INVITED KEYNOTE PRESENTATION: Integration Of Science And Decision Making For Watershed Management: Reducing The Uncertainty Of Key Water Balance Components At The Basin Scale.
Goodrich, David C. 1
1 USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Tucson
Decision-makers and natural resource managers increasingly require much more sophisticated levels of expert findings and scientific results to make informed decisions. No single scientific discipline is typically capable of providing integrated solution for decision-makers and managers. Significant effort beyond the traditional scientific method is required conduct interdisciplinary science across the physical and ecological sciences. Even greater effort is required to effectively integrate this research with policy and decision makers for effective and sustainable management of natural resources. This presentation will provide an overview of the evolution of natural resources research in the San Pedro Basin into a mature integrated science and decision making program, as embodied in the Congressionally recognized Upper San Pedro Partnership. The ?Partnership? must bring the basin into hydrologic balance by 2011 as directed by Congress and meet it own goal of sufficient water for current and future residents and to maintain the globally important San Pedro National Riparian Conservation Area (SPRNCA). A key challenge in meeting this demand, from a hydrologic perspective, is quantification of water balance components at the basin scale. The presentation will discuss the process of integrating research with decision-making and discuss approaches to estimating rainfall, runoff, ephemeral channel recharge and riparian evapotranspiration at the basin scale. Lessons learned from this experience will be reviewed with the intent providing guidance to ensure that hydrologic and watershed research is socially and scientifically relevant and will directly address the needs of policy makers and resource managers.