Impacts of climate change on the water cycle

• Stores

  Soil moisture

  • Some increase, some decrease

  Permafrost

  • Tundra - greatest degree of warming
  • Melting

  Lakes and reservoirs

  • Decreased water heights
  • Not refilled in times of drought
• Flows

  Evaporation

  • Increased
  • Increased moisture in atmosphere

  Precipitation

  • Heavier and more intense
  • Runoff and streamflow
  • More water will run off the surface and enter streams, increasing flood risk
  • 1 degree rise in temperature - increase 40%