Water is the world's most precious resource. In order to ensure sufficient quantities of quality water for public
use and future development of industry and agriculture, intelligent use and management of water resources are
required. The EERC has a long history of water management research. Today, it is a recognized expert on a host
of water conservation and contamination issues and has an expanding number of water management initiatives.
Watershed Management
The
Red River Water Management Consortium (RRWMC
®) seeks to
develop a long-term watershed management strategy focusing on water quantity and quality.
Water Decontamination
The freeze–thaw/evaporation (FTE
®) desalinization process
economically cleans large quantities of contaminated water for industrial and municipal purposes.
Flood Protection
In the EERC's
Waffle® project,
research focuses on the potential for fields, raised roads, and drainage structures to act as a network of channels
and control structures. Stored water can be released back into the river as a flood crest passes.
Groundwater
Groundwater is the largest available source of freshwater for human use. The EERC has more than
three decades of experience in groundwater research. It has evaluated the occurrence, transport, and
fate of a wide variety of groundwater contaminants at a broad range of sites encompassing extremes in
climate and geologic setting. EERC groundwater research is providing a scientific basis for groundwater
risk management and regulatory decision making and is leading to better protection of our critical
groundwater resource.
EERC groundwater research focuses on a fundamental understanding of groundwater in the following
contexts:
- Occurrence
- Flow
- Quality
- Chemical evolution
- Groundwater–contaminant interactions
Groundwater research at the EERC is the key factor in the development of environmentally safe and economically
viable residue disposal in situations where utilization is not an economical option.