The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) plays an essential role in meeting the nation's water resource needs through its well-established observational network and renowned water science and research activities. A study by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine would provide guidance to the USGS Water Mission Area (WMA) as it works to address the most compelling national water resource and science needs during the next several decades. In particular, the study will:
1. Identify the nation's highest-priority water science and resource challenges over the next 25 years. This effort should be visionary, and should consider new science and emerging technologies.
2. Summarize the current water science and research portfolio of the WMA. This summary will include describing the WMA’s primary roles, responsibilities and capabilities in observing, understanding, predicting, and delivering water science; organizational infrastructure; data science, management, and hydroinformatics; range and balance of scientific and technical expertise; and primary collaborations with several U.S. government agencies (e.g., NOAA, USACE, Bureau of Reclamation, FEMA, and others), state and local government agencies, academic institutions, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector.
3. Provide recommendations on the strategic water science and research opportunities for the WMA that would address the highest-priority national water challenges identified in (1) and would have high potential to benefit USGS strategic science and other U.S. government priorities. This analysis will include discussion about tools the WMA may employ for observing, understanding, predicting and delivering water science, and will identify opportunities for collaboration between the WMA and other mission areas in USGS, and other entities (e.g., U.S. government agencies such as NOAA, USACE, Bureau of Reclamation; state; local; and academic institutions).
The study will consider opportunities for integrating across disciplines and will address water science and research at multiple scales. The final report will provide visionary guidance on what directions the WMA should pursue to be most relevant to society over the next several decades.