Sheila Murphy
Sheila Murphy is a Research Hydrologist for the USGS Water Resources Mission Area.
Sheila Murphy is a hydrologist who works on assessing and predicting how disturbances (such as wildfire and floods) affect water availability. In 2023 Sheila received a Superior Service Award from the Department of the Interior for making fundamental advancements in understanding the effects that wildfire can have on water supplies.
Science and Products
Water Quality After Wildfire
Wildfires pose a substantial risk to water supplies because they can lead to severe flooding, erosion, and delivery of sediment, nutrients, and metals to rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. The USGS works with federal and state land managers and local water providers to monitor and assess water quality after wildfires in order to help protect our Nation’s water resources.
Connections between Forested and Urban Landscapes and Implications for Water Supply
Interactions between forested and urban landscapes can lead to reciprocal effects that have substantial impacts on water supply and ecology. Air pollution from urban and forested landscapes can be deposited on adjacent forests, while forest disturbance, such as wildfires and floods, can remobilize those contaminants. Additionally, pollutants from legacy land use (e.g., mining) can also be...
Trace element concentrations in streambed sediment and aquatic invertebrates in post-wildfire watersheds in the western United States Trace element concentrations in streambed sediment and aquatic invertebrates in post-wildfire watersheds in the western United States
The U.S. Geological Survey is monitoring concentrations of metals and other trace elements in streambed sediment and aquatic invertebrates in post-wildfire watersheds in five western states including California, Oregon, Montana, Colorado and New Mexico. This data release makes available major and minor trace element concentrations in bed sediment and aquatic invertebrates collected from...
Water and sediment geochemistry in the Gallinas Creek Watershed, New Mexico following the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon fire 2022-2023 Water and sediment geochemistry in the Gallinas Creek Watershed, New Mexico following the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon fire 2022-2023
This data set was collected throughout the Gallinas watershed in New, Mexico following the Hermit's Peak-Calf Canyon fires on April 6, 2022. The watershed has a history of mining and prospecting, which acts as an additional stressor to post-wildfire water quality and ecosystem health. Water samples were collected immediately post-fire. Water, sediment deposit and bed sediment samples...
Biogeochemical Data from Field Samples and Laboratory Experiments, Boulder Creek Watershed, Colorado (2019-2023) Biogeochemical Data from Field Samples and Laboratory Experiments, Boulder Creek Watershed, Colorado (2019-2023)
Biogeochemical processes are key drivers of chemical solubility and mobilization. Understanding these processes will lead to improved predictive capabilities and may aid with watershed management decisions. This data release presents results from the Boulder Creek, Colorado watershed, including analyses of water and sediment. From April to August 2019, water samples were collected weekly...
Specific conductance data collected during slug additions Specific conductance data collected during slug additions
Slug additions are often the most accurate method for determining discharge when traditional current meter or acoustic measurements are unreliable because of high turbulence, rocky streambed, shallow or sheet flow, or the stream is physically inaccessible (e.g., under ice or canyon walls) or unsafe to wade (Zellweger et al., 1989, Kilpatrick and Cobb 1984, Ferranti 2015). The slug...
Biological N-cycling data from soils collected along an elevation gradient in the CO Front Range (2018-2019) (ver. 2.0, November 2024) Biological N-cycling data from soils collected along an elevation gradient in the CO Front Range (2018-2019) (ver. 2.0, November 2024)
Atmospheric deposition of reactive nitrogen (Nr) can impact the soil microbial community structure and function and thus ecosystem processing and export of nutrients. Ecosystem response to atmospheric inputs of nitrogen depends on several factors, including elevational climate conditions (freeze/thaw cycles, precipitation), geology, soil and vegetation type, N speciation and microbial...
