Projects

Environmental Issues in Water Delivery and Management

Improve the reliability of Reclamation water deliveries by producing effective solutions, tools, and practices that Reclamation water managers can use to prevent water conflicts with the environmental demands on water supplies.
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Fish Passage and Entrainment
Improve the reliability of Reclamation water deliveries by improving passage and reducing entrainment of aquatic and other species affected by Reclamation water storage and diversion operations.

Ecosystem Needs
Improve the reliability of Reclamation water supplies by finding innovative means to address aquatic ecosystem and aquatic species needs without impacting water deliveries.

Invasive Species
Develop and improve techniques for managing aquatic and riparian invasive species that consume Reclamation water supplies or clog Reclamation water deliveries.

Water Quality
Develop and advance tools and practices that Reclamation has the mission responsibility and authority to use in managing water quality issues that are (1) linked to Reclamation operations, and (2) could impact the reliability of Reclamation water deliveries if not addressed.

Sediment Management and River Restoration
Develop and improve sediment management and river restoration solutions and tools that improve the reliability of water deliveries from Reclamation reservoirs and associated and river systems.

Water and Power Infrastructure Reliability

Improve the reliability of Reclamation water storage, water delivery, and hydropower facilities by producing or advancing effective solutions, tools, and practices that Reclamation facility managers can use to cost effectively maintain, modernize, and extend the life of Reclamation's aging infrastructure.R&D needs should be primarily related to Reclamation's operation and maintenance responsibilities. Safety of Dams R&D should be directed to Reclamation's Dam Safety Program.
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Condition Assessment
Improve Reclamation's ability to effectively plan maintenance and prevent costly failures by advancing Reclamation's ability to assess the condition of our facilities and provide early detection of mechanical and structural anomalies.

Repair and Maintenance
Develop and improve solutions, tools, and materials to reduce deterioration and to enhance repair and maintenance capability for Reclamation structures.

Improving Geotechnical Infrastructure Reliability
Develop solutions and tools that improve geologic and geotechnical investigation, design, and construction of Reclamation geotechnical infrastructure.

Public and Employee Safety
Reduce public and employee safety risks due to the operations of Reclamation facilities.

Improved Power Generation
Develop solutions and tools that will reduce power generation losses, increase power generation efficiencies, and improve powerplant operations for Reclamation.

Water Operations Decision Support

Develop solutions and tools that help Reclamation water managers make effective reservoir and river system operational and planning decisions through better integration, evaluation, understanding, and presentation of critical data and information.
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Managing Hydrologic Events
Develop and improve methods to predict, model, and manage operational hydrologic events for Reclamation facilities.

Water Supply Forecasting
Develop and improve solutions and tools to forecast and monitor water supplies and water demands for Reclamation project waters.

Water Operation Models and Decision Support Systems
Develop and improve operations and planning models and decision support systems that evaluate trade-offs between water demands, water losses, water suitability, and reservoir/river system operations needs in order to optimally manage water delivery and use for Reclamation.

Water Resource Data Analysis
Improve the analysis and usability of critical water resources management data and information through remote sensing, GIS, and other methods that can facilitate effective, comprehensive planning and decision-making for Reclamation on a western 17 state, regional, or local scale.

Conserving or Expanding Water Supplies

Enhance water supplies for Reclamation stakeholders with new technologies, solutions, and practices that expand, liberate, or conserve water supplies.
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Groundwater Storage
Develop and improve solutions and tools that advance and optimize groundwater and conjunctive groundwater/surface water storage and use for Reclamation projects.

Desalination and Water Treatment
Develop and improve technologies, solutions and tools to expand water supplies for Reclamation stakeholders through effective water purification and supporting technologies.

Agriculture Water Supplies
Develop and improve solutions and tools that automate, measure, and deliver agricultural water resulting in liberated water or a cost savings for Reclamation or its stakeholders.

Water Marketing
Develop and improve Reclamation's ability to facilitate water marketing and other institutional mechanisms to expand and manage water supplies for Reclamation project water beneficiaries.

Supporting Irrigation Districts
Find ways to help Reclamation project irrigation and water districts identify and cope with change such as urbanization, competition for water rights, and recreational use of facilities when this helps to achieve Reclamation's mission through liberating water or cost savings.

System Water Losses
Develop and improve solutions and tools that conserve water and/or reduce water losses, in Reclamation water storage and delivery systems. Any associated water quality and quantity impacts on the system as a whole should also be addressed in the R&D to enable confident and successful deployment of solutions of tools.