Reduced snowpacks

Higher temperatures are linked to early melting of snowpack, an important factor for water availability during spring and summer months in the Northwest. Around 80% of watersheds in Washington state are projected to experience reduced water flow in summer. These reductions pose a threat to the state’s freshwater ecological systems, and also have implications for water availability, irrigation, and hydropower generation.

When thinking about reduced snowpack in Olympia, what local impacts are you worried about?

Not sure how to get started? Start by completing one of these sentences: “Reduced snowpacks could cause…” or “Early melting of snowpacks could cause…”