Western Water Assessment

Western Water Assessment
Name	Western Water Assessment
Formation	1995
Type	Research program
Headquarters	University of Colorado Boulder
Region served	Western United States
Parent organization	Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences

Western Water Assessment

Western Water Assessment is a regional climate and water research program based at the University of Colorado Boulder that provides actionable science for decision makers across the Western United States. It conducts interdisciplinary research, stakeholder engagement, and policy-relevant assessments to inform water management, drought planning, and climate adaptation. The program works closely with federal agencies, state governments, tribal nations, and non-governmental organizations to translate climate information into usable tools and services.

Overview

Western Water Assessment operates at the nexus of climate science and resource management, synthesizing research from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration cooperative institutes, the University of Colorado Boulder, the National Science Foundation, and regional water authorities. It produces assessments, forecasts, and decision-support tools aimed at needs expressed by partners such as the Bureau of Reclamation, the United States Geological Survey, and state departments like the Colorado Department of Natural Resources. The program engages with stakeholders including the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, municipal utilities like the Denver Water, and conservation groups such as the Audubon Society.

History and Development

Western Water Assessment was established in the mid-1990s in response to increasing attention from entities including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the National Academy of Sciences, and the Western Governors' Association regarding climate impacts on water resources. Early development involved collaborations with research centers like the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, the National Center for Atmospheric Research, and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Program milestones included contributions to regional drought assessments following events monitored by the Drought Monitor and policy engagements connected to water litigation cases such as those in the Colorado River Compact basin. Leadership and advisory interactions have included scholars from institutions including Princeton University, Stanford University, and University of Washington.

Research and Programs

Research priorities include hydroclimatology, seasonal forecasting, water vulnerability assessments, and climate services. Projects draw on datasets from the National Climatic Data Center, the PRISM Climate Group, and the North American Regional Climate Change Assessment Program. Programs have delivered tools like scenario planning workshops used by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and decision support systems adopted by the Office of the Governor of Colorado and municipal planners in Salt Lake City. Scholarly outputs have appeared in journals associated with the American Meteorological Society and the Geophysical Research Letters community, and datasets have informed reports by the U.S. Global Change Research Program.

Partnerships and Collaborations

The program maintains partnerships with federal entities such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the Bureau of Reclamation, and the United States Forest Service, as well as academic partners including Colorado State University, University of Arizona, and New Mexico State University. It collaborates with non-governmental organizations like the Nature Conservancy, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and regional water districts exemplified by the Central Arizona Project. International scientific linkages include connections with the International Research Institute for Climate and Society and exchanges with researchers at the University of British Columbia and the University of Melbourne.

Impact and Policy Influence

Western Water Assessment has informed regional policy processes such as deliberations over the Colorado River Compact, drought contingency planning adopted by the Seven Basin States, and management strategies of the Bureau of Reclamation for reservoirs like Lake Powell and Lake Mead. Its engagement model has been cited in reports by the National Academy of Sciences and used as a case study in climate services by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction. The program’s syntheses have supported municipal resilience planning in cities such as Denver, Phoenix, and Albuquerque, and have been referenced in water rights negotiations and tribal consultation processes involving the Hualapai Tribe and Pueblo of Zuni.

Funding and Governance

Funding for Western Water Assessment has come from agencies including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Science Foundation, and the Department of the Interior, along with grants from foundations such as the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and partnerships with utilities like Xcel Energy. Governance involves oversight by the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences and advisory input from regional stakeholders, academic institutions such as the University of California, Berkeley and policy partners including the Western Governors' Association. Program directors and principal investigators have included researchers affiliated with the National Center for Atmospheric Research and the University of Colorado Law School.

Category:Climate change organizations in the United States Category:Water resource management in the United States