Duncan Morel

Duncan Morel is a lead Hydrologic Technician at the Lakewood Field Office of the COWSC, where he leads a team dedicated to advancing hydrologic data collection and analysis through innovative technologies. His role involves managing the center’s small Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (sUAS) fleet, which currently comprises 14 certified pilots and 2 flight instructors. In addition to overseeing UAS operations, Duncan serves as the records lead for the Lakewood Field Office, ensuring the integrity and accuracy of critical data collections. He also helps manage a snowpack monitoring network across the Rocky Mountains, focusing on meteorological data collection that supports water resource planning. Using non-contact measurement techniques, Duncan employs drones and high-visibility (HIVIS) cameras to gather essential hydrologic data in remote and challenging environments. He is experienced in remote sensing and non-contact methods for characterizing surface-water flow in Colorado, collaborating with CO WSC and other USGS partners. His expertise has led him to become an instructor for both local and national training courses on non-contact methods encompassing surface-water data collection, field instrumentation, sensors, and telemetry.