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.
Return to Water or Landscape Science >> Arctic – Boreal Catchment Studies
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. Landscapes and streams are warming, affecting plant growth and fish and wildlife habitat. HEAT aims to understand the impacts of warming on the ecosystems at the Arctic-boreal transition, in the Noatak Preserve in northwestern Alaska. Here, catchments are near the physiographic limit of where trees can grow, and thus vegetation is dominated either by tundra or forest, depending on aspect and elevation. These different land cover types impact water storage, and the movement of water and nutrients from the catchments to the streams. By considering differences in temperatures, stream inflows, biogeochemical cycling, and fish presence, growth, and movement, this project aims to understand the link between physical changes in stream chemistry and fish ecology, with an eye towards how these links will change in the future.
This product is in conjuction with Hydro-ecology of Arctic Thawing (HEAT): Ecology

Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Arctic – Boreal Catchment Studies
Hydro-Ecology of Arctic Thawing (HEAT): Ecology
Arctic Coastal Plain Studies
Wolverine Glacier Ecosystem Studies
Matanuska-Susitna Borough Wetland Modeling
Arctic Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE)
Nome Creek Experimental Watershed
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Macroinvertebrates From Streams and Springs in the 1002 Region of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, 2021
Stream and River Chemistry in Watersheds of Northwestern Alaska, 2015-2019
Stream Temperatures in the Noatak River and Kobuk River Basins, Northwest Alaska, 2017 - 2019
Continuous Records of Shallow Soil Temperature and Moisture in the Noatak River Basin, Alaska
Meteorological Data from Two Locations in the Agashashok River Watershed, Northwestern Alaska, 2015 to 2017
Water Level, Temperature, and Discharge of Headwater Streams in the Noatak and Kobuk River Basins, Northwest Alaska, 2015 - 2017
Below are publications associated with this project.
Sensitivity of headwater streamflow to thawing permafrost and vegetation change in a warming Arctic
Arctic insect emergence timing and composition differs across thaw ponds of varying morphology
Permafrost promotes shallow groundwater flow and warmer headwater streams
Potential effects of permafrost thaw on arctic river ecosystems
Dissolved organic matter composition of Arctic rivers: Linking permafrost and parent material to riverine carbon
Below are news stories associated with this project.
- Overview
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.
Return to Water or Landscape Science >> Arctic – Boreal Catchment Studies
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. Visit Media to see details.The north fork of the Agashashok River.(Credit: Josh Koch, USGS. Public domain.) 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. Landscapes and streams are warming, affecting plant growth and fish and wildlife habitat. HEAT aims to understand the impacts of warming on the ecosystems at the Arctic-boreal transition, in the Noatak Preserve in northwestern Alaska. Here, catchments are near the physiographic limit of where trees can grow, and thus vegetation is dominated either by tundra or forest, depending on aspect and elevation. These different land cover types impact water storage, and the movement of water and nutrients from the catchments to the streams. By considering differences in temperatures, stream inflows, biogeochemical cycling, and fish presence, growth, and movement, this project aims to understand the link between physical changes in stream chemistry and fish ecology, with an eye towards how these links will change in the future.
