The NW CASC supports research that improves our understanding of how climate change is likely to affect the Northwest’s natural and cultural resources and how science-based management can reduce climate risks to those resources. Our  research is designed to  help regional resource managers make climate-smart decisions when managing Northwest fish, wildlife, water and lands. NW CASC research priorities are outlined in our five-year Science Agenda, developed through collaboration between regional natural resource managers and scientists. 

The NW CASC University Consortium supports climate adaptation research through its Research Fellowship Program, while the USGS side of the NW CASC directs research funding to a portfolio of regional projects each year.

In Progress

Snow & Water, Soil & Vegetation

Vulnerability of Lower-Elevation Aspen Forests to Altered Fire and Climate Dynamics: Assessing Risks and Developing Actionable Science

In Progress

Fish & Wildlife, Soil & Vegetation

Exploring Large Downed Wood as Post-Fire Refugia for Terrestrial Salamanders in Pacific Northwest Forests

In Progress

Fish & Wildlife, Snow & Water

Development of a Streamflow Data Catalog and Evaluation of the Vulnerability of Sensitive Fish Species to Climate Change Across the Pacific Northwest

In Progress

Coastal Ecosystems, Fish & Wildlife, Snow & Water, Soil & Vegetation

Assessing the Benefits and Vulnerability of Current and Future Potential Ecosystem Services of the Nisqually River Delta and other Puget Sound Estuaries

In Progress

Human Dimensions, Soil & Vegetation

Can Recreation Management be Used to Reduce Climate Impacts on Native Plants? Addressing Monitoring Gaps for Recreational Trails in Southwestern Idaho

In Progress

Fellow Project, Coastal Ecosystems, Snow & Water

How Will Seasonal Streamflow in Coastal, Rain-Dominated Watersheds Respond to Changes in Precipitation Under Climate Change?

In Progress

Fellow Project, Human Dimensions

Using Local Knowledge of Rangelands to Inform Flexible Management in a Changing Climate

In Progress

Fellow Project, Fish & Wildlife, Snow & Water

Receding Alpine Glaciers and Threatened Fish Habitat: Identifying Mount Rainier’s Critical Cold-Water Zones and Protecting Native Fish Populations in a Changing Climate

In Progress

Fellow Project, Soil & Vegetation

Decline of Western Red Cedar: Using Tree Rings to Understand Mortality Patterns and Identify Drought-Resilient Populations Under Climate Change

In Progress

Fellow Project, Snow & Water

Using Remote Sensing to Assess the Impact of Snow Algae on Snow Melt and Water Availability in the North Cascades

In Progress

Fellow Project, Fish & Wildlife

How do Habitat, Climate and Competition Affect the Survival, Growth and Movement of Young Spring Chinook Salmon in the Wenatchee River Basin?

In Progress

Fellow Project, Fish & Wildlife, Soil & Vegetation

Climate Impacts on Nectar Resources of the Endangered Fender’s Blue Butterfly

In Progress

Fellow Project, Soil & Vegetation

Can Thinning in Previously-Logged Forests Encourage Old-Growth Forest Characteristics While Buffering Impacts of Climate Change?

In Progress

Fellow Project, Fish & Wildlife

Restoring Pinto Abalone by Improving Hatchery Outputs and Identifying Ideal Restoration Sites

In Progress

Fellow Project, Snow & Water

Wetter Winters and Drier Summers: The Effects of River Flow Extremes on Algae and Aquatic Plant Growth in a Degraded River