Human Impacts

Humans and human communities are impacted by changes in temperature and precipitation, glaciers, hydrology, sediment and ecosystems that occur within the Skagit basin. Impacts can be positive, negative or neutral depending on the change. Trends scientists see continuing into the future include:

• Decreases in summer precipitation
• Wetter springs and falls
• Increases in flood frequency
• Increases in flood magnitude
• Changes in timing of water availability
• Decreases in snowpack
• Changes in abundance and distribution of species
• Increases in Skagit sediment loads and changing distribution
• Increases in sea levels or storms

If changes like this were to occur, how might they impact you or your business?

Some key impacts scientists are studying are:

• Low Flows
• Flooding
• Water temperature
• Changes in species and habitat function
• Dam operations for power, lake recreation, salmon and flood control
• Lake recreation
• Storm surges and inundation by rising sea levels
• Drainage
• Water supply