DRI Foundation Forum on Water, Nevada and Economic Development

1. Dr. Jim Thomas, Interim Executive Director, DHS DRI
And
Dr. Steve Wells, President, DRI
Desert Research Institute

2.  To contribute more effectively to the
security of the nation and to promote
the general welfare of
the State of Nevada and its citizens
through research.
 Foster and conduct fundamental
scientific and applied research for
industry, governmental or private
agencies, and individuals.
 Encourage and foster a desire in
students and faculty to conduct
research.
 Discover and develop talent for
conducting research.
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3.  In1960’s Dr. George B. Maxey
pioneered 1st scientific approaches
to estimating recharge to &
regional flow of groundwater in
arid regions.
 Dr. Patrick Squires vision led to
DRI’s scientific reputation in
weather modification & cloud
seeding in arid regions of Nevada
and western US, enhancing our
available water resources.
 Serving nearly 45 years as an
atmospheric physicist, Dr. John
Hallet, created research
instruments, such as the
trademarked and marketed
HotPlate Total Precipitation
Sensor.
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4.  ~550 employees with ~140 research faculty
 Non-tenure / soft-money structure:
 Faculty are not tenured and generate own salaries
(no state-funded positions)
 Faculty bring ~$40M into Nevada’s economy!
 Direct return on state-funded investment is $5-to-$1
 DRI’s state funding is used to help offset research support & other operating
expenses so overhead can be used to hire new faculty & invest in innovation
 At any given time, DRI conducts about 300 research projects worldwide
 Over 60 specialized labs & research facilities
 DRI invests ~ $1.4M annually in non-state dollars for support of graduate
students are UNR and UNLV
 Research to improve people’s lives: Nevada & world
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5. DRI Vision
 to be the world's
scientific leader
investigating the
effects of natural and
human-induced
environmental change
and advancing
environmental
technologies aimed at
assessing a changing
planet.
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6. Definition of Earth Services Systems (ESS)
“Array of benefits for humankind derived from the
biological, geochemical, hydrological, and geological states
& flows – sustains the biosphere for existence of life”*
*Board of Earth Sciences & Resources, NRC/Nat. Academy of Sciences
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7. Dust Bowl, USA:
National Archives: 114 SC 5089
1977 Drought & 24-hour event
resulting in desertification near
Bakersfield, California, USA
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8. Maps are from an article by John H. Tanton, "End of
the Migration Epoch," reprinted by The Social
Contract, Vol IV, No 3 and Vol. V, No. 1, 1995.
each dot represents 1 million people
Desert Research Institute

9. Maps are from an article by John H. Tanton, "End of
the Migration Epoch," reprinted by The Social
Contract, Vol IV, No 3 and Vol. V, No. 1, 1995.
each dot represents 1 million people
Desert Research Institute

10. Maps are from an article by John H. Tanton, "End of
the Migration Epoch," reprinted by The Social
Contract, Vol IV, No 3 and Vol. V, No. 1, 1995.
each dot represents 1 million people
Desert Research Institute

11. Maps are from an article by John H. Tanton, "End of
the Migration Epoch," reprinted by The Social
Contract, Vol IV, No 3 and Vol. V, No. 1, 1995.
each dot represents 1 million people
Desert Research Institute

12. Maps are from an article by John H. Tanton, "End of
the Migration Epoch," reprinted by The Social
Contract, Vol IV, No 3 and Vol. V, No. 1, 1995.
each dot represents 1 million people
Desert Research Institute

13. Maps are from an article by John H. Tanton, "End of
the Migration Epoch," reprinted by The Social
Contract, Vol IV, No 3 and Vol. V, No. 1, 1995.
each dot represents 1 million people
Desert Research Institute

14. Maps are from an article by John H. Tanton, "End of
the Migration Epoch," reprinted by The Social
Contract, Vol IV, No 3 and Vol. V, No. 1, 1995.
each dot represents 1 million people
Desert Research Institute

15. Desert Research Institute

16. Desert Research Institute

17. WAIS Divide IAAce Core
Tier 1 Examples: Project—3 km ice core in
 Addressing environmental & Antarctica
societal impacts of climate
change and related security
implications
 Managing scarce water
resources under conditions of
changing climate
 Energy-water nexus West Africa Water
Initiative provides
 Monitoring ecological,
clean water to
hydrological, and atmospheric
thousands of rural
responses to climate change
people
 Research on techniques &
proxies for assessing global
climate trends
Impact of Climate
 Adaptation strategies related to Uncertainties on steam
natural systems, societies, and flows, groundwater
infrastructure are impacted by
recharge, and in-stream
climate change
and riparian vegetation
Desert Research Institute

