Data used in projected flow analysis in Yolo Bypass under 20 scenarios of climate change

Yolo Bypass is an ecological feature of the Bay-Delta ecosystem in California that provides floodplain habitat for spawning and rearing of Sacramento Splittail (Pogonichthys macrolepidotus) and rearing of juvenile Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) when inundated. We used outputs from 10 climate change models for two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) for greenhouse gas concentrations to assess the effects of climate change on the frequency, duration, and timing of flood flows in Yolo Bypass. We also assessed a planned notched weir modification to the primary weir that controls inflow from the Sacramento River into Yolo Bypass that has been designed to allow the bypass to be inundated at lower river flows.PurposeClimate change projections suggest that the notched weir configuration would increase the frequency and duration of floodplain access for fishes that use Yolo Bypass for spawning and rearing, and that these habitats will be maintained through the current century. Further, results indicate that adaptation to climate change through management strategies is possible in some situations.<br><br>Dataset's original DOI: https://doi.org/10.5066/P9MYNPDQ