From assessment to action: informing water resource management in protected areas amid global change

Water resources are vital to the United States National Wildlife Refuge System, the world’s largest network of lands managed solely for the conservation of fish, wildlife, and habitats. Despite their protected status, these areas remain vulnerable to global change impacts. A standardized Water Resource Inventory and Assessment database was used to examine climate-related water threats across the refuge system. Over half of all units identified at least one climate related threat, with insufficient surface water most frequently reported—particularly at sites where threat severity was ranked high. Other common issues included altered flow regimes, habitat loss or change, excess surface water, compromised infrastructure, and degraded water quality (e.g., elevated salinity or chlorides). This system-wide baseline provides a foundation for tracking shifts in hydrologic threats over time. These findings can inform conservation policy, guide resource allocation, and support strategic water management to sustain ecological integrity across the refuge system.