104B State Water Resources Research Institute Scope 7: Impact of climate change on extreme hydrologic events in the Kentucky River Basin

Available information indicates that climate change is occurring and Kentucky will almost certainly not be exempt from its effects. This being the case, the impacts of these changes on the hydrologic cycle should be evaluated now to prepare for their potential occurrence. The objectives of this study are to calibrate a Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model for flow simulation at selected locations on the Kentucky River and its tributaries, use the calibrated SWAT model along with projected meteorological inputs to generate and characterize future flow characteristics of the river and its tributaries at selected locations, and provide the Kentucky River Authority with projected annual flow series suitable for incorporation into their modified version of the KYBASIN model to support analyses of operational decision impacts on overall management objectives.