dri’s expertise and experience in providing solutions and supporting economic development
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DRI Foundation Forum on Water, Nevada and Economic DevelopmentTRANSCRIPT
Desert Research Institute
ADDRESSING GLOBAL ISSUES, PROVIDING SOLUTIONS TO
MANAGING EARTH’S RESOURCES, AND SUPPORTING ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT IN NEVADA
Dr. Jim Thomas, Interim Executive Director, DHS DRIAnd
Dr. Steve Wells, President, DRI
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To contribute more effectively to the security of the nation and to promote the general welfare of the State of Nevada and its citizens through research.
Foster and conduct fundamental scientific and applied research for industry, governmental or private agencies, and individuals.
Encourage and foster a desire in students and faculty to conduct research.
Discover and develop talent for conducting research.
Legislatively Created in 1959DRI’s Legislative Mandate
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Decades of Contributing to Nevada’s Welfare Through Innovative Research
In1960’s Dr. George B. Maxey pioneered 1st scientific approaches to estimating recharge to & regional flow of groundwater in arid regions.
Dr. Patrick Squires vision led to DRI’s scientific reputation in weather modification & cloud seeding in arid regions of Nevada and western US, enhancing our available water resources.
Serving nearly 45 years as an atmospheric physicist, Dr. John Hallet, created research instruments, such as the trademarked and marketed HotPlate Total Precipitation Sensor.
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~550 employees with ~140 research faculty
Non-tenure / soft-money structure:
Faculty are not tenured and generate own salaries (no state-funded positions)
Faculty bring ~$40M into Nevada’s economy! Direct return on state-funded investment is $5-to-$1
DRI’s state funding is used to help offset research support & other operating expenses so overhead can be used to hire new faculty & invest in innovation
At any given time, DRI conducts about 300 research projects worldwide
Over 60 specialized labs & research facilities
DRI invests ~ $1.4M annually in non-state dollars for support of graduate students are UNR and UNLV
Research to improve people’s lives: Nevada & world
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Earth’s Changing Environment
DRI Vision to be the world's
scientific leader investigating the effects of natural and human-induced environmental change and advancing environmental technologies aimed at assessing a changing planet.
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“Array of benefits for humankind derived from the biological, geochemical, hydrological, and
geological states & flows – sustains the biosphere for existence of life”*
*Board of Earth Sciences & Resources, NRC/Nat. Academy of Sciences
Definition of Earth Services Systems (ESS)
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Earth System Services: Increasing Impact due to Human and Climate
Interactions
1977 Drought & 24-hour event resulting in desertification near Bakersfield, California, USA
Dust Bowl, USA: National Archives: 114 SC 5089
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Maps are from an article by John H. Tanton, "End of the Migration Epoch," reprinted by The Social Contract, Vol IV, No 3 and Vol. V, No. 1, 1995.
Maps are from an article by John H. Tanton, "End of the Migration Epoch," reprinted by The Social Contract, Vol IV, No 3 and Vol. V, No. 1, 1995.
each dot represents 1 million people
Desert Research Institute
Maps are from an article by John H. Tanton, "End of the Migration Epoch," reprinted by The Social Contract, Vol IV, No 3 and Vol. V, No. 1, 1995.
Maps are from an article by John H. Tanton, "End of the Migration Epoch," reprinted by The Social Contract, Vol IV, No 3 and Vol. V, No. 1, 1995.
each dot represents 1 million people
Desert Research Institute
Maps are from an article by John H. Tanton, "End of the Migration Epoch," reprinted by The Social Contract, Vol IV, No 3 and Vol. V, No. 1, 1995.
Maps are from an article by John H. Tanton, "End of the Migration Epoch," reprinted by The Social Contract, Vol IV, No 3 and Vol. V, No. 1, 1995.
each dot represents 1 million people
Desert Research Institute
Maps are from an article by John H. Tanton, "End of the Migration Epoch," reprinted by The Social Contract, Vol IV, No 3 and Vol. V, No. 1, 1995.
Maps are from an article by John H. Tanton, "End of the Migration Epoch," reprinted by The Social Contract, Vol IV, No 3 and Vol. V, No. 1, 1995.
each dot represents 1 million people
Desert Research Institute
Maps are from an article by John H. Tanton, "End of the Migration Epoch," reprinted by The Social Contract, Vol IV, No 3 and Vol. V, No. 1, 1995.
