Water Resources
Wildfires impact the water quality, supply, and infrastructure of affected communities. While the direct consequences of a wildfire bring short-term physical damage, the secondary impacts to water supplies leave harmful effects that linger long after the fire is extinguished.
The US Geological Survey studied climate, fire, and erosion models for 471 western watersheds. They found that by 2050, sedimentation in more than one-third of the watersheds could double and in nearly nine-tenths increase by more than 10%.
Water system repairs and contamination mitigation efforts following the 2018 California Camp Fire cost more than $270 million.
Wildfires can cause extensive soil erosion, with wildfire-related contaminants flowing into rivers, lakes, and reservoirs…
This pollution can lead to higher levels of sediments, heavy metals, and nutrients in water bodies, increasing the risk of harmful algal blooms and making water treatment more challenging and costly. Intense wildfires also make soil hydrophobic, which increases runoff and reduces groundwater recharge. This altered soil condition disrupts watersheds, leading to flash floods and mudslides that further damage water infrastructure and make long-term water management more difficult.
Key Points:
- Wildfires contaminate water, lead to flash floods, and leave long-term damage to water infrastructure.
- Water resource management and recovery is essential to ensure clean water supplies as wildfire threats increase.
- The Wildfire Alliance seeks to work with Congress to increase funding for watershed management and water infrastructure repair in fire-prone areas.
The impact of wildfires on water resources extends beyond immediate fire damage, with long-term repercussions for water quality, treatment costs, and infrastructure. It is essential to advocate for federal, state, and local agencies to invest in watershed management and rapid response resources. These measures will be crucial to safeguarding water quality and building water infrastructure resilience against the growing threat of wildfires.
