Over the last decade, it has become increasingly clear that hydrological, meterological, and biogeochemical processes are coupled and highly dynamic over various spatial and temporal scales. Understanding these processes with sufficient accuracy and in the face of anthropogenic and global changes is a prerequisite to successful management of water resources and ecosystems. Developing such an understanding is predicated on our ability to advance and synthesize relevant but disparate measurement, analysis and visualization tools. The Digital Watershed RFP hosts integrative projects that combine engineering, computer science and water science expertise to develop tools and approaches that will advance our ability to understand and optimally manage water systems.

As an example of a project within the Digital Watershed RTA, the BWC is working with Microsoft to at a hydrology-ecology-IT interface to develop prototype water cyberinfrastructure portals. The intent is to demonstrate an advanced approach for tackling complex water challenges through integration of advanced web services concepts and IT expertise with hydrological concepts and analysis tools (more information about this project is given at http://esd.lbl.gov/BWC/thrust_areas/tci.html. The BWC will involve other researchers in the Digital Watershed RTA, encouraging them to work with the developing cyberinfrastructure to efficiently integrate disparate water-related datasets, which are commonly distributed over various scales and forms, and to test hypotheses regarding water balance, water quality, or ecosystem science questions.

Projects that strive to integrate computational or engineering concepts with water science concepts to advance our ability to measure, model, or manage water systems are relevant for this RTA. Some examples of broad research questions that could fall into the Digital watershed RTA include:

• Can novel sensor networks be utilized to autonomously measure important components of the water cycle and water quality at sufficient resolution and coverage to guide watershed management and environmental remediation?
• Can process-based numerical models be developed to predict watershed scale processes with sufficient accuracy and resolution for guiding water resource management?
• Can science-based, real time decision making tools be developed that can be used to guide watershed management, precision agriculture, water infrastructure development, or environmental remediation?