Intensified Warming and Aridity Accelerate Terminal Lake Desiccation in the Great Basin of the Western United States
Abstract Terminal lakes in the Great Basin (GB) of the western US host critical wildlife habitat and food for migrating birds and can be associated with serious human health and economic consequences when they desiccate. Water levels have declined dramatically in the last 100+ years due to diversion...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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American Geophysical Union (AGU)
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Earth and Space Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2022EA002630 |
| _version_ | 1811176698004111360 |
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| author | Dorothy K. Hall John S. Kimball Ron Larson Nicolo E. DiGirolamo Kimberly A. Casey Glynn Hulley |
| author_facet | Dorothy K. Hall John S. Kimball Ron Larson Nicolo E. DiGirolamo Kimberly A. Casey Glynn Hulley |
| author_sort | Dorothy K. Hall |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Terminal lakes in the Great Basin (GB) of the western US host critical wildlife habitat and food for migrating birds and can be associated with serious human health and economic consequences when they desiccate. Water levels have declined dramatically in the last 100+ years due to diversion of inflows, drought and climate change. Satellite‐derived environmental science data records (ESDRs) from the MODerate‐resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) (snow cover, evapotranspiration (ET) and land surface temperature (LST)), enable a unique approach to evaluate the effects of aridification on terminal lakes and to study their individual vulnerabilities. Surface and air temperatures in the GB are rising dramatically, with a sharp rise in the rate of increase observed beginning around 2011, while the number of days of snow cover is declining especially in the western mountainous part of the GB as exemplified in Mono Basin, California. Rising temperatures coincide with fewer days of snow cover, a decrease of inflow to the lakes and greater evaporation of water from the lakes. MODIS ESDRs show strong and statistically significant increasing surface temperature (LST) in the GB, a reduction in the number of days of snow cover, and mixed results in ET. ET declined slightly in the more arid parts of the GB due to greater moisture restrictions to evaporation from extended drought, while ET increased in the more‐vegetated, wetter, mountainous northeastern parts as temperatures have risen. Severe and costly ecological, human health and economic consequences are expected if the lakes continue to decline as predicted. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T19:57:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5ee50ab6d4b74fe785ec814aa948e4c2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2333-5084 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T19:57:06Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | American Geophysical Union (AGU) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Earth and Space Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-5ee50ab6d4b74fe785ec814aa948e4c22023-01-27T18:36:33ZengAmerican Geophysical Union (AGU)Earth and Space Science2333-50842023-01-01101n/an/a10.1029/2022EA002630Intensified Warming and Aridity Accelerate Terminal Lake Desiccation in the Great Basin of the Western United StatesDorothy K. Hall0John S. Kimball1Ron Larson2Nicolo E. DiGirolamo3Kimberly A. Casey4Glynn Hulley5Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center University of Maryland College Park MD USAUniversity of Montana Missoula MT USAOregon Lakes Association Klamath Falls OR USAGoddard Space Flight Center NASA Greenbelt MD USAU.S. Geological Survey Reston VA USAJet Propulsion Lab Pasadena CA USAAbstract Terminal lakes in the Great Basin (GB) of the western US host critical wildlife habitat and food for migrating birds and can be associated with serious human health and economic consequences when they desiccate. Water levels have declined dramatically in the last 100+ years due to diversion of inflows, drought and climate change. Satellite‐derived environmental science data records (ESDRs) from the MODerate‐resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) (snow cover, evapotranspiration (ET) and land surface temperature (LST)), enable a unique approach to evaluate the effects of aridification on terminal lakes and to study their individual vulnerabilities. Surface and air temperatures in the GB are rising dramatically, with a sharp rise in the rate of increase observed beginning around 2011, while the number of days of snow cover is declining especially in the western mountainous part of the GB as exemplified in Mono Basin, California. Rising temperatures coincide with fewer days of snow cover, a decrease of inflow to the lakes and greater evaporation of water from the lakes. MODIS ESDRs show strong and statistically significant increasing surface temperature (LST) in the GB, a reduction in the number of days of snow cover, and mixed results in ET. ET declined slightly in the more arid parts of the GB due to greater moisture restrictions to evaporation from extended drought, while ET increased in the more‐vegetated, wetter, mountainous northeastern parts as temperatures have risen. Severe and costly ecological, human health and economic consequences are expected if the lakes continue to decline as predicted.https://doi.org/10.1029/2022EA002630Great Basinterminal lakesLake AbertGreat Salt LakeMono Lakedrought |
| spellingShingle | Dorothy K. Hall John S. Kimball Ron Larson Nicolo E. DiGirolamo Kimberly A. Casey Glynn Hulley Intensified Warming and Aridity Accelerate Terminal Lake Desiccation in the Great Basin of the Western United States Earth and Space Science Great Basin terminal lakes Lake Abert Great Salt Lake Mono Lake drought |
| title | Intensified Warming and Aridity Accelerate Terminal Lake Desiccation in the Great Basin of the Western United States |
| title_full | Intensified Warming and Aridity Accelerate Terminal Lake Desiccation in the Great Basin of the Western United States |
| title_fullStr | Intensified Warming and Aridity Accelerate Terminal Lake Desiccation in the Great Basin of the Western United States |
| title_full_unstemmed | Intensified Warming and Aridity Accelerate Terminal Lake Desiccation in the Great Basin of the Western United States |
| title_short | Intensified Warming and Aridity Accelerate Terminal Lake Desiccation in the Great Basin of the Western United States |
| title_sort | intensified warming and aridity accelerate terminal lake desiccation in the great basin of the western united states |
| topic | Great Basin terminal lakes Lake Abert Great Salt Lake Mono Lake drought |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2022EA002630 |
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