Water Security at United States Air Force Installations
Abstract
Global water security is a growing concern that poses unique challenges that stem from geopolitical arrangement, regional location, and local climate conditions. United States national defense relies on an uninterrupted water supply to sustain operations to carry out its readiness mission. Accurate water security assessments are necessary for adapting to climate factors and to provide essential information to meet the changing needs of human water demand. This research presents how different water metrics are applied at various United States Air Force locations to measure water scarcity. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) software is used to conduct spatial correlation across the United States to identify ranges between the metrics. Reported water condition data from 34 United States Air Force installation development plans was assessed for correlation with the selected water scarcity metrics, though no evidence suggesting a relationship between the developed water scarcity index and the installation development plan data was identified. The development of an index to accurately relay water scarcity conditions will improve the ability to overcome water planning and regional water management challenges and combat factors that contribute to water scarcity. Such measures are needed to ensure water security as United States water resources face challenges from climatic variation and the threat of cyber-attacks on water systems.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 2021
- Accession Number
- AD1138292
Entities
People
- John D. Pollock
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology