Ajay Kumar at 15:53, 24 August 2023

2023-08-24T15:53:55Z

New page

{{Advert|date=November 2020}}
{{Infobox company
| name = The Columbia Water Center
| logo = WaterCenterLogo LBlue.jpg
| type = [[Non-profit organization|Non-profit]]
| foundation = 2008
| location = [[New York City]], [[United States|US]]
| key_people = [[Upmanu Lall]], [[Executive director|Director]]; Pierre Gentine, Assistant Professor; India Affiliate: [http://www.cipt.in The Centers for International Projects Trust]
| homepage = [http://www.water.columbia.edu www.water.columbia.edu]
}}

The '''Columbia Water Center''' ('''CWC''') was established in January 2008 as [[Columbia University]] branch [[The Earth Institute|Earth institute]] on researching and addressing global water-related challenges, including [[water scarcity]], access and quality, alongside [[Climate change vulnerability|Climate risks and changes]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.earthinstitute.columbia.edu/articles/view/2125 |title=The Earth Institute Water |publisher=[[Earth Institute]] |author= |date= |accessdate=2009-09-15 }}</ref>

Its stated mission is to "creatively tackle water challenges of a rapidly changing environment and Earth’s biodiversity contribution of humanity’s [[carbon footprint]] affecting the [[Water pollution|water]] including [[climate change]] affecting food, energy, ecosystems and urbanization," by combining "the rigor of scientific research with the impact of effective policy."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://water.columbia.edu/about-us/|title=Columbia Water Center: About Us |publisher=Columbia Water Center |author= |date= |accessdate=2015-04-21}}</ref>

The Center takes a multidisciplinary approach to their mission, employing [[hydrologists]], [[climatologists]], [[environmental engineer]]s, and [[water policy]] analysts. Its directors are [[Upmanu Lall]] and Carol Silberstein, Professor of Earth, Environmental Engineering, Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics at Columbia University.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://earth.columbia.edu/articles/view/2757 |title=The Earth Institute Profiles: Upmanu Lall |publisher=[[Earth Institute]] |author= |date= |accessdate=2015-04-21}}</ref>

Pierre Gentine, assistant professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Engineering, also takes a leading role in the Center, with his own PhD and Post-doctoral team focusing on the interactions between soil and atmospheric moisture.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.columbia.edu/~pg2328/Website/Pierre_Gentines_Homepage/Lab.html|title=Gentine Lab website|accessdate=5 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170417002903/http://www.columbia.edu/~pg2328/Website/Pierre_Gentines_Homepage/Lab.html|archive-date=17 April 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="earth water and sky">{{cite web|url=http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2011/05/11/earth-water-and-sky-a-conversation-with-pierre-gentine-a-new-columbia-water-center-scientist/|title=Earth, Water and Sky –A Conversation with Pierre Gentine, a new Columbia Water Center Scientist|date=11 May 2011|last=Polycarpou|first=Lakis|publisher=State of the planet|accessdate=5 April 2017}}</ref>

The Center currently divides its projects into five themes: America's Water, The Global Floods Initiative, Data Analytics and Multi-Scale Predictions, Risk and Financial Instruments and the Water, Food, Energy Nexus.<ref name="research themes">{{cite web |url=http://water.columbia.edu/research-themes/ |title=The Columbia Water Center: Research Themes |publisher=Columbia Water Center |author= |date= |accessdate=2015-04-21}}</ref>

__TOC__

==Background==
The Earth Institute, under the leadership of [[Jeff Sachs]], is a research institution that supports sustainable development from various angles.<ref name="Earth Institute">{{cite web |url=http://www.earth.columbia.edu/articles/view/2021|title=PepsiCo Foundation announces major new grant to the Earth Institute at Columbia University to promote global water sustainability |publisher=[[Earth Institute]]|date=22 January 2008|accessdate=5 April 2017}}</ref>

In 2008, the [[PepsiCo]] Foundation awarded the [[Earth Institute]] $6 million to address these water-related issues. The PepsiCo grant led to the establishment of the Columbia Water Center under the leadership of Columbia University engineering professor Upmanu Lall. This three-year grant made possible projects in four countries: India, China, Mali, and Brazil.<ref name="Earth Institute"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pepsico.com/Purpose/Environmental-Sustainability/Water|title=Our planet sustainability efforts and goals|publisher=PepsiCo|accessdate=5 April 2017|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161001095523/http://www.pepsico.com/Purpose/Environmental-Sustainability/Water|archivedate=1 October 2016}}</ref>

In Brazil, CWC has partnered with the [[Federal University of Ceará]] in the northeast to focus on sophisticated climate-based forecasting systems used for water allocation decisions across diverse use sectors. In addition, the CWC team recently completed a municipal water plan (PAM) for Milhã, a rural area in central Ceará.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A Municipal Water Plan (PAM) for Milhã {{!}} Columbia Water Center |url=https://water.columbia.edu/content/municipal-water-plan-pam-milha |access-date=2022-04-27 |website=water.columbia.edu}}</ref> The project outlines a plan for the municipality to deliver water to all of its 14,000 residents.

