The USGS has distributed a news release on a report of great interest to the Water Strategist Community.  The report examines Western water availability, the modern role for science, and the value of monitoring and research to ensure an adequate water supply for the Nation’s future.

“Such factors as a demographic shift, climate variability (including the potential for severe sustained droughts), climate change, water-rights issues, depletion of ground water in storage, introduction of new storage and water use technologies, and protection of endangered species, add to a growing complexity for water management. Several of the key scientific challenges are examined in this report, including the determination of sustainable ground-water use and the physical habitat needs of ecosystems and individual endangered species.”

“This USGS report shows how the role and priorities for science to support effective water management are changing to meet current and future issues. Scientific information plays an important role in describing the hydrologic and environmental consequences, quantifying and monitoring changes in the hydrologic system, defining the physical-habitat requirements of stream and riparian ecosystems, and characterizing the life-sustaining needs of threatened or endangered species.”

The USGS states that “this report brings together findings from a wide variety of USGS studies and data in a manner that will help citizens and public officials better understand changing water situations in the West and the ways that new scientific understanding can support wise management of the resources.”

The USGS report cites examples and scientific challenges from four basins in the West that have significant water availability and sustainability concerns: Middle Rio Grande Basin, NM., the Greater Los Angeles area, San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area, AZ, and the Upper Klamath Lake, OR.

Click here to read the full report.