CLEANER and NSF's Environmental Observatories (2006) / Chapter Skim
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Pages 1-7
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has proposed the establishment of a Collaborative Largescale Engineering Analysis Network for Environmental Research (CLEANER) to: provide an efficient, common platform for near real-time and conventional observation, data storage, data distribution, data analysis and modeling of largescale environmental and hydrologic systems, including urban and humanstressed systems; improve our understanding and prediction of hydrologic, environmental, engineering, and ecological processes controlling these systems over a range of spatial and temporal scales; elucidate human-induced impacts on the environment; and identify more effective adaptive-management approaches to mitigate adverse impacts of human activities on water and land resources.
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The scope of issues to be considered by the WSTB will be limited to water quality and water resources; i.e., air will only be considered to the extent that it affects water. Note that for purposes of this study, a "grand challenge" is defined to mean a major scientific and/or technological task that is compelling for both intellectual and practical reasons, that offers potential major breakthroughs on the basis of recent developments in science and technology, and that is likely to be feasible given current capabilities and a serious infusion of resources.
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The second category includes questions to understand and provide innovative engineering approaches that can improve water quantity and quality management to sustain a healthy economy. The third category includes research issues related to the design of CLEANER observatories and the development of tools and technologies that will make possible the collection of long-term data over large scales that are necessary to address the scientific questions and issues.
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From page 4... ...
Networks of sensors, robotic water quality monitoring sites, real-time data collection, and communication links can be developed into an intelligent environmental control system that will enhance the protection of urban ecosystems and the health and safety of its inhabitants. Such a system can be used as an early warning system and to identify emerging problems such as flooding, lack of water, riparian habitat degradation, and the presence of toxic compounds.
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Just as it is important for CLEANER to be well integrated into the other applicable NSF environmental observatories, it also should be closely collaborating with the various federal, regional, state, and local monitoring and environmental assessment activities as well. To facilitate and improve linkages between CLEANER and existing governmental programs, inter-agency agreements and periodic workshops and other joint activities and interactions may be critical for successful long-term coordination and collaboration.
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· The NSF should also seriously evaluate the potential pitfalls of environmental observatory networks that might negate their many potential economic and scientific benefits. Some of these potential pitfalls or "fatal flaws" are lack of sufficient funding, especially that needed to maintain and upgrade the observatories; software security failures; inadequate planning of research projects; inadequate observatory geographical coverage; and inability to recruit and train engineers and scientists with the interdisciplinary breadth to address the future research challenges of CLEANER.
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From page 7... ...
It should provide researchers and water resource managers with access to linked environmental sensing networks, data repositories, and computational tools for integrated assessment modeling, all connected through high performance computing and telecommunication networks. As a result of this collaboration, CLEANER should provide adaptive approaches for evaluating and forecasting regional environmental impacts, accounting for biological, chemical, physical, and human influences.
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