Seasonal Atmospheric Nitrate and Ammonium Deposition along an Elevation Gradient in the Colorado Front Range using Ion Exchange Resin Columns (2018-2019) Seasonal Atmospheric Nitrate and Ammonium Deposition along an Elevation Gradient in the Colorado Front Range using Ion Exchange Resin Columns (2018-2019)
Atmospheric deposition of reactive nitrogen (Nr) due to human activities can have measurable effects on ecosystem processing and export of nutrients, groundwater and surface-water quality. Rates of Nr deposition to lower-elevation forests immediately adjacent to the Denver/Boulder urban area, however, have only recently been measured. The focus of this study was to determine the extent...
Diel and synoptic sampling data from Boulder Creek and South Boulder Creek, near Boulder, Colorado, September–October 2019 Diel and synoptic sampling data from Boulder Creek and South Boulder Creek, near Boulder, Colorado, September–October 2019
Multiple sampling campaigns were conducted near Boulder, Colorado, to quantify constituent concentrations and loads in Boulder Creek and its tributary, South Boulder Creek. Diel sampling was initiated at approximately 1100 hours on September 17, 2019, and continued until approximately 2300 hours on September 18, 2019. During this time period, samples were collected at two locations on...
Temperature, relative humidity and cloud immersion data for Luquillo Mountains, eastern Puerto Rico, 2014-2019 Temperature, relative humidity and cloud immersion data for Luquillo Mountains, eastern Puerto Rico, 2014-2019
Supplementary data for studies conducted in the Luquillo Experimental Forest (LEF), eastern Puerto Rico include measurements of temperature, relative humidity and cloud immersion at 30-minute resolution. Temperature and relative humidity were measured at five sites; two primary sites have records from March 2014 to June 2019; other sites have shorter records within that period. From...
Chemistry of water, stream sediment, wildfire ash, soil, dust, and mine waste for Fourmile Creek Watershed, Colorado, 2010-2019 Chemistry of water, stream sediment, wildfire ash, soil, dust, and mine waste for Fourmile Creek Watershed, Colorado, 2010-2019
In response to the 2010 Fourmile Canyon fire near Boulder, Colorado, the U.S. Geological Survey collected data to support investigations into the magnitude and critical drivers of water-quality impairment after wildfire. We analyzed chemistry of stream water, sediment, wildfire ash, soil, dust, and mine waste for metals and other parameters in order to evaluate the effects of legacy...
Geospatial data for Luquillo Mountains, Puerto Rico: Mean annual precipitation, elevation, watershed outlines, and rain gage locations Geospatial data for Luquillo Mountains, Puerto Rico: Mean annual precipitation, elevation, watershed outlines, and rain gage locations
These geospatial data sets were developed as part of a new analysis of all known current and historical rain gages in the Luquillo Mountains, Puerto Rico published in the journal article Murphy, S.F., Stallard, R.F., Scholl, M.A., Gonzalez, G., and Torres-Sanchez, A.J., 2017, Reassessing rainfall in the Luquillo Mountains, Puerto Rico: Local and global ecohydrological implications: PLOS...
Filter Total Items: 60
Emerging investigator series: Post-wildfire sediment geochemical characterization reveals manganese reactivity and a potential link to water quality impairment in the Gallinas Creek watershed, New Mexico Emerging investigator series: Post-wildfire sediment geochemical characterization reveals manganese reactivity and a potential link to water quality impairment in the Gallinas Creek watershed, New Mexico
Water quality post-wildfire is often impaired by increased turbidity and elevated concentrations of elements such as manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe). Precipitation events exacerbate these issues, due in part to increased erosion and transport of sediment from hillslopes to surface water. Both Mn and Fe are major redox-active elements in sediments that drive a variety of biogeochemical...
Authors
Elizabeth Tomaszewski, Sheila Murphy, Johanna Blake, Michelle Hornberger, Gregory Clark
A review of post-wildfire adaptations of surface-water-quality models: Synthesis, gaps, and opportunities A review of post-wildfire adaptations of surface-water-quality models: Synthesis, gaps, and opportunities
As wildfires increasingly affect water-supply watersheds, the demand for models to predict water-quality responses is increasing. This work reviews and synthesizes existing post-wildfire applications of water-quality models in the context of geographic and ecohydrological distribution, hydrologic and water-quality response process representation, model parameterization, model and input...
