Water Availability, Quality, and Risk

Societal Challenge The U.S. is facing emerging threats to our economic and national security and ecosystem and habitat health from competing demands for our increasingly limited and stressed water supply and other water risks nationwide, in the context of aging water infrastructure, degrading water quality, population growth, and climate change. Overview Water is essential for life and is inexorably linked to environmental protection, sustainable development, and international peace and security. Too much water, too little water, or poor water quality endangers life, property, communities, economies, and ecosystems. Water challenges affect all economic sectors, from agriculture to utilities, and the impacts are escalating. There is a need for new observations and tools, as well as the use of more physically-based water modeling and fully coupled Earth system modeling approaches that leverage the rapid expansion of available data and technology. Examples of appropriate research topic areas for applications from small businesses include, but are not limited to products and services that accomplish the following objectives: Help communities better prepare for, adapt, and respond to drought and flooding Support understanding and management of water quality risks in rivers, lakes, estuaries and other coastal environments impacted by flooding and long term inundation Support integrated or improved water forecasts to support the management of water resources, water supply, and risk in the face of water stress exacerbated by climate change Support increased efficiencies in water usage in the transportation, hydropower, and agriculture sectors Facilitate the development of an integrated suite of weather- and climate-related information relevant to food security needs