SUPPORTING ACTIONABLE SCIENCE FOR DECISION MAKING DURING DROUGHT: THE USGS ACTIONABLE AND STRATEGIC INTEGRATED SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (ASIST) INITIATIVE IN THE COLORADO RIVER BASIN

The Colorado River and its tributaries support a broad variety of ecosystems across a complex terrain and are a critical water resource for more than 40 million people, about 5.5 million acres of agricultural lands, more than 25 Federally recognized Tribes, many industries, and other varying interests. The Colorado River Basin (Basin) has experienced prolonged and severe drought in the last two decades, posing substantial challenges for water availability, ecosystem sustainability, and community resilience. Vulnerability of natural resources, such as water bodies, ecosystems, and other affected components varies with time and place, and is contingent on factors unique to each landscape. The understanding of drought hazards are complex, involving multiple disciplines and integration of scientific information to evaluate conditions on the landscape. The quantity and complexity of data and natural systems can be difficult for land resource managers to consider, given the varied impacts and cascading effects that are related to drought and the potential effects of management decisions that need to be informed by timely, multidisciplinary scientific information.

The U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) ASIST (Actionable and Strategic Integrated Science and Technology) initiative is a collaborative approach that brings together scientists, stakeholders, and policymakers to develop practical solutions to adapt to complex environmental challenges in the Basin. This approach incorporates a range of scientific disciplines, including hydrology, climatology, ecology, geology, geography and social science, to develop a comprehensive understanding of the system and to provide the information needed to inform and optimize management decisions.

To support resource managers and decision makers in mitigating or adapting to the effects of drought and changing climate, the ASIST team has focused on: (1) conducting stakeholder-driven listening sessions and co-development workshops to identify science needs related to drought; (2) supporting interdisciplinary co-produced projects to accelerate drought science and related research; (3) building out of a centralized data hub and stakeholder engagement platform for the Colorado River Basin and (4) creating communication products that reach broad audiences, making data and information more findable and accessible.