Climate Adaptation Science Investigators (CASI)
Water Workgroup
Water The main objective of this CASI Workgroup (WG) is to assist NASA facilities operations and water management decision-makers with predictions of future changes in water use demands, flooding events, and surface water quality up to the year 2100. Water management is a common and vital function for facilities operations at all NASA Centers. In the western U.S. region, irrigation of lawns and other non-native vegetation cover at ARC and JPL are maintained on a year-round basis, putting notable demands on the Centers’ water costs. In the southern U.S. region, management of excess water during flooding events is a common challenge at JSC, MSFC, LARC, KSC, and WFF. Monitoring of water runoff and surface water quality in lakes, estuaries, marshlands, rivers and creeks is an important activity at all NASA Centers.
Drought events, which can occur anywhere in the U.S., often have adverse effects on the communities around NASA Centers, primarily through the loss of agricultural production, degradation of wetlands and pasture lands, and depletion of water resources affecting rivers, streamflow levels, and reservoir water storage. The stress of prolonged dry periods will likely be exacerbated by climate change due to additional surface warming in the future. Higher evaporative demand under warmer temperatures will cost NASA Centers more to meet daily requirements for water. More frequent flooding events from extreme precipitation days will require adaptation of drainage infrastructure and stormwater retention plans.
Projections
CASI Water Workgroup projections for NASA Centers and their surrounding regions may be viewed on the NASA Prediction of Worldwide Energy Resources (POWER) website.
Contact
The point of contact for this workgroup is Chris Potter (chris.potter@nasa.gov).
