WOODROW WILSON ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE INSTITUTE RUTGERS 1998

Watershed Information - Maps

Watershed Information - Descriptive

The North Raccoon Watershed. comprises an area of 2,481 sq miles of which 1% is urban, 4 % forested, and 99% in farmland. The average river flow at Des Moines is 5,680 cfs with a maximum of 9,430 cfs in 1993 and a minimum of 1,940 in 1956.

Average precipitation for the two watersheds is 32.63 inches/year with a maximum of 55.88 in 1993 and a minimum of 17.07 in 1956. Average Temperature for the watershed is 49.81 deg F with a maximum of 53.15 in 1987 and a minimum of 47.07 in 1972. Yearly values and rankings show a great variability from year to year.

Global Climate Change Information

Pro/Cons of Global Warming

Are Human Activities Causing Global Warming?

20 Simple Steps to Reduce Global Warming

Ice Ages and Global Warming

Information Concerning Global Warming

Climate Change Effects on Midwest

1. Affect the availability of freshwater for drinking and irrigation.
2. Reduce the diversity of tree species.
3. Increase the risk of respiratory diseases.
4. Reduce wetland areas.
5. Increase the variability and magnitude of floods and droughts.
6. Raise the temperature of lakes and streams resulting in the extinction of important species of game fish.
7. A reduced rainwater runoff would affect the water levels of the Great lakes.
8. Lakes would be covered with ice for shorter periods during the winter months resulting in the possible elimination of cold water species such as trout and encouraging warm water species.
9. With decreased runoff, chemical concentrations in waterways and lakes would likely rise.
10. Northern pine forests may suffer die back as the climate warms.
11. Corn and soybean growing areas of the Midwest would be shifted northward replaced by more drought tolerated crops such as wheat.
12. Human health concerns include more heat related deaths, increases in respiratory diseases related to air pollution, and catastrophic weather resulting in injuries and deaths.

Floods of 1993

The very high rainfalls of June and July of 1993 proved disastrous for the Central Iowa region. With flooding on both the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers, crests reached their highest level in history. The Raccoon breached the flood walls of the water plant causing the termination of fresh drinking water for over 300,000 residents for 12 days. Concerns over the impact of Global Climate Warming and the excessive fluctuations in temperature and rainfall patterns could make the scenes below more numerous in the next decade.

http://www.dmww.com/images/flood2.jpg	http://www.dmww.com/images/plant1.jpg
City of Des Moines - July 1993	Des Moines Water Works - July 1993
http://www.dmww.com/images/p1.jpg	http://www.dmww.com/images/water%20stadium.jpg
Repairing Pumps Dsm Water Works - July 1993	Confluence of the Raccoon and Des Moines

Stella Climate Models

Stella is a software package for modeling dynamic systems such as rivers and streams. As climate changes so do the variables that effect rivers. As humans become dependent on river resources a prediction of river changes with changes in climate is mandatory.