Water

There is a growing demand for limited freshwater resources, from municipal water suppliers, to farmers for crop irrigation, to industrial users such as power plants. But these consumers are only part of the story. Healthy freshwater also provides a habitat for aquatic species, creates riparian zones adjacent to rivers, supports wetlands to buffer against floods, and offers recreation opportunities and beautiful vistas.

At CMEW, we develop and analyze freshwater management solutions that will both meet the needs of users and support healthy aquatic ecosystems. Some examples include:

• developing water market schemes that foster more efficient allocation,

• analyzing international cooperation and conflict over shared water resources,

• assessing the impact of climate change on water resources in the Great Lakes,

• evaluating the management of urban stormwater runoff in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, and

• examining the impacts of federal agriculture policy on water quantity in the western United States.