California catastrophe

Federal officials have released a new environmental report and the findings spell disaster for California.

Scientists expect the Sierra snowpack to decline by anywhere between 70 percent and 90 percent, leading to extended droughts and more wildfires.

Californians can also expect hotter temperatures and an 80 percent loss of habitat for two-thirds of the state’s native-plants species.

Amanda Staudt, a climate scientist with the National Wildlife Federation who contributed to the report, said cities and agriculture are of great concern: “Warmer temperature will exacerbate the air-quality problems that already affect several cities in the state, while specialty crops like grapes, almonds, oranges, walnuts and avocados could see economic losses of up to 40 percent.”

The study is titled “Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States” and is available at www.globalchange.gov/usimpacts.