18. • Aquatic Biology/Chemistry
• Climate Change
• Ecological Engineering
• Environmental Processes
within Snow and Ice
• Paleo-environments
• Regional Groundwater
Hydrology and Hydraulics
• Soil Zone Hydrology
• Surface and Subsurface Flow
and Contaminant Transport
• Watershed Hydrology
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19. D5
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20.  Apply new method for
continuous, high-resolution
ice-core analyses called
Continuous Flow Analysis
with Trace Elements (CFA-
TE)
 Develop multi-century
glaciochemical records of
trace elements and isotopes
with unprecedented
temporal resolution
 Work has recently
expanded to include
analysis of black carbon
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21. Industrial Lead Pollution in the Arctic
Great Depression
Civil War
Year
McConnell, 2006 Clean Air Act
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22. Climate Change
• Colorado River flows in the
future
• Eastern and western Nevada
water resource changes
• More extreme droughts and
floods
• Earlier snow melt runoff
• Less stream flow and
groundwater recharge
• Economic Impact of changing
water resources can be
huge—Las Vegas growth
needs a reliable water supply
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23. Colorado River System
• Climate models predict
precipitation may increase
or decrease in future 50/50
BUT
• Warmer temperatures will
result in:
• Less snowpack
• Less runoff
• Less groundwater
recharge
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24. Upper Colorado River Basin Oct-Sep Water Year Temperature 1895-96 / 2010-11
Westmap UA/WRCC/OSU
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25. East Central
Annual Nevada
Winter
Spring
Summer Projected
Autumn Temperature
Changes ( C )
15 IPCC Models
Early 21st
2011-2040
Middle 21st
2041-2070
Late 21st
2071-2100
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26. Courtesy Brad Udall, CRC-NV, April 2010
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27. Desert Research Institute

28. Quagga mussels at Lake Mead clog water intakes affect lake ecosystem
Desert Research Institute

29.  Determine rates of
contaminant release
 Assess migration
characteristics
 Quantify groundwater flow
paths
 Predict groundwater and
contaminant velocities
 Design optimal monitoring
networks
 Develop quantitative
decision-support tools
Desert Research Institute

30.  2-D Slice of Climax Granite Stock
model used to simulate
radionuclide fluxes from three sub-
surface tests through a fractured
granite rock mass.
 Conceptual model uncertainty in
recharge and geologic framework
incorporated in model simulations
for full investigation of uncertainty.
 Parametric uncertainty included in
fracture networks and transport
parameters.
 Fracking will have extremely
important environmental issues to
address to continue economic
success of oil and gas development
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31.  METRIC program developed
by DRI scientists will be
used in State of Nevada
Water Rights hearings
 METRIC will provide basin
water budget estimates for
all basins in Nevada
 Knowing available water
resources is critical for
economic development and
ecosystem sustainability
Desert Research Institute

32.  Collaborative DRI-UNR
program
 Determine amount of Walker
River water needed to
maintain Walker Lake
ecosystem WHILE
maintaining agricultural
economy in the basin
 Alternative lower water use
crops part of research
program
Desert Research Institute

33. DRI, with support from the Conrad
Hilton Foundation and World Vision, is
developing new methods to locate safe
water supplies in Africa
Desert Research Institute

34. Lake Amatitlan, Guatamala
Lake Taihu, China contamination
Provide limnological training and
support services for agency staff and Taking a Secchi disk reading. The water
university researchers in Central and is green due to abundance of
South America. Microcystis aeruginosa, often associated
with harmful algal blooms (HABs).
Desert Research Institute

35. Desert Research Institute

36. Development and
implementation of an
integrated water quality
monitoring program for Preserving Lake Tahoe
the Truckee River clarity via science-based
resource management
Impact of climate
Ecology and biology of Quagga uncertainties on steam
mussels and their impact on flows, groundwater
aquatic biodiversity and water recharge, and in-
quality in Lake Mead stream and riparian
vegetation
Desert Research Institute

37.  Leveraging DRI’s NSF rankings; Research Competitiveness as measured by
Academic Institutional Rankings by
 Leveraging DRI’s unique business National Science Foundation in R&D
model to explore new & unique Expenditures in Environmental Sciences
research opportunities;
 Expansion of DRI’s role in Nevada’s 1 University California-SD (also Scripps)
economic development & addressing 2 Texas A&M University
state priorities such as renewable 3 Colorado State University
energy & water technologies; 4 Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute
 Expansion of research park to incubate 13 Johns Hopkins University
& attract businesses; and 18 U. of Maryland Ctr. for Environ. Sci.
23 DRI
 Expand partnerships with local, 28 U. California-Davis
national, and international businesses 36 Stanford University
as well as institutions of higher 37 Harvard University
education beyond our state (public, 40 UNR
private and international). 45 University of Southern California
 Integrating engineering with DRI 48 UNLV
traditional sciences
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38.  10% decline in published
“90% of world’s scientists & papers by US scientists since
1992
engineers will live in Asia by
2010”
 20% decrease – overall
engineering degrees awarded
in US since ’85
 50% of all engineering degrees
awarded by U.S. Engineering
Colleges to foreign nationals
 50% decline in funding for
basic research since 1970
Sources: AAAS and National Science
Board reports
 50% of current science & eng.
workforce approaching
retirement
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39.  Objectives
 Establish a cohesive economic
development operating system
 Advance targeted sectors and
opportunities in the regions
 Expand global engagement
 Catalyze innovation in core
and emerging industries
 Increase opportunity through
education and workforce Brian Sandoval
development Governor of the State of Nevada
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40.  Advance knowledge-
based industries
through partnerships
with higher education
 Water in arid climates
in partnership with
DRI, UNLV, So.
Nevada Water
Authority
 Additional Promising
Possibilities
 Agriculture
 Water technology
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41. • Provides innovative research, improving peoples’ lives in Nevada & world wide
•Top 25 ranking by NSF among all U.S. universities for R&D expenditures in
environmental sciences
•Brings national and global recognition to Nevada beyond gaming & tourism
•Largest and most diverse number of hydrologists and hydrologeologists in national
outside federal government (U.S. Geological Survey)
•Entrepreneurial innovation center for “true technology-based economic development“
(Brookings & SRI, 2011): Provides profound economic impact to Nevada, by
leveraging ~ $5 for every state dollar invested!
Desert Research Institute