November 2021 Technical Noon Webinar

By Zoom Videoconferencing Technology (Registration is Required - See Details Below)
Wednesday, November 17, 2021 | 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.

Climate Change in New Mexico Over the Next 50 Years: Impacts on Water Resources

Nelia Dunbar, Ph.d. ( Director of the NM Bureau of Geology and State Geologist)

ABSTRACT: 

The earth is warming in response to increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide, and this warming will result in greater aridity in many parts of the world, including New Mexico. The primary observed and projected impacts include warmer temperatures, decreased water supply (partly driven by thinner snowpacks and earlier spring melting), lower soil moisture levels, increased frequency and intensity of wildfires, and increased competition and demand for scarce water resources. These effects may be accentuated by positive feedback cycles, tipping point, or compounding events. This report that I will present compiles, assesses, and integrates existing, peer-reviewed, published research, technical reports, and datasets relevant to the broad topic of changes to New Mexico’s climate over the next 50 years, and resultant impacts on water resources, and represents the scientific foundation upon which New Mexico’s “50 Year Water Plan” will be developed. New Mexico is a geographically, geologically, and climatically diverse state. Projected climate changes, and resultant impacts on water resources in different geographic areas of New Mexico over the next 50 years will vary not only by region, but also as a function of local elevation, and even by hillslope orientation. The currently observed trends of increasing temperature and constant, but more variable, precipitation will continue over the next 50 years.

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHY:

As director of the New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, Nelia oversees the research and service activities of the state geological survey. Her scientific background is in geochemistry, mainly in the study of volcanic rocks, and she received funding for, and previously directed the electron microprobe laboratory. She is an adjunct faculty member in the Earth and Environmental Science department at New Mexico Tech, where she has taught classes and advised graduate students.

REGISTRATION:  Registration is limited to the first 100 participants. All attendees must pre-register for this webinar by Tuesday evening, 11/16/21 at 5:00 p.m. This is required to maintain a record of those attending to satisfy training requirements for PE licensure or Water/Wastewater Operator Certification. Operators will be asked for NM Operator Certification number on the online registration form. Continuing Education is only available in New Mexico.

JANUARY WEBINAR: Our next webinar will be in January 2022 (no webinar in December). Dr. Phil King, Professor Emeritus of Civil Engineering at NMSU will give a talk (title posted soon).