This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).
The research objective of this Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award is to understand the complex and dynamic interactions among population growth, water-energy nexus, climate change, and vulnerability, in a coupled human-environmental system. The main objective of this research is the development of a new theoretical framework, based on systems approach, for sustainable management of water resources that will reduce the vulnerability of water infrastructure to climate related extreme events (floods, droughts). Based on this theoretical framework, a dynamic decision support system (DSS) will be developed using system dynamics modeling approach. This DSS will be used to evaluate vulnerability of infrastructure (water systems, flood control systems) to climate variability and change and to analyze different short- and long-term policies for sustainable (cost-effective, reduced energy and carbon footprints) management of water resources. This framework will potentially transform the way engineers and planners design, evaluate and choose water development and water supply projects, and will contribute to advancing engineering methods to promote smart growth. Vulnerability assessment of water infrastructure to climate variability and change can benefit society by saving lives and reducing damage to property.
This project will provide research experience to graduate, undergraduate, and K-12 students. Stakeholders will participate in project design; results will be disseminated to scientific community and policy makers; and the public awareness on sustainable water management issues will increase through outreach activities. An interdisciplinary course on Sustainable Water Resources Management for graduate students and a water management simulation game for K-12 students will be developed. Significant societal benefits through the training of next generation of engineers in sustainable water management practices are anticipated.
