The goal of this project is to synthesize the rich and diverse set of data and knowledge from current or recent research and education projects at WSU in the Yakima River Basin (YRB).
Objectives:
- Review existing literature and relevant project databases and products to provide a current “state of the system understanding” for the YRB.
- Identify where key areas of emerging concern are, and which communities are potentially most impacted.
- Provide an organized list of data and data resources from which further research can be developed.
- Hold meetings with potential stakeholders who have not historically been included in research efforts to review findings and discuss TN possibilities.
Charter Summary:
Located in south central Washington State, the Yakima River Basin (YRB) has eight major rivers and numerous smaller tributaries. This site has been the focus of several recent interdisciplinary projects aimed at understanding how to help water users in the basin best adapt to a future that is increasingly water limited. While much research has been devoted to these issues over the past decade, there are few synthesis efforts aimed at understanding how multiple stressors are impacting the YRB as a whole. The goal of this project is to synthesize the rich and diverse set of data and knowledge from current or recent research and education projects at WSU in the YRB. Research questions include: 1) what biophysical and social information about work done on FEW issues and water management in the basin have been produced and are publicly available? 2) what have the goals of each recently funded project in the YRB been and to what extent has this research incorporated local knowledges and/or produced transformational outcomes for the Basin?; and 3) which stakeholders or other partners have engaged in each project? Through this work, we will collate and digest relevant information from a number of recently completed scientific studies in the Yakima River Basin to better understand the system’s needs, issues, and current responses of resource managers to climate change related challenges. The synthesis produced will provide a host of data, documents, and other relevant information for public and project use as well as identify other community groups who might be interested in engaging in the TN.
Primary Contact
- Julie Padowski (WSU)
Team Members
- Jennifer Adam (WSU)
- Jan Boll (WSU)
- Georgine Yorgey (WSU)
- Sonia Hall (WSU)
- Brad Gaolach (WSU)
Students
- Rebecca Gustine (WSU)
- Kinsey Freeman (WSU)