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The left graph is the paleo-reconstructed, PDSI dating back to the 1600s for the ACF Basin from Pederson et al (2012) along with a 20-year moving average

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posted on 2013-09-11, 00:00 authored by D Yates, J Meldrum, F Flores-Lopez, Michelle Davis

Figure 3. The left graph is the paleo-reconstructed, PDSI dating back to the 1600s for the ACF Basin from Pederson et al (2012) along with a 20-year moving average. The shaded area shows the portion of the time series that was used to inform the development of the future climate sequence. The right graph is the reconstructed PDSI for the period 1715–1758 (gray) and the 42-year future reconstructed PDSI and the corresponding two-digit year index (e.g. '07 is 2007, '55 is 1955, etc).

Abstract

Recent studies on the relationship between thermoelectric cooling and water resources have been made at coarse geographic resolution and do not adequately evaluate the localized water impacts on specific rivers and water bodies. We present the application of an integrated electricity generation–water resources planning model of the Apalachicola/Chattahoochee/Flint (ACF) and Alabama–Coosa–Tallapoosa (ACT) rivers based on the regional energy deployment system (ReEDS) and the water evaluation and planning (WEAP) system. A future scenario that includes a growing population and warmer, drier regional climate shows that benefits from a low-carbon, electricity fuel-mix could help maintain river temperatures below once-through coal-plants. These impacts are shown to be localized, as the cumulative impacts of different electric fuel-mix scenarios are muted in this relatively water-rich region, even in a warmer and drier future climate.

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