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Show PART VIII TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS Introduction The following are brief summaries of several potential advancements which may occur in the foreseeable future in the fields of water management techniques and water supply augmentation prepared from materials furnished by various experts in each field under the direction of the Pacific Southwest Inter-Agency Committee,, Most of these potential advancements are of a relatively unproven nature, requiring more research and understanding before concluding their feasibility. Hydrometeorological Forecasting Hydrometeorological forecasting is primarily a management tool aimed at increasing man's foresight and understanding of the factors which influence the occurrence and distribution of water. As such, forecasting cannot increase the amount of renewable water but allows for better utilization, management, and control of existing supplies. One of the greatest impacts to hydrometeorological forecasting in the last few years has been the advent of the satellite program. A multitude of experiments are currently in progress, including the measurement of vertical distribution of temperature in the atmosphere, the collection, via satellite, of surface data from remote land-based stations, attempts to relate satellite radar data to rainfall, and many others. Strides are also being made in automated surface data collection systems which would provide more varied and timely data from existing data sites and from presently data-sparse areas. Many other potentials for future investigations are also possible. The ability to collect selected data when and where it is needed, coupled with the use of computers to rapidly evaluate and correlate this data, promises many improvements in the field of hydrometeorol- ogical forecasting. Desalination Desalination, whereby sea water or brackish inland water is converted to fresh water, shows promise of becoming a major source of fresh-water supply. The basic methods of desalination have long been 31 |
