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Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center (SW CASC)
The SW CASC is a collaborative federal-university partnership between the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and seven academic institutions from across the U.S. Southwest. The Southwest region formally comprises the states of Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah. SW CASC activities also encompass parts of the upper Colorado River basin, particularly with respect to direct and indirect effects of climate change and river management on water delivery to the lower basin. The SW CASC is one of nine regional CASCs under the Department of the Interior (DOI) managed by the USGS National CASC. The mission of the SW CASC is to work with natural and cultural resource managers to develop and deliver scientific information and techniques to anticipate, monitor, and adapt to climate change in the southwestern U.S. The goals of the SW CASC include coordinating and collaborating with users and other providers of climate information to ensure that the research pursued by CASC-affiliated scientists results in tools, techniques, models, and actionable information to facilitate robust decision-making by resource managers, policy makers, and other stakeholders, and building enduring relationships with stakeholders that enable meaningful collaboration, clear communication, and effective translation of scientific results.
RESOURCES
Come Rain or Shine Podcast
Collaborative product of the USDA Southwest Climate Hub and the DOI Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center. Here we highlight stories to share the most recent advances in climate science, weather and climate adaptation, and innovative practices to support resilient landscapes and communities. We believe that sharing some of the most forward thinking and creative climate science and adaptation will strengthen our collective ability to respond to even the most challenging impacts of climate change, in one of the hottest and driest regions of the world.
Factsheets and Briefs
The SW CASC produces factsheets and briefs about topics important to our partners, in order to share the most up-to-date science and information with decision-makers. Examples include a series of briefs focused on healthy forests in California intended to communicate ecosystem appearance and critical processes, and a factsheet on climate, fire, and forest change in California’s Sierra Nevada.
Past Webinar Recordings
The SW CASC hosts regular webinars to share our science and research with our partners. We also host webinars that share current and forecasted weather and climate conditions, and webinars that discuss important topics relevant to our partners, such as the National Climate Assessment. All webinars are recorded and can be viewed at the link below.