Impact of dynamic climate conditions on water resources engineering, science, and management in the United States: a survey and review

ABSTRACT As climate variability and extreme weather events become increasingly unpredictable, professionals in water-related engineering and science are advised to adapt their practices to promote resilience and risk mitigation. This review explores how practitioners are responding to these emerging challenges by integrating climate adaptation strategies into engineering design and planning. Through a nationwide survey of engineers and scientists across public and private sectors in the United States, supplemented by literature review and professional insights, we identified evolving approaches to hydrologic modeling, infrastructure design, and water supply management that incorporate climate change projections and associated uncertainties. Respondents highlighted a shift toward proactive planning and the use of robustness-based decision frameworks. Technical approaches included integrating downscaled climate models into hydrologic assessments, updating precipitation intensity–duration–frequency curves to reflect recent and potential future trends, and accounting for future uncertainty, among others. We also discuss the implications of failing to address climate variability in standard practice, including potential professional liability exposure. Results indicate widespread awareness of the need for climate-responsive design and reveal significant gaps in guidance, data, and interagency coordination. This work underscores the importance of the continued evolution of engineering practices to meet the demands of a changing climate and technological pressures.