Maps are from an article by John H. Tanton, "End of the Migration Epoch," reprinted by The Social Contract, Vol IV, No 3 and Vol. V, No. 1, 1995.
each dot represents 1 million people
Desert Research Institute
Maps are from an article by John H. Tanton, "End of the Migration Epoch," reprinted by The Social Contract, Vol IV, No 3 and Vol. V, No. 1, 1995.
Maps are from an article by John H. Tanton, "End of the Migration Epoch," reprinted by The Social Contract, Vol IV, No 3 and Vol. V, No. 1, 1995.
each dot represents 1 million people
Desert Research Institute
Maps are from an article by John H. Tanton, "End of the Migration Epoch," reprinted by The Social Contract, Vol IV, No 3 and Vol. V, No. 1, 1995.
Maps are from an article by John H. Tanton, "End of the Migration Epoch," reprinted by The Social Contract, Vol IV, No 3 and Vol. V, No. 1, 1995.
each dot represents 1 million people
Desert Research Institute
Percentage of Earth’s Population Without Reasonable Access to Safe Drinking Water
(from Global Education Project)
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Percentage of Earth’s Population That Is Undernourished
(from Global Education Project)
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DRI’s Strategic PlanTrack 1 – Environmental Research Mission
Tier 1 Examples: Addressing environmental &
societal impacts of climate change and related security implications Managing scarce water
resources under conditions of changing climate
Energy-water nexus Monitoring ecological,
hydrological, and atmospheric responses to climate change
Research on techniques & proxies for assessing global climate trends
Adaptation strategies related to natural systems, societies, and infrastructure are impacted by climate change
WAIS Divide IAAce Core Project—3 km ice core in Antarctica
West Africa Water Initiative provides clean water to thousands of rural people
Impact of Climate Uncertainties on steam flows, groundwater recharge, and in-stream and riparian vegetation
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DRI’s Division of Hydrologic Sciences
• Aquatic Biology/Chemistry• Climate Change • Ecological Engineering • Environmental Processes
within Snow and Ice • Paleo-environments • Regional Groundwater
Hydrology and Hydraulics • Soil Zone Hydrology • Surface and Subsurface
Flow and Contaminant Transport
• Watershed Hydrology
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DRI Strategic Plan Tier 1:“expand its research using and developing proxies for assessing global climate trends”
High-Resolution, Multi-Century Records of Trace Element Deposition in West-Central Greenland
D5
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High-Resolution, Multi-Century Records of Trace Element Deposition in West-
Central Greenland
Apply new method for continuous, high-resolution ice-core analyses called Continuous Flow Analysis with Trace Elements (CFA-TE)
Develop multi-century glaciochemical records of trace elements and isotopes with unprecedented temporal resolution
Work has recently expanded to include analysis of black carbon
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Year
Civil War
Great Depression
Clean Air ActMcConnell, 2006
Industrial Lead Pollution in the Arctic
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Climate Change
• Colorado River flows in the future
• Eastern and western Nevada water resource changes
• More extreme droughts and floods
• Earlier snow melt runoff
• Less stream flow and groundwater recharge
• Economic Impact of changing water resources can be huge—Las Vegas growth needs a reliable water supply
22
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Colorado River System
• Climate models predict precipitation may increase or decrease in future 50/50
BUT
• Warmer temperatures will result in:
• Less snowpack
• Less runoff
• Less groundwater recharge
23
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Upper Colorado River Basin Oct-Sep Water Year Temperature 1895-96 / 2010-11
Westmap UA/WRCC/OSU
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Annual
Winter Spring Summer Autumn
East Central Nevada
Projected
Temperature
Changes ( C )
15 IPCC Models
Early 21st
2011-2040
Middle 21st
2041-2070
Late 21st
2071-2100
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Courtesy Brad Udall, CRC-NV, April 2010
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Managing Water Resources: Lake Mead
National Recreation Area—Invasive Species
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Invasive Species: Quagga Mussels
Quagga mussels at Lake Mead clog water intakes affect lake ecosystem
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Managing Water Resources: Groundwater Flow and Contaminant Transport
Analysis
Determine rates of contaminant release
Assess migration characteristics
Quantify groundwater flow paths
Predict groundwater and contaminant velocities
Design optimal monitoring networks
Develop quantitative decision-support tools
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Modeling stress fields and fracture propagation and fluid flow at Nevada Site will be used to develop
expertise for Fracking Environmental issues
2-D Slice of Climax Granite Stock model used to simulate radionuclide fluxes from three sub-surface tests through a fractured granite rock mass.
