David Yates

David Yates is an SEI Affiliated Researcher located in Boulder, Colorado and a Scientist in the Research Applications Laboratory at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder Colorado.

David’s research has focused both on local scale hydrologic problems (flash floods, land use-land cover, climate change), as well as climate change impacts and adaptation on water and agricultural systems. Dr. Yates has been a part of the development team of SEI’s Water Evaluation and Planning model and has focused on applying WEAP to help water utilities with long-range planning that includes climate change impacts and adaptation strategies.

With his NCAR colleague, Kathleen Miller and support from the Water Research Foundation, Dr. Yates developed an educational primer for use by the drinking water utility industry that outlines the current state of scientific knowledge regarding the potential impacts of global climate change on water utilities, including impacts on water supply, demand and relevant water quality characteristics. A follow-on study with The Foundation has focused on robust adaptation strategies, with several utilities, including the Inland Empire, El Dorado Irrigation District, Portland Water, Colorado Springs Utilities, Massachusetts Water Resource Authority, Durham Water, and Palm Beach County Water.

David Yates received his PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Colorado, Boulder in 1996.