Reclamation allocates $8.9 million to develop innovative solutions for water and power management issues

Written by: Peter Soeth

Research being conducted at the the Brackish Groundwater National Desalination Research Facility in Alamogordo, New Mexico.The Bureau of Reclamation is providing $8.9 million to 27 new research projects and 114 continuing research projects through its Science and Technology Program. The funding from Reclamation is being matched by $10.9 million in partner contributions. The research findings will then be applied throughout Reclamation for the benefit of its water and power facility managers, customers and stakeholders.

"Reclamation faces many technical and complex challenges in managing water and generating power for the West," said Reclamation Commissioner Brenda Burman. "These new research projects will help Reclamation and its partners today, and also ensure that water and power demands will be met for future generations."

Research proposals were sought in the following areas:

• water infrastructure
• power and energy
• environmental issues for water delivery and management
• water operations and planning
• developing water supplies

The type of projects selected includes studies on invasive quagga and zebra mussel control, developing condition monitoring technologies to extend the life of water and power infrastructure, mitigating reservoir water quality impacts from harmful algal blooms, and new water operations and decision-support tools.

Reclamation identified the research projects through an internal competitive call for proposals throughout the organization. The proposals were reviewed and ranked based on technical merit and relevance to Reclamation's mission. Many of these projects partner with internal and/or external entities to produce robust and comprehensive solutions. Partners include entities from the federal government, state government, tribes, universities, private and local organizations.

These new projects address research needs identified in the S&T Programs Science Strategy Implementation Plan that is published annually. This includes needs identified by Reclamation's regional directors, which informs the development and selection of research projects to meet those needs.

This research supports the President's Memorandum on Promoting the Reliable Supply and Delivery of Water in the West by improving the use of technology to increase water reliability and improving forecasts of water availability.

Learn more at Reclamation's Science and Technology Program website.

Project Descriptions

Published on October 15, 2019