According to the EPA, an indicator  “represents the state of certain environmental conditions over a given area and a specified period of time.” The indicators are grouped into five categories, or chapters:

• Greenhouse Gases
• Weather and Climate
• Oceans
• Snow and Ice
• Society and Ecosystems

According to the introduction, the report includes the following for each indicator:

• One or more graphics showing trends over time
• A list of key points
• Text that describes how the indicator relates to climate change, how the indicator was developed, and any factors that might contribute to uncertainty in the trend or the supporting data (referred to in this report as “indicator limitations”)

The EPA plans to use the indicators to collect data and analysis to do the following:

• Monitor the effects/impacts of climate change in the United States
• Assist decision–makers on how to best use policymaking and program resources to respond to climate change
• Assist EPA and its constituents in evaluating the success of their climate change efforts

Further reading: Climate Change Indicators in the United States, full report (PDF).

How climate change affects water safety received the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s attention even before last fall when officials in the department initiated a “Climate Ready Water Utility” program.

“We think that climate change is a natural evolution of that all hazards approach because our understanding right now with climate change is that its impacts could have direct effects on water quality and quantity and even the infrastructure of water systems, which all could lead to service disruptions,” David Travers, director of the Water Security Division of the EPA, said.

When climate change causes water temperatures to go up, some consequences follow. “Higher temperatures reduce dissolved oxygen levels, which can have an effect on aquatic life. Where streamflow and lake levels fall, there will be less dilution of pollutants,” according to the EPA.

Travers said that after 9/11 the department focused on potential terrorist attacks on water, but the focus has been broadened as the years went by.

“Our definition of what constitutes as threats to infrastructure has grown from terrorism to natural disasters, and today to include climate change,” he said.

Travers said one example of climate change’s impact on water is that it may affect water availability. Since historical records provides good statistics to predict future water availability, the agency expects that the southwestern part of the country will experience severe drought, and it will worsen under the condition of climate change.

The new program will generate a national working group, provide recommendations to local water utilities on how to prepare for climate change, and develop a risk-assessment tool.

Currently, the water security division is in the process of developing software for the risk-assessment tool to be used on computers. And they expect to see some results as early as later this year.

Travers said recent hurricanes and floods are examples of what the weather could do to water, and it is extremely important to prepare beforehand.

“We have seen incidences where water systems have been knocked off line by natural disasters. Preparedness just makes sense as an approach to protect something as critical as water,” Travers said. “I think it’s important to prepare for these types of events. Just because you haven’t gotten into a car accident doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t put down the seat belt.”