Freshwater Resources

The NPLCC is characterized by numerous streams and rivers of all sizes fed by rainfall, snowmelt, groundwater, and (primarily in the north) glaciers.  Fresh water, riparian and marine environments are closely interconnected in the region.  They are influenced by diverse physical and biological processes associated with the seasonal timing, quantity, and quality (i.e. temperature, suspended solids, turbidity) of the water flowing in rivers and streams.  Climate change influences hydrologic regimes by altering the quantity of precipitation (directly affecting runoff), the type of precipitation (snow vs rain and precipitation stored as snowpack) and temperature (evapotranspiration and snowmelt rates and timing).