As part of the project, the CWC designed and built water infrastructure demonstration projects for Ingá and Pedra Fina, two communities in Milhã. The project provides water to 500 people in the area.<ref name="CWC Article">{{cite web |url=http://www.america.gov/st/energy-english/2010/June/20100528161751kjleinad0.6077082.html |title=Columbia Water Center at Work Across Globe |publisher=America.gov |author=Carrie Loewenthal Massey |date=2010-06-01 |accessdate=2010-06-02 }}</ref>

In India, the project focuses on reducing water consumption in the agricultural sector by encouraging sustainable crop choice patterns, as well as working with corporations to deploy better [[irrigation]] technologies (and increase reliability) throughout their supply chains. A key objective is to reduce the [[overdrafting|groundwater stress]] in the region. Primary project locations are in the states of [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] and [[Gujarat]].<ref name="Circleofblue">{{cite web |url=http://www.circleofblue.org/waternews/2010/world/qa-upmanu-lall-gives-insight-to-indias-nexus-of-energy-food-and-water?CP.rss=true |title=U.S., India Working Together to Address India’s Water Needs |publisher=Circle of Blue Water News|author=J. Carl Ganter |date=2010-06-04 |accessdate=2011-01-13 }}</ref>

In Punjab, the CWC has partnered with [[Punjab Agricultural University]] to come up with innovative solutions to reduce farmer irrigation. Some of the methods developed (including the use of inexpensive [[Tensiometer (soil science)|tensiometers]] to measure soil moisture and direct seeding of rice) were field tested in the 2010 planting season with over 500 farmers participating.<ref name="India">{{cite web |url=http://www.america.gov/st/energy-english/2010/May/20100528153333kjleinad0.4795191.html?CP.rss=true |title=U.S., India Working Together to Address India’s Water Needs |publisher=America.gov |author=Carrie Loewenthal Massey |date=2010-05-28 |accessdate=2010-06-02 }}</ref> The Punjab Agricultural University team reports that participating farmers saved 25 to 30 percent of their normal water use by implementing the new approaches. The CWC/PAU team plans to scale up the pilot project in 2011 by recruiting 5,000 rice farmers to use tensiometers.<ref name="tensiometer">{{cite web |url=http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2010/11/17/%E2%80%9Csmall-is-also-beautiful%E2%80%9D-%E2%80%93-appropriate-technology-cuts-rice-famers%E2%80%99-water-use-by-30-percent-in-punjab-india/?CP.rss=true |title=‘Small is Also Beautiful’ – Appropriate Technology Cuts Rice Famers’ Water Use by 30 Percent in Punjab, India |publisher=blogs.ei.columbia.edu |author=Lakis Polycarpou |date=2010-11-17}}</ref>

In Gujarat, the Columbia Water Center is working with the state government to reform [[subsidies in India|electricity subsidies]] to provide a greater incentive for farmers to conserve water. In conjunction with subsidy reform, the CWC is also piloting water saving technologies among farmers.<ref name="WaterWideWeb">{{cite web |url=http://www.waterwideweb.org/incentives-for-water-conservation-in-guajarat.html#comments |title=Incentives for Water Conservation in Gujarat |publisher=WaterWideWeb.org |author=Eryn-Ashlei Bailey |date=2010-12-03 |accessdate=2011-01-15 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110502164844/http://www.waterwideweb.org/incentives-for-water-conservation-in-guajarat.html#comments |archivedate=2011-05-02 }}</ref>

The work in Mali coincides with the [[Millennium Villages Project]]. CWC is focusing on designing irrigation and cropping systems that can be operated and maintained locally in order to provide farmers with higher-value cash crops. The center has installed large pumps that improved the amount of water available. Projects emphasize bringing together local partners, [[market forces]] and [[public-private partnership]]s.

==Current Research ==

In recent years, the Columbia Water Center has expanded the scope of its initiatives to encompass five broad research themes.<ref name="research themes" />

===[http://water.columbia.edu/research-themes/americas-water/ America's Water]===

The America's Water Initiative is aims to build a network of academic institutions, government agencies, and private industry to inform water infrastructure improvements in the United States and address other water challenges. The initiative focuses on all aspects of water, from policy to drought and flood forecasting and the potential for disruptive water technology to provide distributed water infrastructure that is less expensive than replacing legacy systems.<ref name="America's Water">{{cite web |url=http://water.columbia.edu/research-themes/americas-water/ |title=Columbia Water Center: Research Themes |location=America's water |publisher=The Columbia Water Center |accessdate=2015-04-21 }}</ref>

