Empirical evidence of climate change and urbanization impacts on warming stream temperatures

Vaughn Grey; Kate Smith-Miles; Tim D Fletcher; Belinda E Hatt; Rhys A Coleman

doi:10.1016/j.watres.2023.120703

Empirical evidence of climate change and urbanization impacts on warming stream temperatures

Water Res. 2023 Dec 1:247:120703. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120703. Epub 2023 Oct 6.

Authors

Vaughn Grey¹, Kate Smith-Miles², Tim D Fletcher³, Belinda E Hatt⁴, Rhys A Coleman⁴

Affiliations

¹ School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, 500 Yarra Boulevard, Richmond, Victoria 3121, Australia; School of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia; Melbourne Water Corporation, 990 La Trobe Street, Docklands, Victoria 3008, Australia. Electronic address: Vaughn.Grey@unimelb.edu.au.
² School of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
³ School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, 500 Yarra Boulevard, Richmond, Victoria 3121, Australia.
⁴ School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, 500 Yarra Boulevard, Richmond, Victoria 3121, Australia; Melbourne Water Corporation, 990 La Trobe Street, Docklands, Victoria 3008, Australia.

PMID: 37979332
DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2023.120703

Abstract

Climate change and urbanization threaten streams and the biodiversity that rely upon them worldwide. Emissions of greenhouse gases are causing air and sea surface temperatures to increase, and even small areas of urbanization are degrading stream biodiversity, water quality and hydrology. However, empirical evidence of how increasing air temperatures and urbanization together affect stream temperatures over time and their relative influence on stream temperatures is limited. This study quantifies changes in stream temperatures in a region in South-East Australia with an urban-agricultural-forest landcover gradient and where increasing air temperatures have been observed. Using Random Forest models we identify air temperature and urbanization drive increasing stream temperatures and that their combined effects are larger than their individual effects occurring alone. Furthermore, we identify potential mitigation measures useful for waterway managers and policy makers. The results show that both local and global solutions are needed to reduce future increases to stream temperature.

Keywords: Climate change; River water temperature; Stream water temperature; Urbanization; Warming streams.

MeSH terms

Biodiversity
Climate Change
Rivers*
Temperature
Urbanization*