The West Virginia Water Research Institute is requesting proposals for research expected to be funded March 1, 2019 through Feb. 28, 2020. The U.S. Geological Survey, Department of the Interior, will sponsor the research. Faculty from all West Virginia colleges and universities are encouraged to submit proposals. Funding selected proposals is dependent upon the availability of funds. It is expected that 3-5 projects will be funded in the range of $10,000 - $20,000 each. It is expected that approximately $70,000 will be available for new projects in 2019. Areas of Emphasis/Research Priorities for the State of West Virginia are listed below.
Water Metrics
THM’s-factors controlling PSD exceedances; especially in older systems along the Ohio river; what compliance reports are reflecting
Bromide sources-sources, mass balance in streams, factors controlling stream concentrations, impacts
Policy options proven to protect water resources that could help WV
Data to support policy options
Climate Change Impacts on Water Resources
Watershed management to reduce flooding
Project changes in storm hydrographs
Baseflow indices at the watershed level
Pooling water resources for use during drought
Capacity and effects of water withdrawals
Warmer water temperatures lead to longer retention times in lakes and reservoirs (and decreases in mine drainage) which increases productivity of algae blooms, nitrogen, and phosphorus even in winter in regions of the Potomac Basin and Highlands of WV
Effects of climate change on water bodies during seasonal withdraws
Models for predicting future changes based on potential uses and withdrawals; of special interest – Opekiska and Stonewall Jackson/Tygart reservoirs
Industrial Processes and Urban Sprawl
Withdrawals/consumptions
Treating and managing high TDS waters from mining sources
State Water Budget
Access large, existing datasets such as those used to make annual reports to the State Legislature from sources such as WVDEP, USACE, USGS, WVDHHR, DNR and others.
Identify small user data needs. Data Needs—Inventory and quantify small to medium water withdrawal users.
Collaborate with agencies such as USGS, USACE, DNR, WVDEP, WVDHHR and others to develop new and build on existing models that reflect water inputs versus outputs, how much to release and when, what water quality looks like in the future based on climate change, seasonal impacts, and cumulative impacts on watersheds and aquatic life.
Identify timing (seasonality) of water withdrawals; how much water is taken, when it is taken.
Identify spatially water-sensitive watersheds (water quantity limited and biologically; e.g. federally or state listed ETC species) in the state.
Use data such as TNC e-flows data to develop thresholds for adverse effects on biological life and drinking water quality and cumulative effects assessment at varying withdrawals, i.e., 30% and 50%.
Propose pilot study in small watershed with current water withdrawals such as from shale gas development to identify biological end points, impacts to recreational value from flow variations on trout, bass, etc. in specific systems to show cumulative effects.
Refine use data (withdrawal and user) by watershed to provide a general inventory by watershed of cumulative withdrawals regularly updated as to what is being withdrawn and translating hydrologic withdrawals into biological consequences, drinking water consequences (quality/condition/capacity of drinking water plants), and ecological services consequences.
Proposals under this announcement must be submitted to the WVWRI in pdf format to: Tamara.Vandivort@mail.wvu.edu by 5 p.m. Nov. 3. Include USGS104b in the subject line.
For more information visit the West Virginia Water Research Institute's website.