Wind Cave National Park - Climate Change Impacts

This project will provide quantitative simulations of future climate at WICA and the expected hydrological, biological, and cave responses to potential future climate scenarios using detailed scientific information. These simulations will provide the information necessary for quantitative evaluation of scenarios and management implications derived in an April 2009 scenario planning exercise for WICA resource management in the face of climate change. The simulations will also provide a vital set of information for long-term General Management Planning (GMP). The results should be transferable to other parks and the tools tested should be highly relevant in any NPS unit’s GMP planning process. The output evaluation will help the NPS determine the degree to which scenario planning and climate change modeling should be incorporated into future GMPs.