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February 1, 2005

Dr. Jim Thomas named DRI's new executive director of the Center for Watersheds and Environmental Sustainability

 

Dr. Jim Thomas
Dr. Jim Thomas

RENO, Nev. -- Dr. Jim Thomas has been selected as the new Executive Director of the Center for Watersheds and Environmental Sustainability (CWES), effective immediately.  Dr. Thomas received his Ph.D. from the University of Nevada, Reno in 1996.  He was a research hydrologist at the U.S. Geological Survey in Carson City, Nev., for nearly 20 years before joining DRI in 1999.  Dr. Thomas' areas of research include regional water studies and water chemistry, mostly involving the application of water chemistry to understanding geochemical and hydrologic processes.  He is currently doing water research for numerous projects in the Lake Tahoe Basin, eastern and southern Nevada and West Africa.

"My vision for CWES focuses on research in the Lake Tahoe Basin, but also includes research in the other watersheds of northern Nevada, the Colorado River in southern Nevada and international water projects, such as groundwater sustainability in West Africa and environmental concerns in the watershed of Lake Baikal, Russia," said Thomas. 

"Jim has been a tremendous asset to the Desert Research Institute for the past five years," said Dr. Steve Wells, president of DRI.  "I am pleased to have him leading our center for watersheds and environmental sustainability - it's a high-profile center and the position involves working closely with government agencies and community groups to achieve common goals.  Jim has the skills and personality to work well with these groups to produce great results."

Background about watersheds:

Watersheds are areas of land in which water drains downward to a lowest point. This water moves through a network of underground and surface drainage pathways that often converge into streams and rivers becoming progressively larger and eventually reaching the ocean, or in Nevada, a terminal lake.  All streams, rivers and lakes are linked to watersheds. Because water moves downstream, activities that affect water quality, quantity or movement upstream also have an impact downstream. Understanding these processes is what the Center for Watershed and Environmental Sustainability—CWES—is all about.

DRI researchers try to predict the behavior of watersheds by studying their hydrology, water chemistry, ecology and socioeconomic impacts on them. This understanding is then used in planning and in management policy.  CWES is organized as a “matrix” that draws on faculty experts in hydrology, earth sciences, biology and atmospheric sciences. This unconventional interdisciplinary model allows DRI to approach every project from “big picture” to micro perspectives and cut across traditional scientific boundaries.  In its broadest objectives, CWES aims to foster partnerships with land-management agencies to aid in developing research programs as a key part of watershed management and restoration activities. CWES also provides research teams to address issues of watershed management and restoration. 

Some key CWES projects: 

Lake Tahoe   DRI is one of the charter members of the Lake Tahoe Science Advisory Group, which developed the Tahoe Science Plan. This plan was the foundation for obtaining some $5 million in research funding from the State of California to determine the sources of pollutants entering Lake Tahoe. Working with faculty from University of Nevada, Reno, the University of California at Davis, as well as with stakeholders in the Lake Tahoe area, DRI researchers are involved in a number of projects using this funding.

Walker River Basin Activities   Working with the Carson City office of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the Lahontan regional office of the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, CWES is developing research agendas to support the Walker River basin conflict-resolution process and the Walker River Basin Environmental Impact Study.

Carson River Basin Activities   In collaboration with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management office in Carson City and the Carson River Subconservancy, DRI developed a Carson River Watershed Plan. This plan identifies approximately $500,000 in research expenditures that will have to occur to enable the development of a scientifically supportable watershed plan.  CWES faculty also participated in a Nature Conservancy Planning workshop to help develop restoration strategies in the Carson River Valley.

Truckee River Basin Activities   CWES has had significant involvement with the development of the Middle Truckee River sediment TMDL—or, Total Maximum Daily Load, the amount of a particular pollutant that a specific stream, lake, estuary or other body of water can “handle” without violating state water quality standards.  

A nonprofit, statewide division of the University and Community College System of Nevada, DRI pursues a full-time program of basic and applied environmental research on a local, national, and international scale. Nearly 500 full- and part-time scientists, technicians, and support staff conduct more than 150 research projects at DRI annually.  DRI generates $45 million in total revenue consisting predominately of competitively won research contracts and grants. The State of Nevada provides critical funding in support of DRI's administration, operations and maintenance, through the University and Community College System of Nevada budget. While DRI’s portion of the UCCSN budget is less than 1 percent, the institute leverages these funds to enhance its competitiveness.

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