A new study reconstructs streamflow data for the Colorado River up to 800 years into the past, revealing an unmatched second-century drought. Compared to current drought levels, this 22-year period had only 68% of average water flow.
The Bureau of Reclamation is providing $5.6 million in funding to 15 projects focused on improving desalination and water purification technologies. These advancements aim to expand access to otherwise unusable water resources, addressing the climate crisis and meeting Western communities' needs for a new source of water.
The Bureau of Reclamation released a new report evaluating current and emerging snow measurement technologies to enhance water supply forecasting. The report identifies under-utilized emerging technologies with potential to improve forecast accuracy in the near term.
The Bureau of Reclamation has invested $1.6 million in nine innovative desalination technologies aiming to make water treatment more affordable and sustainable. The projects focus on reducing energy requirements and environmental impacts, providing communities with a new source of usable water.
The Bureau of Reclamation has awarded $3.1 million in grants to develop improved water data, modeling and forecasting capabilities for water managers in western states. The selected projects will provide accurate and reliable information to support informed decision-making in a changing climate.
Five teams have been selected to share $125,000 for developing solutions to reduce byproducts and generate more freshwater from inland desalination plants. The winning teams will receive additional funding and testing opportunities to advance their prototype.
The Bureau of Reclamation is providing $2.5 million to support 12 projects advancing snow measurement technology and improving water supply forecasting. The initiatives will enhance snow monitoring programs and leverage satellite data to better predict snowmelt and reservoir operations.
The Bureau of Reclamation released final technical reports supporting the Water Reliability in the West - 2021 SECURE Water Act Report, assessing climate change impacts on 17 western states. The reports provide detailed information on adaptation strategies to increase water supply reliability.
The Bureau of Reclamation is awarding $3.6 million to 10 projects focused on advanced water treatment research and development, aiming to make desalination more affordable and increase water supplies nationwide. The funding supports President Biden's Executive Order on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad.
The Bureau of Reclamation is providing funding for 27 new research projects to address technical challenges in managing water and generating power. The projects focus on areas such as water infrastructure, environmental issues, and developing water supplies.
The Bureau of Reclamation has awarded $5.1 million in research grants to develop new, cost-effective ways to desalinate and treat impaired water. Laboratory-scale projects will focus on determining the viability of novel processes and materials, while pilot-scale proposals will test larger-scale technologies.
The Bureau of Reclamation has released a report identifying innovative approaches to improve drought resiliency in the Washita Basin. The study used tree ring data to develop a new reservoir operations model, predicting that paleo droughts could have far greater impacts on reservoir yield than observed droughts.
The Bureau of Reclamation has allocated $3.9 million for research projects to address water management needs in the western United States. These projects will provide innovative solutions to support water and power facility managers, customers, and stakeholders.
The Bureau of Reclamation is supporting a six-year study to assess the impact of its projects on endangered pallid sturgeon in the upper Missouri River. The study aims to preserve the species and potentially lead to its downlisting, with data gathering focused on reproduction conditions and habitat analysis.
A study published in River Research and Applications detected over 1,000 endangered razorback sucker and dozens of Colorado pikeminnow downstream of the Piute Farms Waterfall. The fish moved from up to 600 miles away in the Colorado River, suggesting that spawning migrations may be cut off by the waterfall.
The Bureau of Reclamation has awarded $9.2 million for 131 research projects focused on increasing water supplies, optimizing water availability under a changing climate, and improving water infrastructure reliability and safety.
Researchers found three durable foul-release coatings showing promise in managing quagga and zebra mussel attachment. Silicone coatings, when properly applied, can be easily cleaned without damaging the surface.
The Bureau of Reclamation's Desalination and Water Purification Research Program will provide funding for four laboratory-scale projects and three pilot testing projects. This funding aims to develop new technologies to address desalination needs in river basins throughout the West, ultimately improving US water supply resilience.
The Bureau of Reclamation has awarded $1.2 million to 12 applied science projects in the Desert and Southern Rockies Landscape Conservation Cooperatives, with a focus on addressing climate change and improving water management. The funding will be matched by federal agencies and partners, providing over $3.5 million for these projects.
Nine LCC science projects have received $1.2 million in WaterSMART funding to support research on climate change impacts, water efficiency, and ecosystem health. These projects will inform federal, state, and local managers in Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, Wyoming, and Northern Mexico.
The Bureau of Reclamation is providing $2.7 million to study seven river basins in the western US, focusing on adaptation strategies for water supply and demand imbalances. Eight water delivery systems will also receive funding to improve water efficiency and operations.