Скачать или смотреть Melissa Hairabedian - Integrating Climate Change in Hydrology Scopes of Work

Melissa Hairabedian presented a lecture on "Integrating Climate Change in Hydrology Scopes of Work" for the Calgary Geotechnical Society on January 22, 2025. The presentation was recorded and later uploaded to YouTube. Please visit our website for more information on this lecture and details to attend future in person talks: https://cgygeosociety.org/ .

Abstract: As the planet continues to warm, the frequency and magnitude of precipitation events is expected to change across the landscape and into the future. In Canada, changes to precipitation events are expected to influence the timing and magnitude of flooding in our watersheds. Some watersheds may dry out over time while others may flood more frequently. Understanding the difference is key to designing and maintaining climate resilient infrastructure. Global Circulation Models have been developed, and are actively being refined by researchers, to offer projections of what the climate might look like in the future. These climate projections are used by practitioners to drive hydrological models to provide insight into future flooding conditions. The crux is that all models are wrong, some are useful, and the uncertainty is typically large. In this presentation, I will discuss how we integrate climate change in consulting scopes of work in hydrology at BGC. I will present how we approach climate uncertainty through project examples in hydrotechnical designs, floodplain mapping, and geohazard management. I’m learning that climate change science is evolving fast, and professional guidance is lagging, if available at all. Approaches to climate change integration are not standard and require customizing to meet project needs. As practitioners, we need to try new methods because the past can’t be used to inform the future.