Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences
Thursday, April 9, 2020

Navigating a River of Knowledge

CIRES researchers publish state-of-the-science report for Colorado River water resource managers, planners

Lake Powell photo by Rainer Krienke on Unsplash

In recent decades, increasing water demand, dry conditions and warming temperatures have impacted the Colorado River, creating greater uncertainty about the future of the basin’s water supply. With support and guidance from more than a dozen federal, state and local water agencies, researchers from CIRES and the University of Colorado Boulder’s Western Water Assessment teamed up with leading experts to integrate nearly 800 peer-reviewed studies, agency reports and other sources to assess the state of the science and technical practice relevant to water resources in the Colorado River Basin. 

"This is by far the most comprehensive scientific report ever produced about the Southwest’s iconic river,” said Brad Udall, Senior Water and Climate Research Scientist, Colorado State University. “Scientists summarize what they think about the past, present and future of the river and also provide challenges and opportunities for improving science to assist decision making in the 21st century."

Colorado River Basin Climate and Hydrology: State of the Science aims to create a shared understanding of the physical setting and the latest data, tools and research underpinning the management of Colorado River water resources. Researchers at CIRES’ Western Water Assessment drew from hundreds of publications to create an all-inclusive resource to guide future research and management of the basin. 

In identifying both challenges and opportunities, the report will guide water resource managers and researchers in efforts to improve the short-term and mid-term forecasts and long-term projections for the basin's water system. By serving as a common knowledge base, the report will help readers navigate the future of the Colorado River Basin—which so critically supports the seven basin states, 29 tribes and Mexico. 

“The process of developing this report highlighted for me the many productive collaborations between water managers, forecasters, and researchers in the Colorado River Basin,“ said Jeff Lukas, research scientist at Western Water Assessment and co-editor of the report. “Ideally, the report will further those efforts, so that ever-refined data, methods, and tools are brought to bear on the challenges facing the basin.”

Colby Pellegrino, Director of Water Resources, Southern Nevada Water Authority adds,“Not only does this report analyze in extraordinary detail the latest data, discoveries, and decision support tools that are used in the basin, but it also lists a series of opportunities for using science and technology to help improve our understanding of current and future hydrologic conditions.”