CCST Conducting Water Technology Survey

August 24, 2012 | CCST Newsroom | Contact: M. Daniel DeCillis

CCST is seeking input from water experts on the future of California’s water plans.

“Science and Technology for California’s Water Future” is a yearlong project to determine how innovations in science and technology can be used to improve California’s integrated water management. Through the use of an on-line survey CCST is working to identify innovative technology and/or system approaches that can be used in California within the next five to ten years to help address challenges in managing finite water resources in the face of future uncertainties such as population growth, changing development patterns, more water dedicated to the environment, and climate change. These include opportunities for improvement in the areas of:

Integrated Water Management (including means to better measure (e.g. remote sensors), monitor (e.g. via satellites) and analyze (e.g. new I.T. approaches) our water supplies in all of their various locations – surface, snowpack, soil, subsurface, etc)
Efficient water Use (agricultural, industrial and residential purposes including use of marginal or impaired water supplies and strategies for multiple use of these water supplies)
Effective Groundwater Management (including optimized use of aquifers with improved data collection and monitoring, and withdrawal and recharge techniques)
Optimized River and Water Resources Storage and Delivery Systems (including improved modeling for integrated management and decision making over multi-year cycles)

It is CCST’s goal to identify basic technologies and research areas being pursued by various groups in California, including those of interest to the California Department of Water Resources (DWR). The project plan has been developed in collaboration with DWR; the project results will inform the work of the Water Technology Caucus convened to develop a Water Technology Innovation Roadmap for the California Water Plan Update 2013.

The project follows on CCST’s 2010 Innovate 2 Innovation assessment of California’s innovation ‘ecosystem’, which identified water management as an area critical to the State’s future innovation economy. It is being conducted by a steering committee of water experts, chaired by CCST Council member Jude Laspa of the Bechtel Group.

“This is an important effort which will provide critical input to the Governor, legislators, water agency administrators, and others with a role in shaping the future of the development of the technology needed to best advance water resources management in California,” said Jude Laspa, chair of the steering committee. “These technology considerations are part of a multi-pronged strategy that includes public policy, education, and more to address California’s long-term water needs.”

The survey is open to all members of the science and technology community, both in California and elsewhere, with an expertise or professional interest (at the technical or managerial level) in water, water technologies, or water management. Responses are being requested by September 17, 2012.

“We encourage anyone with relevant interest and expertise to complete the survey and take advantage of this opportunity to contribute to California’s long-term water strategies,” said Laspa.