Reclamation’s Modeling and Research in the Colorado Basin
The University of Colorado at Boulder, home of CADSWES.
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Hydro Leader: Please tell us about your background and how you came to be in your current position.
26 | HYDRO LEADER | November/December 2020
Carly Jerla: I am originally from Yellowstone National Park, since my father worked and still works for the National Park Service. I moved to Boulder, Colorado, to pursue graduate studies at the University of Colorado in 2002. I was hired as a research assistant at CADSWES, of which Reclamation was one of the original sponsors. At that time, I was not too familiar with Reclamation. What drew me to CADSWES was the strong linkage between river and reservoir systems modeling and policy development. A couple of years later, in 2005, Reclamation hired me through its student program and helped shape my master’s research. I was hired by Dr. Terry Fulp. At that time, things were starting to heat up regarding the development of what would be the 2007 Colorado River interim guidelines. The basin was 6 years into the current drought, and storage in Lakes Powell and Mead hydroleadermagazine.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO.
he Bureau of Reclamation plays a critical role in managing the priceless water resources of the Colorado River. Even under ideal circumstances, this monumental task requires technical expertise, accurate information, and experience. This is even more true during a time of drought, like the one the basin has been experiencing since 2000. In this interview, Hydro Leader speaks to Carly Jerla, manager of the modeling and research group of Reclamation’s Lower Colorado Basin Region. Ms. Jerla is stationed at the University of Colorado’s Center for Advanced Decision Support for Water and Environmental Systems (CADSWES), where Reclamation staff play a critical role in the research and modeling work that the agency needs to manage the waters of the Colorado.
