Projects

Water security is of paramount importance in the Indo-Pacific Region, a vast area that includes 38 nations and 60% of the world's population. The availability of water varies widely, especially in the thousands of islands that are widely dispersed throughout the region.  Access to reliable water sources is crucial for communities, as well as for American interests and operations. This project will conduct applied research that centers on geospatial data analytics to enhance water security in the Indo-Pacific. This will enable better access to reliable water sources for remote populations, as well as for U.S. operations in the region.  The research will identify data gaps and actionable steps necessary to provide robust water security decision-support to operate effectively, including identifying where the need for mobile water purification units is most acute. This research will enable cutting-edge water salinity analytics and the identification of significant brackish and freshwater sources that may have been overlooked. Key deliverables include a geospatial database for assessing water security, a report evaluating spatial in-situ data on water availability, and the geospatial architecture for a web-based water security decision-support tool. This project will also catalyze long-term research collaboration between the University of Michigan and Navy labs. The anticipated impacts of this applied research include improved planning, reduced logistical burdens, and greater self-sufficiency within the region.