Catchment hydrology focuses on the movement of water and solutes from landscapes to waterbodies. Our research addresses questions such as: Where is the stream water coming from? How long did it take to get here? What solutes, nutrients, and/or contaminants did the water pick up along the way? Because streams and lakes gather water and solutes, we can learn about the entire watershed by studying stream and lake hydrology and chemistry.
Return to Water or Landscape Science
Our research focuses on many Alaskan landscapes, primarily the Arctic and Boreal regions. Often our research addresses how catchment hydrology is influenced by permafrost presence and thaw. In boreal settings, we also consider the effects of fire. Both fire and thaw can substantially change hydrologic flow paths and subsequently the delivery of water, sediments, and solutes to streams and lakes. These changes in turn, have broad implications for Alaskan ecosystems and wildlife.
Our research is critical for stakeholders and land managers because it can quantitatively describe the processes underlying observed environmental conditions and change, and provides the fundamental understanding necessary for predicting future conditions.
Projects
- Hydro-Ecology of Arctic Thaw (HEAT): Hydrology
- Arctic Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE)
- Arctic Coastal Plain Studies
- Wolverine Glacier Ecosystem Studies
- Nome Creek Experimental Watershed
- Matanuska-Susitna Borough Wetland Modeling
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Matanuska-Susitna Borough Wetland Modeling
Arctic Coastal Plain Studies
Wolverine Glacier Ecosystem Studies
Arctic Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE)
Nome Creek Experimental Watershed
Hydro-Ecology of Arctic Thawing (HEAT): Hydrology
- Overview
Catchment hydrology focuses on the movement of water and solutes from landscapes to waterbodies. Our research addresses questions such as: Where is the stream water coming from? How long did it take to get here? What solutes, nutrients, and/or contaminants did the water pick up along the way? Because streams and lakes gather water and solutes, we can learn about the entire watershed by studying stream and lake hydrology and chemistry.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. Visit Media to see details.A conceptual model of effect of permafrost on catchment hydrology – permafrost may restrict deep flow, leading to quick drainage of aquifers. As permafrost thaws, altered flowpaths (from red to blue) affect water residence times and solute loads, with implications for the stream ecosystem.(Credit: Kim Wickland, USGS. Public domain.) Return to Water or Landscape Science
Our research focuses on many Alaskan landscapes, primarily the Arctic and Boreal regions. Often our research addresses how catchment hydrology is influenced by permafrost presence and thaw. In boreal settings, we also consider the effects of fire. Both fire and thaw can substantially change hydrologic flow paths and subsequently the delivery of water, sediments, and solutes to streams and lakes. These changes in turn, have broad implications for Alaskan ecosystems and wildlife.
Our research is critical for stakeholders and land managers because it can quantitatively describe the processes underlying observed environmental conditions and change, and provides the fundamental understanding necessary for predicting future conditions.
Projects
- Hydro-Ecology of Arctic Thaw (HEAT): Hydrology
- Arctic Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE)
- Arctic Coastal Plain Studies
- Wolverine Glacier Ecosystem Studies
- Nome Creek Experimental Watershed
- Matanuska-Susitna Borough Wetland Modeling
- Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Matanuska-Susitna Borough Wetland Modeling
This project aims to improve our understanding of the role of wetlands in controlling streamflow in southcentral Alaska using a groundwater – surface water flow model that can recreate the dynamic interactions between streams and wetlands.Arctic Coastal Plain Studies
The Arctic Coastal Plain (ACP) is a large region of low-lying, lake-rich land on the North Slope of Alaska. This region is underlain by thick ground ice, which is susceptible to erosion and thaw. These physical changes are likely to alter ecosystems by changing the availability of habitats and food resources upon which wildlife depends. Our studies on the ACP aim to understand the link between...Wolverine Glacier Ecosystem Studies
This project is an extension of the long-term Wolverine Glacier Benchmark Glacier project and is improving our understanding of solutes and nutrients in glacier basins, and how they fuel downstream ecosystems.Arctic Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE)
ABoVE: Vulnerability of inland waters and the aquatic carbon cycle to changing permafrost and climate across boreal northwestern North America. Carbon released from thawing permafrost may fuel terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems or contribute to greenhouse gas emission, leading to a potential warming feedback and further thaw.Nome Creek Experimental Watershed
The Nome Creek Experimental Watershed (NCEW) has been the site of multiple studies focused on understanding hydrology, biogeochemistry, and ecosystem changes related to permafrost thaw and fire in the boreal forest.Hydro-Ecology of Arctic Thawing (HEAT): Hydrology
The Arctic is warming at higher rates than much of the rest of the world. For Alaska, this results in changes in hydrology and ecosystems – permafrost is thawing, changing landscapes and releasing nutrients to soils and streams. - Data
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