Preparing for the Twenty-First Century A Report to the USGS Water Resources Division (1991) / Chapter Skim
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3 Future WRD Technical Niches
3 Future WRD Technical Niches
Pages 25-30
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From page 25... ...
Objectivity, combined with databases that give the WRD a better overall view of water resources than any other agency, enables the WRD to move beyond the public controversy in researching strate · ~ ales tor managing water resources. This chapter reviews eight key water resources problems.
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From page 26... ...
Unfortunately, the current understanding of what takes place in water beneath the earth's surface-how it flows, how it transports contaminants, how it is affected by different land-use practices -- falls short of public expectations. Potential roles for the WRD in advancing the understanding of ground water include: developing methods to identify critical recharge areas on small spatial scales; · conducting research into theories and models to analyze and predict contaminant transport in different subsurface settings; investigating concepts and techniques for more efficient integration of data into comprehensive ground water models; · directing prototype studies on the transfer of conceptual models to aquifer protection areas and the use of such models as management tools; · upgrading techniques for gathering and maintaining the ground water data that are essential for model development, calibration, and validation; and · guiding water managers in the appropriate use of data and models for managing aquifer protection areas.
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From page 27... ...
Potential roles for the WRD in upgrading global change models include: · conducting prototype studies to examine how water resources in areas with different hydrologic characteristics and land-use patterns react to various climatic scenarios; · improving the hydrologic component of global circulation models and the links between global circulation models and finegrid regional models; and · advancing the use of remote sensing and geographical information systems for linking land surface processes to atmospheric processes. WATER QUALITY With the increasing public concern about environmental pollution, water quality research will remain a high priority on the national agenda, as evidenced by the recent development of the NAWQA program.
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From page 28... ...
:~ lmp~roving the cap~bility lo cs1ima1c prob~bilitl~s of flood~s and drough1~ es~cia~y ln tbc contc~t of globa1 change; cx~,dlnc t~e ne1~ork of drou~ht and Q~d data: and provld cchnic~1 assis1ance in th: usc of the d~ta. WETLA~DS ~espile lncrcased regulalory att~nlion, thz nation is losing ~ellands at an ~larming ratc.
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From page 29... ...
The WRD's potential roles in helping preserve lakes and reservoirs are: . · investigating how watershed processes contribute to decreased water quality; conducting operations studies for water supply and multi ple use: · supporting limnological research; and · educating water resource managers about anthropogenic processes that accelerate the aging of lakes and reservoirs.
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From page 30... ...
30 Preparing for the Twenty-First Century · conducting prototype studies to evaluate the models in a variety of estuary, harbor, and bay conditions; and · collecting marine data and analyzing trends.
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