High Performance, Multiple Resolution Modeling of Semi-Arid Hydrology at Regional Scales

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0342526VivoniIn the face of increasing demands from urban areas, irrigation and environmental concerns, water management in semi-arid areas is difficult. In the Southwestern US, a critical unbalance between water supply and demand is prompting water conflicts between multiple water stakeholders. The NSF STC Center for the Sustainability of semi-Arid Hydrology and Riparian Areas (SAHRA) is a multi-institutional effort to accelerate the state of scientific knowledge and water management in semi-arid areas. In light of climate variations, the scientific community has an urgent need to deliver predictions of potential hydrologic stress in regional semi-arid basins. The primary goal of this proposal is to provide SAHRA the capability to perform fine-resolution hydrologic simulations with an efficient distributed model that captures spatial heterogeneities in basin properties and meteorological forcing. The project focuses on coupled rainfall-runoff modeling in order to: (a) represent the spatial-temporal distribution of surface-subsurface processes at multiple scales over the Rio Grande, and (b) simulate the effect of climate and land-use change. The TIN-based Real-time Integrated Basin Simulator is the proposed model to account for the spatial variability of the rainfall-runoff process. Through integration into a high performance computing environment, the proposed model will improve the surface hydrology in the Los Alamos National Laboratory fine-resolution model. In addition, the triangulated irregular network model will allow computational savings as compared to grid-based models through the multi-resolution, multi-scale domain representation.In addition to integrating with on-going SAHRA research, a diversity effort is proposed for enhancing the participation of Hispanic/Latino undergraduates in semi-arid research and promoting hydrologic understanding in local high schools, community colleges and universities. A Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program will involve two students each summer in research involved with the collection, analysis and model integration of hydrologic data. A Traveling Lecture Series (TLS) program will bring research results and outreach activities based on SAHRA science and technology to Spanish-speaking audiences in local Hispanic communities. Together, these two efforts complement the scientific proposal by leading to the rapid dissemination of research results and the establishment of long-term relationships. Ultimately, the knowledge gained from the coupled modeling system can be transferred to the local management agencies, decision makers and water stakeholder in the primarily Hispanic communities