Conceptual model uncertainty in recharge and geologic framework incorporated in model simulations for full investigation of uncertainty.
Parametric uncertainty included in fracture networks and transport parameters.
Fracking will have extremely important environmental issues to address to continue economic success of oil and gas development
Desert Research Institute
Evapotranspiration (ET) Mapping for Historical Water Use: Transfers from Agriculture to
Energy
METRIC program developed by DRI scientists will be used in State of Nevada Water Rights hearings
METRIC will provide basin water budget estimates for all basins in Nevada
Knowing available water resources is critical for economic development and ecosystem sustainability
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Walker Basin Project
Collaborative DRI-UNR program
Determine amount of Walker River water needed to maintain Walker Lake ecosystem WHILE maintaining agricultural economy in the basin
Alternative lower water use crops part of research program
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DRI Strategic Plan -Tier 2 Issues involving international water development: West Africa
Water Initiative (WAWI)
DRI, with support from the Conrad Hilton Foundation and World Vision, is developing new methods to locate safe water supplies in Africa
Desert Research Institute
Lake Amatitlan, GuatamalaLake Taihu, China contamination
Provide limnological training and support services for agency staff and university researchers in Central and South America.
Taking a Secchi disk reading. The water is green due to abundance of Microcystis aeruginosa, often associated with harmful algal blooms (HABs).
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DRI’s Global Reach and Recognition
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Research Benefiting Nevada
Preserving Lake Tahoe clarity via science-based resource management
Impact of climate uncertainties on steam flows, groundwater recharge, and in-stream and riparian vegetation
Development and implementation of an integrated water quality monitoring program for the Truckee River
Ecology and biology of Quagga mussels and their impact on aquatic biodiversity and water quality in Lake Mead
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Leveraging DRI’s NSF rankings; Leveraging DRI’s unique
business model to explore new & unique research opportunities;
Expansion of DRI’s role in Nevada’s economic development & addressing state priorities such as renewable energy & water technologies;
Expansion of research park to incubate & attract businesses; and
Expand partnerships with local, national, and international businesses as well as institutions of higher education beyond our state (public, private and international).
Integrating engineering with DRI traditional sciences
Research Competitiveness as measured by
Academic Institutional Rankings by National Science Foundation in R&D
Expenditures in Environmental Sciences
1 University California-SD (also Scripps) 2 Texas A&M University 3 Colorado State University 4 Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute13 Johns Hopkins University18 U. of Maryland Ctr. for Environ. Sci.23 DRI 28 U. California-Davis36 Stanford University37 Harvard University40 UNR45 University of Southern California48 UNLV
Strategic Opportunities
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Worldwide trends in science education and workforce
Sources: AAAS and National Science Board reports
10% decline in published papers by US scientists since 1992
20% decrease – overall engineering degrees awarded in US since ’85
50% of all engineering degrees awarded by U.S. Engineering Colleges to foreign nationals
50% decline in funding for basic research since 1970
50% of current science & eng. workforce approaching retirement
“90% of world’s scientists & engineers will live in
Asia by 2010”
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Moving Nevada Forward:A Plan for Excellence in Economic
Development2012 - 2014
Objectives Establish a cohesive
economic development operating system
Advance targeted sectors and opportunities in the regions
Expand global engagement Catalyze innovation in core
and emerging industries Increase opportunity
through education and workforce development
Brian SandovalGovernor of the State of Nevada
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Moving Nevada Forward:A Plan for Excellence in Economic
Development2012 - 2014
Advance knowledge-based industries through partnerships with higher education Water in arid climates
in partnership with DRI, UNLV, So. Nevada Water Authority
Additional Promising Possibilities Agriculture Water technology
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• Provides innovative research, improving peoples’ lives in Nevada & world wide
• Top 25 ranking by NSF among all U.S. universities for R&D expenditures in environmental sciences
• Brings national and global recognition to Nevada beyond gaming & tourism
• Largest and most diverse number of hydrologists and hydrologeologists in national outside federal government (U.S. Geological Survey)
• Entrepreneurial innovation center for “true technology-based economic development“ (Brookings & SRI, 2011): Provides profound economic impact to Nevada, by leveraging ~ $5 for every state dollar invested!