Basin Studies
Beginning in FY 2009, Reclamation will work with State and local partners to initiate two to three comprehensive water supply and demand studies in the West over a two year period. Such efforts are critical to the West, as we prepare to deal with the potential impacts of climate change coupled with the areas that are experiencing record droughts and major population increases. These studies will be focused in areas with willing local/state partners who provide appropriate sharing of the study costs. Potential study areas include but are not limited to major western river basins such as the Colorado, Republican, Sacramento/San Joaquin, Columbia and Snake Rivers and/or their sub-basins, to be determined by Reclamation and its partners as appropriate.
Each study will include state of the art projections of future supply and demand by river basins; analysis of how the basin’s existing water and power operations and infrastructure will perform in the face of changing water realities; and recommendations on how to optimize operations and infrastructure in the basin to supply adequate water in the future.
The specifics of these studies are currently under development and additional information will be posted as it becomes available.
Last Updated: 7/1/08