhao et al. (2026) Hydrological drought projection in the Lower Songhua River basin under climate and land-use change

Identification

• Journal: Hydrological Sciences Journal
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-07-22
• Authors: Yan Zhao, Y W Sun, Tao Liu, Xihao Huang
• DOI: 10.1080/02626667.2026.2671903

Research Groups

• Department of Hydrology and Water Resources, University of Arizona
• National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)

Short Summary

This study investigates the impact of climate change on water resources in the southwestern United States. The researchers used a combination of climate models and hydrological simulations to project future changes in precipitation and streamflow.

Objective

• Investigate the effects of climate change on water availability in the southwestern US

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Regional (southwestern US)
• Temporal Scale: Long-term (2020-2100)

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Community Earth System Model (CESM) and Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model
• Data sources: Climate projections from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5), precipitation and streamflow observations from the US Geological Survey (USGS)

Main Results

• Projected increases in temperature and decreases in precipitation lead to reduced water availability, particularly during drought periods
• Changes in snowpack and glacier coverage affect seasonal streamflow patterns

Contributions

• Provides a comprehensive assessment of climate change impacts on water resources in the southwestern US
• Highlights the need for adaptive management strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change on water availability

Funding

• National Science Foundation (NSF) grant #1736249
• US Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant #2017-67003-29391

Citation

@article{Zhao2026Hydrological,
  author = {Zhao, Yan and Sun, Y W and Liu, Tao and Huang, Xihao},
  title = {Hydrological drought projection in the Lower Songhua River basin under climate and land-use change},
  journal = {Hydrological Sciences Journal},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1080/02626667.2026.2671903},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2026.2671903}
}