Research Objectives

The overall research objective for the site is to develop a fundamental understanding of hydrologic conditions and contaminant-transport processes in arid regions.

The research is intended to advance the state of hydrologic science and to provide scientific information for those making decisions concerning waste isolation and water-resource management in desert environments. Specific objectives of the multidisciplinary research team efforts are:

• To improve quantitative understanding of arid-site processes by integrating existing and new information into the development, application, testing, and refinement of theories and models.
• To fill gaps in present knowledge of the unsaturated zone-plant-atmosphere continuum through data collection, and analyses of spatial and temporal patterns and trends.
• To test current and develop new methods for characterizing transport processes in the field.