A new study has revealed that monsoons in the Southwest have already become less common but more extreme in nature, posing new challenges for water managers eager to capture crucial runoff
By Matt Weiser | newsdeeply.com
Monsoon storms in the desert Southwest are vital for recharging groundwater – but it now appears likely this recharge effect may be compromised by climate change.
The major cities of the Southwest – Phoenix, Tucson, Albuquerque, Las Vegas – currently get most of their freshwater from the Colorado River or its tributaries. That river, however, is experiencing its 19th straight drought year, suggesting a new permanent dry state is gripping the giant watershed.
As a result, groundwater recharge from monsoons could become a much more important water supply in the long term.
Summertime monsoon storms are a distinguishing feature of the desert Southwest, marked by lightning and dramatic cloudbursts that offer a brief respite from baking heat. New research, however, suggests these storms will become less frequent but more intense as the climate warms due to greenhouse gas emissions. This could make monsoon rainfall more difficult to capture for reuse.
