Sarah Alexander
Name: Sarah Alexander
Title/Department: Graduate Research Assistant, University of Wisconsin
Madison Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
Email: salexander6@wisc.edu
Website:N/A
Research focus: Development of multi-scale season-ahead streamflow forecasts for agricultural and hydropower management in the Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia
- What excites you most about your PIRE research? My PIRE research focuses on the development of probabilistic streamflow forecasts at various scales – temporally and spatially – for Finchaa hydropower dam and Koga irrigation reservoir. Skillful season-ahead streamflow forecasts conditioned on precipitation, soil moisture, and other hydroclimatic variables can provide valuable knowledge to farmers and reservoir operators, enabling informed water resource allocation and management decisions. Management decisions can have large implications for food security and economic growth, which is a very meaningful part of my work. I am excited to collaborate with engineers and scientists, to leverage knowledge and effectively provide resources for sustainable water resource management the Blue Nile Basin, Ethiopia. I am passionate about addressing critical community issues through research, education, and community outreach, which are integral to this interdisciplinary research.
- What’s the most valuable aspect of your research for the people and communities? In Ethiopia, the potential for advancing irrigated agriculture and hydropower management, and subsequently economic growth, is substantial. Skillful season-ahead streamflow forecasts conditioned on precipitation, soil moisture, and other hydroclimatic variables can provide valuable knowledge to farmers and reservoir operators, enabling informed water resource allocation and management decisions. Probabilistic streamflow forecasts developed at various scales – temporally and spatially – for Finchaa hydropower dam and Koga irrigation reservoir will address common critiques, including forecast skill, scale and uncertainty, in an attempt to promote uptake and application. These models provide communities with a resource for making more informed agricultural and water resource management decisions, fostering greater growth and security in the area.