{"id":4022,"date":"2023-03-26T01:16:59","date_gmt":"2023-03-26T00:16:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lakebeyond.com\/?p=4022"},"modified":"2023-03-26T01:16:59","modified_gmt":"2023-03-26T00:16:59","slug":"how-has-climate-change-affected-crater-lake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lakebeyond.com\/how-has-climate-change-affected-crater-lake\/","title":{"rendered":"How has climate change affected crater lake?"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the Earth’s climate has changed over time, so too has the climate of Crater Lake. Today, the average surface temperature of the lake is 1.6°C warmer than it was when it was first measured in 1886. The water level of the lake has also changed over time, with the lake’s level dropping an average of 0.6 meters since 1896. These changes are likely due to a combination of natural climate cycles and human-caused climate change.<\/p>\n

The 2017 Crater Lake National Park Visitor Use Management Plan\/ Environmental Impact Statement (VUMP\/EIS) summarizes how climate change is forecast to affect Crater Lake National Park. The VUMP\/EIS found that Crater Lake is “highly vulnerable” to climate change, and that the effects of climate change on the park will include:<\/p>\n

– Changes in the timing and amount of runoff from melting snowpack, which could affect water quality in the lake.<\/p>\n

– Shifts in the timing and severity of insect outbreaks, which could impact forest health.<\/p>\n