Confronting the Nation's Water Problems The Role of Research (2004) / Chapter Skim
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Executive Summary
Executive Summary
Pages 1-14
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The report identified the individual research areas needed to help ensure that the water resources of the United States remain sustainable over the long run, with less emphasis on the ways in which the setting of the water research agenda, the conduct of such research, and the investment allocated to such research should be improved. Subsequent to release of the Envisioning report, Congress requested that a new NRC study be conducted to further illuminate the state of the water resources research enterprise.
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will there be sufficient water to both protect environmental values and support future economic growth; (3) can effective water policy be made; (4)
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Over the last 50 years, the priority elements of a national water resources research agenda have been identified in widely varying ways by many organizations and reports. Many general topics of concern -- for example, water-based physical processes, availability of water resources for human use and benefit, and hydrologyecology relationships -- have appeared repeatedly over the decades, while others, such as the impact of climate change and newly discovered waterborne contaminants, are recent topics.
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Water resources research areas were extensively considered in the Envisioning report, resulting in a detailed, comprehensive list of 43 research needs, grouped into three categories. The category of water availability emphasizes the interrelated nature of water quantity and water quality problems, and it recognizes the increasing pressures on water supply to provide for both human and ecosystem needs.
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If so, it should clearly be of higher priority than research that is duplicative of other efforts. Furthermore, there are several common underlying themes that, given the expected future complexity of water resources research, should be used to evaluate research areas: · the interdisciplinary nature of the research · the need for a broad systems context in phrasing research questions and pursuing answers · the incorporation of uncertainty concepts and measurements into all aspects of research · how well the research addresses the role of adaptation in human and ecological response to changing water resources These themes, and their importance in combating emerging water resources problems, are described in detail in Chapter 3.
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Water resource issues change continuously, as new knowledge reveals unforeseen problems, as changes in society generate novel problems, and as changing perceptions by the public reveal issues that were previously unimportant. Periodic reviews of and updates to the priority list are needed to ensure that it remains not only current but proactive in directing research toward emerging problems.
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This earlier effort entailed annually gathering budget information from all relevant federal agencies in 60 categories of water resources research. In order to support a comparison of the current data with past information, the NRC committee adopted a modified version of the earlier model, using most of the same categories and subcategories of water resources research.
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NSF USDA 22% 17% NOAA NASA 4% 2% DoD EPA 15% 15% DOE USBR 4% 2% USGS DHHS 18% 1% FIGURE ES-2 Agency contributions as a percentage of the total federal funding for water resources research in 2000.
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Research on social science topics such as water demand, water law, and other institutional topics, as well as on water supply augmentation and conservation, now garners a significantly smaller proportion of the total water research funding than it did 30 years ago. When the current water resources research enterprise is compared with the list of research priorities noted in the Envisioning report, it becomes clear that significant new investment must be made in water use and institutional research topics if the national water agenda is to be addressed adequately.
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The current water resources research portfolio appears heavily weighted in favor of short-term research. This is not surprising in view of the de-emphasis of long-term research in the portfolios of most federal agencies.
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These factors helped shed light on an effective model for coordination of water resources research, which relies on some entity performing the following functions: · doing a regular survey of water resources research using input from federal agency representatives · advising OMB and Congress on the content and balance of a long-term national water resources research agenda every three to five years
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The second option involves Congress authorizing a neutral third party to perform the functions above, which would place the outside research and user communities on equal footing with federal agency representatives. The independence from the agencies afforded by this option makes it possible to focus the competitive grants program on longer-term research needs, particularly those falling outside agency missions.
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A course of action marked by the creation and maintenance of a coordinated, comprehensive, and balanced national water resources research agenda, combined with a regular assessment of the water resources research activities sponsored by the federal agencies, represents the nation's best chance for dealing effectively with the many water crises sure to mark the 21st century.
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