WRRC Grad Student Highlighted in Water Resources Magazine
Simone A. Williams is a WRRC graduate research associate and Director Sharon B. Megdal chairs her dissertation committee. Williams’ research was recently featured in the November/December 2023 issue of Water Resources IMPACT, a digital magazine that highlights the achievements of water management professionals. The American Water Resources Association curates this bi-monthly publication. The featured article is titled “Data-Driven Sustainability: Closing Groundwater Data Gaps in the Arid Southwest.” Williams' experience in this field — stemming from her dissertation research, in which she developed a comprehensive groundwater quality dataset — led her to the analysis she provides in the article. She strongly recommends using integrated water resources management (IWRM) to improve groundwater data accessibility and availability shortcomings. Williams explains how limited data sharing across stakeholders in the Southwest, among other factors, has hindered our understanding of groundwater trends, movement, and quality. She provides analysis of short-, medium-, and long-term solutions for improving groundwater data. Real examples from data improvement efforts in the Southwest showcase these solutions, including enhanced collaboration, improving monitoring networks, and policy integration.