CORVALLIS, Ore. — A warming winter may sound like a nice break from brutal cold, but new research from Oregon State University shows it could impact the west’s most critical water lifelines.
Researchers with OSU have been studying what’s called snow drought, where precipitation falls as rain instead of snow. They discovered that our warming climate is reshaping how water moves through certain areas, and that could impact everything from our drinking water and to so much more.
In a good winter, the snow piles up in mountains across the Pacific Northwest, turning the snowpack in a reserve to maintain water levels. The water that’s melted from the snow helps rivers flow during the spring and summer, but the faster it moves through an area, it can have a negative impact…