On March 12, 2015, the initiative held its first annual symposium, which brought together water experts from various groups, representing the industry, utilities, policy and non-profit sectors among others. The meeting was intended to be a first step toward a broader working relationship that can help set a water research agenda and develop solutions for national water challenges.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://piscesfoundation.org/partnering-with-academia-to-address-u-s-water-challenges/|title=Partnering with Academia to Address U.S. Water Challenges|date=13 March 2013|accessdate=5 April 2017|last=Stoner|first=Nancy|publisher=Pisces Foundation}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.ei.columbia.edu/2015/03/19/waking-up-to-americas-water-challenges/|title=Waking up to America’s Water Challenges|date=19 March 2015|publisher=State of the Planet|last=Polycarpou|first=Lakis|accessdate=5 April 2017}}</ref>

===[http://water.columbia.edu/research-themes/global-floods-initiative/ The Global Floods Initiative]===

The Global Floods Initiative aims to apply cutting-edge and continually evolving climate forecasting techniques to help helping policymakers, disaster relief agencies, infrastructure designers, financial institutions and others better prepare for, manage and respond to extreme floods.<ref name="Global Floods Initiative 2">{{cite web |url=http://water.columbia.edu/research-themes/global-floods-initiative/ |title=Columbia Water Center: Research Themes |location=Global floods initiative |publisher=The Columbia Water Center |accessdate=2015-04-21 }}</ref><ref name="earth water and sky" />

The initiative builds on almost two decades of research on how the quasi-periodic climate cycles (such as El-Nino/La-Nina and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation) interact to increase the risk of flooding in particular locations. More recent research into hydrometerology, which looks at the interaction of land, water and atmosphere at a more local scale, adds additional layers to the potential for flood prediction.<ref name="research themes" />

===[http://water.columbia.edu/research-themes/data-analytics-and-multi-scale-predictions/ Data Analytics and Multi-Scale Predictions]===

The Columbia Water Center is a leader in predicting seasonal hydroclimate forecasts and associated risk analyses. These forecasts are used for a variety of applications, including integrating climate forecasts into water allocation procedures for urban, industrial and agricultural consumers.<ref name="Data Analytics">{{cite web |url=http://water.columbia.edu/research-themes/data-analytics-and-multi-scale-predictions/ |title=Columbia Water Center: Research Themes |location=Data analytics and multi-scale predictions |publisher=The Columbia Water Center |accessdate=2015-04-21 }}</ref>

New ways of representing convection and vegetation response to water stress are also major areas of research, the results of which could offer new understandings of the carbon and hydrological cycle.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://water.columbia.edu/research-themes/data-analytics-and-multi-scale-predictions/5115-2/|title=Predictions, Surface Energy, Plants: Understanding the Hydrologic Cycle|publisher=Columbia Water Center|accessdate=5 April 2017}}</ref>

===[http://water.columbia.edu/research-themes/risk-and-financial-instruments/ Risk and Financial Instruments]===

Climate forecasting can also be used to develop flood and drought risk metrics for companies with global supply chains. These metrics can help companies address challenges through new sourcing strategies, novel regional financial risk management products (e.g., cat bonds, index insurance), pre-emptive maintenance and mitigation, reservoir reallocation agreements and other tools.<ref name="Risk and Financial Instruments">{{cite web |url=http://water.columbia.edu/research-themes/risk-and-financial-instruments/ |title=Columbia Water Center: Research Themes |location=Risk and financial instruments |publisher=The Columbia Water Center |accessdate=2015-04-21 }}</ref>

===[http://water.columbia.edu/research-themes/water-food-energy-nexus/ Water, Food, Energy Nexus]===

The Columbia Water Center studies how the water, food, and energy sectors are interrelated and how climate affects this relationship. Projects include policy research and recommendations to promote water and energy savings in the agricultural sector in water-stressed farming regions, development of seasonal forecasts to guide decision-making in the water and energy sectors, and testing and implementation of low-cost soil moisture and nitrogen sensors to improve irrigation efficiency, reducing fertilizer use and [[groundwater pollution]] and saving energy from groundwater pumping.<ref name="Water, Food, Energy Nexus">{{cite web |url=http://water.columbia.edu/research-themes/water-food-energy-nexus/ |title=Columbia Water Center: Research Themes |location=Water, food, energy nexus |publisher=The Columbia Water Center |accessdate=2015-04-21 }}</ref><ref name="Circleofblue" />

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
*[http://www.water.columbia.edu/ The Columbia Water Center]
'''Partnership Institutions'''
*[https://www.earth.columbia.edu/ The Earth Institute]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20150526172257/http://www.pepsico.com/Purpose/Global-Citizenship.html PepsiCo Foundation]
*[http://www.columbia.edu Columbia University]

{{coord|40.80945|-73.95999|type:edu_globe:earth_region:US-NY|display=title}}

{{Columbia University}}
{{The Earth Institute}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Columbia University]]
[[Category:Columbia University research institutes]]
[[Category:Sustainability organizations]]
[[Category:Environmental research institutes]]
[[Category:Water and society]]
[[Category:International sustainable development]]

Columbia Water Center - Revision history

Ajay Kumar at 15:53, 24 August 2023