Collaborative Research: North East Water Resources Network

IIA-1330446，佛蒙特大学，Judith Van Houten链接到：IIA-1330238，特拉华大学，Daniel Leathers和IIA-1330406，罗德岛大学，Jennifer Specker提案标题：合作研究：东北水资源网络东北水资源（NEWRnet）联盟由特拉华州（DE）、罗德岛州（RI）和佛蒙特州（VT）组成。该联盟将在流域建立一个先进的传感器网络，用于收集高频、空间范围广泛的水质和水量数据，并建立一个实验室和现场实验网络，以及基于代理的模型，以研究如何将传感器数据及其可视化以一种将被利益相关者利用的方式对齐。新水资源网的总体目标是通过将来自高频传感器网络的信息与决策者的行为结果联系起来，改善环境治理和维持和/或改善水资源的市场机制。NEWRnet将解决和整合环境科学和管理方面的两大挑战：1)了解气候变率和极端天气事件对南北梯度从VT到DE的水质和水量的影响；2)为利益相关者（资源使用者、资源管理者和政策制定者）提供有价值和快速的信息，以实现更省时、更明智的土地和水资源利用决策。研究设计包括一个传感器网络，嵌套在三个州的流域中，使用相同的传感器收集和传输高频水文和地球化学数据，以共享解决假设驱动的问题。同时，NEWRnet将创建一个跨三个州的网络，用于实验经济学和基于主体的建模。来自传感器的增值数据显示将在实验室和基于现场的实验中进行测试，以检查利益相关者如何对大面积和长时间内频繁的多维环境信息做出反应，这反过来将为基于代理的模型提供信息，该模型将在更大范围内模拟信息用户（农民、居民、企业、城镇管理者、治理机构）的决策。建模将涉及这些利益相关者，并测试他们使用这些高频水质数据的场景。劳动力发展和多元化计划将被纳入研究。更广泛的影响该项目与当地社区以及美国更广泛的地区有着重要的相关性。研究人员与不同的利益相关者（农民，农村和城市居民，湖畔居民以及地方到国家一级的政府机构）进行接触，并从广泛的角度解决水质问题。了解如何最好地呈现高频数据以供利益相关者使用，将具有超出三个参与国的广泛利益。适当展示高频数据可以让决策者和管理者加快对低流量、干旱和严重风暴事件的反应，预计这些事件在我们地区会更频繁、强度更高，从而减少有害影响。

IIA-1330446, University of Vermont, Judith Van Houten Linked to: IIA-1330238, University of Delaware, Daniel Leathers and IIA-1330406, University of Rhode Island, Jennifer Specker.Proposal Title: Collaborative Research: North East Water Resources NetworkThe North East Water Resources (NEWRnet) consortium is comprised of Delaware (DE), Rhode Island (RI), and Vermont (VT). This consortium will create an advanced sensor network in watersheds for gathering high-frequency, spatially-extensive water quality and quantity data and a network of lab and field-based experiments and agent-based models to investigate how to align sensor data and their visualization in a way that will be utilization by stakeholders. Intellectual MeritThe overarching goal of NEWRnet is to improve the environmental governance and market mechanisms that sustain and/or improve water resources by linking information from a network of high-frequency sensors to behavioral results from decision makers. NEWRnet will address and integrate two challenges in environmental science and management to: 1) Understand the impact of climate variability and extreme weather events on water quality and quantity across the north-south gradient from VT to DE; and 2) Provide valuable and rapid information to stakeholders (resource users, resource managers, and policy makers) to lead to more time efficient and more informed land and water use decision making. The research design includes a sensor network nested in watersheds in each of the three states, using the same sensors to gather and transmit high-frequency hydrological and geochemical data for sharing to address hypothesis-driven questions. Concurrently, NEWRnet will create a network across all three states for experimental economics and agent-based modeling. Value-added data displays from the sensors will be tested in lab and field-based experiments to examine how stakeholders react to frequent, multi-dimensional environmental information over large areas and longer time periods, which in turn will inform agent-based models that will simulate the decision making of information users (farmers, residents, businesses, town managers, governance bodies) on a broader scale. The modeling will involve these stakeholders and test scenarios for their use of these high-frequency water quality data. Workforce development and diversity programs will be integrated into the research.Broader ImpactsThe project has significant relevance to local communities as well as more broadly across the US. Researchers engage with diverse stakeholders (farmers, rural and urban residents, lake side residents and local to national level government agencies) and address water quality issues from a broad number of perspectives. Understanding how best to represent high-frequency data for use by stakeholders will be of broad interest beyond the three participating states. Appropriate displays of high-frequency data could allow policy makers and managers to accelerate their responses to low flow, drought and severe storm events, which are predicted to be more frequent and of higher intensity for our region, thereby reducing deleterious effects.