Boise State University postdoctoral research fellow Mitchell Meads is leading efforts to understand how rapid population growth in the Treasure Valley is affecting local energy and water resources, according to a March 12 announcement.
The study comes as the region has seen its population nearly double over the past 25 years, raising concerns about the sustainability of natural resources for residents and businesses. Meads serves as site leader for the I-CREWS Treasure Valley project, part of Idaho’s Community-engaged Resilience for Energy-Water Systems (I-CREWS), a National Science Foundation collaboration focused on examining stresses on Idaho’s energy-water systems.
Meads and his team have found that while overall usage of energy and water is increasing, consumption rates are not rising as quickly as population growth. This suggests that informed management could help communities plan more strategically for resilient systems. Local experts have expressed concerns about water availability, extreme weather events, changes in snowpack and streamflows, and evolving land use patterns that impact long-standing water demands. The introduction of new facilities such as the Meta Data Center in Kuna and the proposed Gemstone Technology Park may further strain regional energy systems.
“In a rapidly changing region, proactive planning is essential to protecting both people and resources. By leveraging local-level experts’ knowledge, we can inform decision-making now to meet desirable futures and avoid undesirable ones,” Meads said.
Meads also works with students to inspire future leaders in resource management. In October 2025, he led elementary school students through exercises on disaster planning. More recently, he organized a retreat for I-CREWS graduate students from three Idaho universities to share research across disciplines. “Dr. Mitchell created such a supportive atmosphere,” said Tapiwa Mwila, a graduate student at Boise State University.
Reflecting on his first year in Idaho, Meads said working with local communities has strengthened his commitment to interdisciplinary research aimed at building resilience: “Working alongside Idaho communities that value connection and collaboration has strengthened my commitment to interdisciplinary, community-engaged research — because that’s what creates lasting resilience.”
The project was supported by the NSF Idaho EPSCoR Program under award number OIA-2242769.
