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Marin Coalition

A History of Climate Change in California and the West

The Club at McInnis Park Golf Center,
350 Smith Ranch Rd.
San Rafael, California
November 1, 2017
11:00 AM PT - 1:00 PM PT
Posted by: Nadine Muller - October 22, 2017 - 3:05 PM PDT

Marin Coalition Presents

Professor Lynn Ingram, U.C. Berkeley

“A History of Climate Change in California and the West”

The recent El Nino brought the fragile relationship we in California have with nature powerfully into the public’s consciousness, as communities all over the State were compelled to deal with epic rainfall and the flooding that went with it. Most dramatic was the near breaching of the massive Oroville Dam and the forced evacuation of over 180,000 residents, whose homes and communities would have been destroyed, if the breach had occurred. The cost would have been enormous and the disruption of water supplies would have been felt as far away as Los Angeles. In addition, large sensitive ecosystems down river may very well have faced near fatal disruption.

California and the Western United States have a long-term history of climatic change, which is based on geochemical measurements of sediments cored in lakes, estuaries, tree rings, and other paleo-climatic archives. This evidence speaks clearly to us of past “mega-floods” and “mega-droughts” that have recurred over the past several thousand years. These extreme events in California, mirrored by events throughout the West, were more severe than any experienced over the past century. However, they are virtually unknown in the living memory of today’s modern residents.

The archaeological record shows that native populations suffered periodic collapses. The Great Flood of 1861 is a prime example. These severe climatic downturns recurred during past periods of warming, and are likely to occur again in the coming century.

Come and listen to a leading expert in this field talk about what past floods, droughts and other climatic changes tell us about the probable future of California and the West and the need for awakening public consciousness to the challenges these events will pose to the sustainability of our way of life going forward.

Dr. Lynn Ingram is a Professor in the Departments of Earth and Planetary Science and Geography at U.C. Berkeley. She is a Fellow of the California Academy of Science, as well as a Senior Fulbright recipient and Miller Fellow at U.C. Berkeley. Her recent book, “The West Without Water: What Past Floods, Droughts, and Other Climatic Clues Tell Us About Tomorrow,” describes the climate and water resources history of California and the West.

Organization: Marin Coalition

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Website: http://marincoalition.org/events/