Desert Research Institute
Desert Research Institute is a research center that is part of the pulse of the water sector. Here we bring together everything it publishes on Smart Water Magazine: its news, its blogs and the events it takes part in.
New study looks at drivers of flooding during atmospheric river storms
Atmospheric rivers are responsible for most flooding on the West Coast of the U.S., but they also bring much-needed moisture to the region. The size of these storms doesn't always translate to flood risk, however, as other factors on the ground play important roles. Now, a new study helps untangle the other drivers of flooding […]
Study finds Rocky Mountain snowpack contamination with mercury and other metals from mining
Mountain snowpacks accumulate snow throughout the winter, building up stores of water that will supply communities across the American West throughout the long dry season. Now, a new study shows that as storms carry snow to the Rocky Mountains, they are also bringing mercury and other contaminants from mines in the region. The research helps […]
Groundwater use can be accurately monitored with satellites using OpenET, new study finds
Drought is a widespread concern in the Western U.S., and water managers across the region are developing groundwater management plans to conserve the essential resource. Groundwater is often pumped to the surface to irrigate crops, and meters that measure the flow of pumped water have historically offered the best information on groundwater use. These meters […]
New research identifies ecosystems that could be threatened by declining groundwater levels
Where hidden water tables meet the Earth's surface, life can thrive even in the driest locations. Offering refuge during times of drought, shallow groundwater aquifers act like water savings accounts that can support ecosystems with the moisture required to survive, even as precipitation dwindles. As climate change and human water use rapidly deplete groundwater levels […]
Western agricultural communities need water conservation strategies to adapt to future shortages
The Western U.S. is heavily reliant on mountain snowpacks and their gradual melt for water storage and supply, and climate change is expected to upend the reliability of this natural process. Many agricultural communities in this part of the country are examining ways to adapt to a future with less water, and new research shows […]
Climate change will reduce streamflow in the upper Colorado river basin as groundwater levels fall
The Colorado River makes life possible in many Western cities and supports agriculture that sustains people throughout the country. Most of the river's water begins as snowmelt from the mountainous watersheds of Colorado, Utah, and Wyoming, and a warming climate will drastically reduce these streamflows, new research finds. Researchers from Desert Research Institute (DRI), USGS, […]
A new assessment of remote sensing tool’s accuracy for supporting satellite-based water management
OpenET has the potential to revolutionize water management, allowing for field-scale operational monitoring of water use. The researchers found that OpenET data has high accuracy for assessing evapotranspiration in agricultural settings, with particularly reliable results in arid regions, supporting the use of this tool to address an ongoing regional water sustainability crisis.
First dive survey of Lake Tahoe’s lakebed finds high amounts of plastic and other litter
Scientists teamed up with nonprofit clean up the lake to collect and analyze litter found on the bottom of Lake Tahoe.
Scientists map loss of groundwater storage around the world
A new study maps, for the first time, the permanent loss of aquifer storage capacity occurring globally.