This product is in conjuction with Hydro-ecology of Arctic Thawing (HEAT): Ecology
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. Visit Media to see details.Agashashok River watershed Installation Locations - 2016Public domain.) - Science
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Arctic – Boreal Catchment Studies
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...Hydro-Ecology of Arctic Thawing (HEAT): Ecology
Permafrost thaw is leading to a myriad of changes in physical and chemical conditions throughout the Arctic.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.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 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. - Data
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Macroinvertebrates From Streams and Springs in the 1002 Region of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, 2021
This dataset includes tables related to macroinvertebrate collections in streams and springs of the 1002 region of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in northeastern Alaska. Macroinvertebrates were collected using kicknets and driftnets in April and August with the goal of comparing populations to those sampled from the same water bodies by the USGS in the 1970s.Stream and River Chemistry in Watersheds of Northwestern Alaska, 2015-2019
These data include stream water chemistry from headwater streams to large rivers across three national parks in Arctic Alaska: Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, Kobuk Valley National Park, and Noatak National Preserve.Stream Temperatures in the Noatak River and Kobuk River Basins, Northwest Alaska, 2017 - 2019
This data set includes 15-minute interval data on stream temperature from low-order streams and main-stem rivers in the Noatak and Kobuk River valleys in Northwestern Alaska, collected during the summer months. The water temperatures were determined using a HOBO Water Temp Pro v2 (Onset Computer Corporation, Bourne, MA, USA)with ±0.2 degrees C accuracy. Sensors were place in several locations withContinuous Records of Shallow Soil Temperature and Moisture in the Noatak River Basin, Alaska
Soil moisture and temperature were measured at four shallow depths in multiple locations within tundra and forested landscapes of the Agashashok River basin. The measurements were made continuously beginning in 2015 until the most recent download in summer, 2019 or until the sensors or loggers failed.Meteorological Data from Two Locations in the Agashashok River Watershed, Northwestern Alaska, 2015 to 2017
Meteorological data was collected from two locations in the Agashashok River Watershed, one high in the drainage located on tundra (67.5440 N, -161.6828 E) and a second on a rocky knoll near the watershed mouth (67.2821 N, -162.5841 E). The data contain information on air temperatures, rainfall, barometric pressure, relative humidity, incoming and outgoing radiation, and wind speed and direction.Water Level, Temperature, and Discharge of Headwater Streams in the Noatak and Kobuk River Basins, Northwest Alaska, 2015 - 2017
This data set includes 15-minute interval data on stream temperature, stage, and discharge from low-order streams in the Noatak and Kobuk River valleys in Northwestern Alaska, collected during the summer months. Several sites in the Agashashok River basin were monitored in 2015 and 2016, and additional sites were added in 2017. The depth of the water and temperature were determined using a combine - Multimedia
- Publications
Below are publications associated with this project.
Sensitivity of headwater streamflow to thawing permafrost and vegetation change in a warming Arctic
Climate change has the potential to impact headwater streams in the Arctic by thawing permafrost and subsequently altering hydrologic regimes and vegetation distribution, physiognomy and productivity. Permafrost thaw and increased subsurface flow have been inferred from the chemistry of large rivers, but there is limited empirical evidence of the impacts to headwater streams. Here we demonstrate hAuthorsJoshua C. Koch, Ylva Sjöberg, Jonathan A. O'Donnell, Michael P. Carey, Pamela Sullivan, A. TerskaiaArctic insect emergence timing and composition differs across thaw ponds of varying morphology
Freshwater ponds provide habitats for aquatic insects that emerge and subsidize consumers in terrestrial ecosystems. In the Arctic, insects provide an important seasonal source of energy to birds that breed and rear young on the tundra. The abundance and timing of insect emergence from arctic thaw ponds is poorly understood, but understanding these fluxes is important, given the role of insects inAuthorsSarah M. Laske, Kirsty E. B. Gurney, Joshua C. Koch, Joel A. Schmutz, Mark S. WipfliPermafrost promotes shallow groundwater flow and warmer headwater streams
The presence of permafrost influences the flow paths of water through Arctic landscapes and thereby has the potential to impact stream discharge and thermal regimes. Observations from eleven headwater streams in Alaska showed that July water temperatures were higher in catchments with more near‐surface permafrost. We apply a fully coupled cryohydrology model to investigate if the impact of permafrAuthorsYlva Sjöberg, Adam K. Janke, S Painter, E. Coonradt, Michael P. Carey, Jonathan A. O'Donnell, Joshua C. KochPotential effects of permafrost thaw on arctic river ecosystems
No abstract available.AuthorsJonathan A. O'Donnell, Christian E. Zimmerman, Michael P. Carey, Joshua C. KochDissolved organic matter composition of Arctic rivers: Linking permafrost and parent material to riverine carbon
Recent climate change in the Arctic is driving permafrost thaw, which has important implications for regional hydrology and global carbon dynamics. Permafrost is an important control on groundwater dynamics and the amount and chemical composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) transported by high-latitude rivers. The consequences of permafrost thaw for riverine DOM dynamics will likely vary acrAuthorsJonathan A. O’Donnell, George R. Aiken, David K. Swanson, Panda Santosh, Kenna D. Butler, Andrew P. Baltensperger - News
Below are news stories associated with this project.