Simulation of the impacts of projected climate change on groundwater resources in the Urban, Semiarid Yucaipa Valley Watershed, Southern California using an integrated hydrologic model

Managing water resources in semiarid watersheds is challenging due to limited supply and uncertain future climate conditions. This paper examines the impact of future climate changes on an urban watershed in southern California using an integrated hydrologic model. GSFLOW modeling software is used t...

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Main Authors: Derek W. Ryter, Ayman H. Alzraiee, Richard G. Niswonger
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-08-01
Series:Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581825002861
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author Derek W. Ryter
Ayman H. Alzraiee
Richard G. Niswonger
author_facet Derek W. Ryter
Ayman H. Alzraiee
Richard G. Niswonger
author_sort Derek W. Ryter
collection DOAJ
description Managing water resources in semiarid watersheds is challenging due to limited supply and uncertain future climate conditions. This paper examines the impact of future climate changes on an urban watershed in southern California using an integrated hydrologic model. GSFLOW modeling software is used to simulate the nonlinear relationships between climate trends and precipitation partitioning into ET, runoff, and subsurface storage. Four global circulation models (GCMs), each with two greenhouse-gas scenarios, RCP45 and RCP85 are used to project future climate conditions. GCMs include the CanESM2, CNRM-CM5, HadGEM2-ES, and MIROC5 models. The model's simulated hydrologic conditions are compared with historical data to assess changes in water budgets and groundwater supply. Results indicate decreased groundwater storage in most scenarios due to increased natural evapotranspiration, vegetation consumptive use, and streamflow out of the watershed. Only scenarios with substantially increased future precipitation show increased groundwater storage. The study also highlights increased future aridity despite the rise in precipitation and large precipitation events forecast by GCMs, which increase the risk of urban floods and decrease stream leakage and water available to vegetation.
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spelling doaj-art-3d26f8ec1b8f4ce0b5e4a427e076f04d2025-08-20T03:08:28ZengElsevierJournal of Hydrology: Regional Studies2214-58182025-08-016010246110.1016/j.ejrh.2025.102461Simulation of the impacts of projected climate change on groundwater resources in the Urban, Semiarid Yucaipa Valley Watershed, Southern California using an integrated hydrologic modelDerek W. Ryter0Ayman H. Alzraiee1Richard G. Niswonger2US Geological Survey, California Water Science Center, USA; Correspondence to: 4165 Spruance Road, Suite 200, San Diego, CA 92101, USAUS Geological Survey, California Water Science Center, USAGSI Environmental Inc., 7595 Irvine Center Drive, Suite 250, Irvine, CA 92618, USAManaging water resources in semiarid watersheds is challenging due to limited supply and uncertain future climate conditions. This paper examines the impact of future climate changes on an urban watershed in southern California using an integrated hydrologic model. GSFLOW modeling software is used to simulate the nonlinear relationships between climate trends and precipitation partitioning into ET, runoff, and subsurface storage. Four global circulation models (GCMs), each with two greenhouse-gas scenarios, RCP45 and RCP85 are used to project future climate conditions. GCMs include the CanESM2, CNRM-CM5, HadGEM2-ES, and MIROC5 models. The model's simulated hydrologic conditions are compared with historical data to assess changes in water budgets and groundwater supply. Results indicate decreased groundwater storage in most scenarios due to increased natural evapotranspiration, vegetation consumptive use, and streamflow out of the watershed. Only scenarios with substantially increased future precipitation show increased groundwater storage. The study also highlights increased future aridity despite the rise in precipitation and large precipitation events forecast by GCMs, which increase the risk of urban floods and decrease stream leakage and water available to vegetation.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581825002861Integrated modelingGSFLOWFuture climateGroundwater resourcesSemiaridEvapotranspiration
spellingShingle Derek W. Ryter
Ayman H. Alzraiee
Richard G. Niswonger
Simulation of the impacts of projected climate change on groundwater resources in the Urban, Semiarid Yucaipa Valley Watershed, Southern California using an integrated hydrologic model
Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies
Integrated modeling
GSFLOW
Future climate
Groundwater resources
Semiarid
Evapotranspiration
title Simulation of the impacts of projected climate change on groundwater resources in the Urban, Semiarid Yucaipa Valley Watershed, Southern California using an integrated hydrologic model
title_full Simulation of the impacts of projected climate change on groundwater resources in the Urban, Semiarid Yucaipa Valley Watershed, Southern California using an integrated hydrologic model
title_fullStr Simulation of the impacts of projected climate change on groundwater resources in the Urban, Semiarid Yucaipa Valley Watershed, Southern California using an integrated hydrologic model
title_full_unstemmed Simulation of the impacts of projected climate change on groundwater resources in the Urban, Semiarid Yucaipa Valley Watershed, Southern California using an integrated hydrologic model
title_short Simulation of the impacts of projected climate change on groundwater resources in the Urban, Semiarid Yucaipa Valley Watershed, Southern California using an integrated hydrologic model
title_sort simulation of the impacts of projected climate change on groundwater resources in the urban semiarid yucaipa valley watershed southern california using an integrated hydrologic model
topic Integrated modeling
GSFLOW
Future climate
Groundwater resources
Semiarid
Evapotranspiration
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214581825002861
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AT aymanhalzraiee simulationoftheimpactsofprojectedclimatechangeongroundwaterresourcesintheurbansemiaridyucaipavalleywatershedsoutherncaliforniausinganintegratedhydrologicmodel
AT richardgniswonger simulationoftheimpactsofprojectedclimatechangeongroundwaterresourcesintheurbansemiaridyucaipavalleywatershedsoutherncaliforniausinganintegratedhydrologicmodel