About the Colorado River Basin ASIST initiative
The Colorado River Basin Actionable and Strategic Integrated Science and Technology (ASIST) initiative unifies USGS expertise, capabilities, and stakeholder relationships in the basin through the incorporating advanced information management technology needed to improve science integration and delivery of actionable information at the speed and scales needed by stakeholders.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is initiating a study approach focused on building cross-disciplinary connections to weave together the scientific knowledge related to drought conditions and effects in the Colorado River Basin (fig. 1). The Colorado River Basin is currently experiencing its worst drought in recorded history. The period from 2000 through 2020 is the driest 21-year period in more than 100 years and one of the driest periods in the 1,200-year paleo-record. Drought impacts include worsening conditions in the 9 ecoregions of the basin, including habitat for several threatened and endangered species, wildland fire risks, reduced snowpack, changes in water availability and agricultural production; reduced recreation opportunities at National Parks, Wildlife Refuges, and Conservation Areas; and impacts to over 20 Tribes for whom the basin is a physical, economic, and cultural resource.
The complexity of issues facing the Colorado River Basin ecosystem and earth science aspects requires the USGS to use an interdisciplinary science approach, coordinating with multiple USGS mission areas, regional offices, science centers, and non-USGS science partners to inform a broad base of decision makers.
Contact the Rocky Mountain Region to learn more about these efforts. The principal objective of the Colorado River Basin Actionable and Strategic Integrated Science and Technology (ASIST) initiative is to increase the amount of interdisciplinary science conducted by the USGS in the basin and evaluate the wide-ranging effects of drought by supporting collaboration between stakeholders, scientists, and technology specialists. The complexity of drought effects on human and natural systems in the Colorado River Basin requires the USGS to use interdisciplinary science to provide the data and tools needed to address multiple cross-cutting stakeholder scientific priorities.
This initiative unifies USGS expertise, capabilities, and stakeholder relationships in the Colorado River Basin through the incorporation of advanced information management technology needed to improve science integration and delivery of actionable information at the speed and scales needed for stakeholder decision making. Today’s Earth system challenges are far more complex and urgent than those that existed in 1879 when the USGS was established. Society’s greatest challenges are directly or indirectly linked to major areas of USGS science. This Science Strategy defines a vision and mission for how we will continue to evolve USGS Science to address these Earth system challenges.