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Sandia Technology logo A quarterly research and development magazine

Summer 2007
Volume 9, No. 2

SANDIA TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE

INSIGHTS: When water disputes boil over, cont.

computer models
Computer models are helping authorities, users, and environmentalists make tough choices.
Previous efforts around Lake Ontario, the Rio Grande, the Roanoke River, and many other places demonstrate the value of open, collaborative analysis supported by transparent computer models. Presently, small communities of practitioners from national labs, the private and nongovernmental organization sector, academia, and government are working to develop such technical tools and methods, often independent of each other and with limited sharing of knowledge and techniques.

riverbed
To help water managers at all levels integrate technical issues within a collaborative planning framework, the National Science and Technology Council’s Subcommittee on Water Availability and Quality has proposed an initiative to develop and advance the integration of computer-based modeling tools within multistakeholder public decision processes for U.S. water solutions.

Researchers from Sandia are teaming with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Geological Survey, and other federal organizations to develop and implement this initiative. The proposal includes a review of current collaborative modeling processes, development of an evaluation framework for these collaborative processes, targeted demonstration projects to develop recommended approaches and methodologies, and development of a focal point or center to facilitate coordinated federal research.

Water management today is an exciting and important place to be — economies, the environment, and our livelihoods depend on this increasingly valuable resource. Together, federal partners can combine the best of our technical talents with our knowledge of the social and behavioral sciences to support those in state and local government and the private sector to develop more sustainable solutions to water problems.

lake