James Prairie, Ph.D. is the Research and Modeling Group Chief working in Reclamation’s Upper Colorado Basin Region since 2000. He is stationed at the University of Colorado’s Center for Advanced Decision Support for Water and Environmental Systems (CADSWES). Dr. Prairie leads applied research in short and mid-term operations and long-term water resource planning, climate variability, and decision support under uncertainty. His group pursues relevant research projects and seeks to transition their findings in Reclamation’s current operations and planning activities. He further directs river basin modeling technical teams; and oversees the consumptive use, natural flow and natural salinity development programs for the Upper Colorado River basin.
Dr. Prairie received his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering at the University of Colorado, Boulder and a B.S. in Environmental Resource Engineering from the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry.