Projected Climate Change and Variability and Their Impact on the Canadian Rocky Mountains - Impact of Global Changes on Mountains: Responses and Adaptation - page 414

infrastructure, energy production, forestry, recreation, and communities
large and small” (Henderson and Sauchyn 2008). For agriculture, one
can reduce water demand by implementing more efficient irrigation
methods, as well as irrigating after sunset to reduce evapotranspiration
loss. Water recyling for industrial and private consumption is a technology
that is already here and can be implemented without delay. Better water
management practices include conscious change in personal water usage
habits, such as reduction in watering lawns and washing vehicles.
As noted above, any successful adaptation strategy to climate change
needs to include discussions with stakeholders right from the initial stages
of the strategy development. The importance of this was highlighted by a
study conducted by Cohen et al. (2006) in developing water management
in the Okanagan Valley region in the interior British Columbia. They
carried out four case studies in the Valley, each exploring decision-making
processes on different aspects of water management. We already noted
earlier, the sensitivity of water resource for agriculture in the Okanagan
Valley under climate warming. The Cohen et al. (2006) study explores
various general adaptation strategies for water management that involved
stakeholders representing fi sheries, watershed protection, agriculture, and
local water management practices. The study identifi ed fi ve key components
constituting a framework for developing an integrated approach to
assessing climate change impact on water resource and adaptation strategy
development. These are (Cohen et al. 2006):
1) Climate change scenarios: downscaling of global climate change
scenarios to the regional level,
2) Hydrological scenarios: using a hydrological model to assess impact
of climate change to watershed hydrology,
3) Water supply and demand: developing future demand scenarios for
municipalities and irrigated agriculture,
4) Adaptation options: exploring previous management experience and
potential future approaches for augmenting water supply and/or
reducing water consumption, and
5) Adaptation dialogue with stakeholders: learning about regional
perspectives on adapting to climate change.
The dialogue component is important and for it to be conducted
successfully, Cohen et al. (2006) identifi ed three essential elements: (1) a
clear identifi cation of the dialogue's objectives, (2) an understanding of the
climate change and adaptation on a regional scale, and (3) a construction
of trust among the participants (researchers and stakeholders) through
exchange of information and shared learning. Continuous dialogue among
the participants is essential to keep the adaptation strategy fl exible and