Francisco Flores
Staff Scientist
Davis, CA
francisco.flores@sei-us.org
skype: fco-flores
+1 (530) 753-3035, x5#
Francisco Flores is a water resources engineer. His research interests relate to exploring potential impacts of climate change on agriculture, specifically the impact of altered weather variables and increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations on crops. He also uses the WEAP (Water Evaluation and Planning) system to address water and energy planning issues in the context of climate change adaptation. In addition, he conducts analyses and modeling of groundwater and stream flow pollutants transport, using hydrological models and geographic information systems. He has worked extensively on environmental water resources issues in the Catskill Mountains of New York state and in the Lerma-Chapala River and San Juan River basins in Mexico, and he is interested in developing collaborations in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. Francisco has worked for the Mexico Country Program of the International Water Management Institute on various projects of applied water resources engineering. He has a Ph.D. in soil and water engineering from Cornell University, an M.S. in water resources engineering from the Colegio de Postgraduados, in Mexico, and a B.S. in agricultural engineering, with specialization in irrigation, from the Universidad Autonoma Chapingo, in Mexico.
Recent Publications by Francisco Flores
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Energy-Water-Climate Planning for Development without Carbon in Latin America and the CaribbeanSEI Report Author(s): Escobar, M. ; Flores, F. ; Clark, V.Year: 2011 Research Area(s): Water Resources ; Energy Modeling Description: Energy is essential for development, but given the urgent need to mitigate climate change, developing nations are under pressure to keep their carbon emissions low. This leaves them with three options: abandon development; ignore climate concerns; or take a third path: finding energy sources that emit little or no carbon. This report focuses on the third option, which we call "development without carbon" (DWC), looking at the viability of hydroelectric power as a low-carbon energy source for Latin America and the Caribbean in a changing climate. Hydropower supplies 46% of the region's electricity, with great untapped potential, but changes in the water supply due to climate change, competing uses, and population growth could thwart further development plans.This report is part of a package that also includes Development without Carbon: Climate and the Global Economy through the 21st Century. More information Download PDF |
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Factors Affecting Dissolved Phosphorus and Nitrate Concentrations in Ground and Surface Water for a Valley Dairy Farm in the Northeastern United StatesWater Environment Research 83:2, 116-127 Author(s): Flores, F. ; Easton, Z.M.; Geohring, L.D.; Steenhuis, T.S.Year: 2011 Research Area(s): Water Resources Description: Agriculture often is considered to be a contributor of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and nitrate-N (NO3-N) to surface waters. This research analyzed SRP and NO3-N concentrations in groundwater and in a creek fed by groundwater on a valley dairy farm in the Cannonsville basin of the New York City watershed. Water-table depth and concentrations of SRP, NO3-N, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and dissolved oxygen were measured at regular intervals over a three-year period. A multivariate mixed model analysis of variance indicated that the SRP and NO3-N concentrations were controlled primarily by environmental variables, including precipitation and water table depth; source variables, including manure applied and crop type; and chemical variables, including DOC and dissolved oxygen concentrations in groundwater. The highest groundwater concentrations of NO3-N and SRP were found at the shallowest water-table depths.External Link |
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A multivariate analysis of covariance to determine the effects of near-stream best management practices on nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations on a dairy farm in the New York Conservation Effects Assessment Project watershedJournal of Soil and Water Conservation 65:6, 438-449 Author(s): Flores, F. ; Easton, Z.M., Steenhuis, T.S.Year: 2010 Research Area(s): Water Resources Description: This article describes a study to test the impact of near-stream best management practices (BMPs) in the Catskills Mountains of New York State. BMPs such as exclusionary fencing or cattle crossings are often recommended to improve water quality, but quantification of their impacts is limited. In this study, groundwater samples from 30 piezometers and streamwater samples along two adjacent creeks (one control and one with BMP treatment) were collected over a three-year period before and after installation of exclusionary fencing with a cattle crossing. The samples were analyzed for nitrate nitrogen, soluble reactive phosphorus, dissolved oxygen, and dissolved organic carbon. Analysis results and other ancillary variables were incorporated into a multivariate statistical model.More information External Link |
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Appropriation of Rio San Juan water by Monterrey City, Mexico: Implications for agriculture and basin water sharingPaddy and Water Environment 5:4, 253-262 Author(s): Scott, C.A. ; Flores, F. ; Gastelum, G.R.Year: 2007 Research Area(s): Water Resources Description: The Monterrey area's growth has required water transfers from the Rio San Juan basin with significant impacts for downstream water users, especially farmers in the Bajo Rio San Juan (BRSJ) irrigation district. This article examines how the district has handled the situation, and finds that the Mexican irrigation sector will continue to face intense competition for water, for three main reasons: (a) low water productivity in agriculture, leading decision-makers to allocate water to higher productivity uses particularly in cities, (b) priority accorded to the domestic use component of municipal water supply, and in the BRSJ case, (c) Mexico's national interests in meeting its water sharing obligations with the United States.External Link |