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June 15, 2018
As part of Reclamation’s Research and Development Office, the Science and Technology Program is a Reclamation-wide competitive, merit-based applied research and development program. The program focuses on innovative solutions for water and power challenges in the western United States for Reclamation's water and facility managers and the stakeholders they serve. The program has contributed many of the tools and capabilities Reclamation and western water managers use today.
Currently, S&T funds research in five research areas: Water Infrastructure, Environmental Issues in Water Delivery and Management, Power and Energy, Water Operations and Planning, and Developing Water Supplies. During fiscal year 2017, the S&T Program supported close to 200 research projects with more than 100 different lead researchers. More than 60 partners contributed funds or in-kind services toward these S&T projects; a strong indication of priority/importance to the broader water management community.
A number of highly impactful S&T projects were completed or showed promising results during 2017. In order to highlight these impactful projects, a brochure was created to highlight these research efforts.
A variety of projects are featured ranging from stopping leaks in concrete, using unmanned aircraft systems to manage rockfall areas, treating invasive mussels in closed pipe settings, improving cavitation detection, improving worker safety, providing better access to Reclamation’s water data, and making water treatment more cost effective. These projects have or likely will result in expanding water supplies, improving water management, increasing hydropower generation, and reducing maintenance costs.
For Reclamation employees and partners wishing to be a part of this innovation opportunity, S&T is now accepting proposals for FY19 funding. Proposals must be submitted by a Reclamation employee no later than June 26th. Only efforts proposed and led by Reclamation staff are eligible for funding; however staff can partner with internal and external entities to produce more robust and comprehensive scientific solutions.
The S&T Program seeks solutions that can be applied widely across the agency. While the S&T Program does not fund R&D that addresses problems unique to an individual project, project-specific R&D can often be expanded to more widely serve the agency.
For additional information about the S&T Program, please visit https://www.usbr.gov/research/st/index.html or contact John Whitler at jwhitler@usbr.gov.
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