GIS PROGRAM - View Program

Geospatial technologies such as geographical information systems (GIS) and remote sensing are being used by WERI scientists to examine water resources and environmental issues on Guam. Specific areas of interest include watershed management, water distribution, environmental modeling and analysis, modeling and analysis of water quality and quantity, land cover change detection, natural resources management, climate change, hydrological modeling, and soil erosion modeling.

POLLUTION MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT PROGRAM - View Program

Although the islands of the western Pacific are relatively isolated from pollutants generated by the industrialized nations of the world, many are experiencing self imposed environmental degradation as a result of increased population growth and commercial development. Past and present military activities have also contributed significantly to disturbances in environmental quality on several islands, particularly Guam and Saipan. While some research has been directed towards evaluating the extent of such disturbance on terrestrial communities, relatively little attention has been directed towards identifying the impact of key contaminants, like heavy metals, PCBs and PAHs on the coastal waters of these island’s and their marine resources traditionally harvested for food by local inhabitants.

SOIL EROSION MONITORING AND MITIGATION PROGRAM - View Program

Surface runoff and sediment losses from soil erosion are major contributors to reduction in surface water quality and subsequent degradation of the coral reefs in Guam and the other islands in Western Pacific.  The Guam Waterworks Authority (GWA) is presently pumping 4 million gallons per day from Ugum River in Southern Guam to the treatment facility.  In recent years the GWA has faced an increasingly difficult task of keeping the plant operating at full capacity when the river is running with high turbidity rates.  This highly turbid water has increased operational costs and along with poor operation and maintenance practices has led to premature failure of many components of the treatment plant system.  Water that passes the Ugum treatment plant intakes eventually makes its way to the outlet of the river and into the estuary and reef environment.  The negative impact of sediment loading on the aquatic environment of Guam is the degradation of coral reef, as well as negative impacts on fish populations and the tourism industry. 

WATERSHED MANAGEMENT PROGRAM - View Program

In his 1998 State of the Union Address, President Clinton announced a major new national Clean Water Initiative, the Clean Water Action Plan (CWAP). This initiative aims to achieve clean waters by encouraging federal and nonfederal agencies, other organizations and interested citizens to work in a collaborative manner to restore our highest priority watersheds. WERI researchers have undertaken several projects for developing a watershed management strategy for Guam and the Federated States of Micronesia.

ENSO APPLICATIONS CENTER - View Program
Researchers at WERI are involved in a cooperative project with the University of Hawaii and the Pacific Basin Development Council (PBDC) to study the effects of a climatic condition called El Niño on the weather of our part of the Western Pacific.

ATOLL HYRDOLOGIC MODELING -View Program

ROOFTOP RAIN CATCHMENT SIZING -View Program

GROUNDWATER RESEARCH -View Program