Authors
Zachary Shephard, Trevor Partridge, Sheila Murphy, Michelle Walvoord, Brian A. Ebel
Hysteretic response of suspended-sediment in wildfire affected watersheds of the Pacific Northwest and Southern Rocky Mountains Hysteretic response of suspended-sediment in wildfire affected watersheds of the Pacific Northwest and Southern Rocky Mountains
Wildfires can have a profound impact on hydrosedimentary interactions, or the relationship between sediment and runoff, in forested headwater streams. Quantification of sediment-runoff dynamics at the event scale is integral for understanding source areas and transport of suspended-sediment through a watershed following wildfire. Here we used high-frequency turbidity and stream discharge...
Authors
Gregory Clark, Sheila Murphy, Katherine Skalak, David Clow, Garrett Akie, Kurt Carpenter, Sean Payne, Brian A. Ebel
Relationship of atmospheric nitrogen deposition to soil nitrogen cycling along an elevation gradient in the Colorado Front Range Relationship of atmospheric nitrogen deposition to soil nitrogen cycling along an elevation gradient in the Colorado Front Range
Microbial processing of atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition regulates the retention and mobilization of N in soils, with important implications for water quality. Understanding the links between N deposition, microbial communities, N transformations, and water quality is critical as N deposition shifts toward reduced N and remains persistently high in many regions. Here, we investigated...
Authors
Deborah Repert, Ruth Heindel, Sheila Murphy, Kaitlyn M. Jeanis
Stream discharge determinations using slug additions and specific conductance Stream discharge determinations using slug additions and specific conductance
Stream discharge is often determined by wading the stream and measuring the velocity at fixed widths and depths. However, there are conditions when wading measurements are not safe or the measurements are poor because of high turbulence, rocky streambeds, shallow or sheet flow, aquatic plants, or inaccessibility due to ice. Under these conditions, it is often preferable to determine...
Authors
R. Blaine McCleskey, Robert Runkel, Sheila Murphy, David Roth
An intercomparison of DOC estimated from fDOM sensors in wildfire affected streams of the western United States An intercomparison of DOC estimated from fDOM sensors in wildfire affected streams of the western United States
Wildfires in the western United States (US) have been demonstrated to affect water quality, including dissolved organic carbon (DOC), in streams. Elevated post-wildfire DOC concentration poses a potential risk to drinking water treatment systems. In-stream measurements of fluorescent dissolved organic matter (fDOM), a proxy for DOC, have shown potential to detect dynamic changes in DOC...
Authors
Garrett Akie, David Clow, Sheila Murphy, Gregory Clark, Michael Meador, Brian A. Ebel
Intersection of wildfire and legacy mining poses risk to water quality Intersection of wildfire and legacy mining poses risk to water quality
Mining and wildfires are both landscape disturbances that pose elevated and substantial hazards to water supplies and ecosystems due to increased erosion and transport of sediment, metals, and debris to downstream waters. The risk to water supplies may be amplified when these disturbances occur in the same watershed. This work describes mechanisms by which the intersection of mining and...
Authors
Sheila Murphy, Johanna Blake, Brian A. Ebel, Deborah A. Martin
Dynamic water-quality responses to wildfire in Colorado Dynamic water-quality responses to wildfire in Colorado
In 2020, Colorado experienced the most severe wildfire season in recorded history, with wildfires burning 625 357 acres across the state. Two of the largest fires burned parts of Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP), and a study was initiated to address concerns about potential effects on drinking water quality from mobilization of ash and sediment. The study took advantage of a wealth of...
Authors
David Clow, Garrett Akie, Sheila Murphy, Evan Gohring
Opportunities and challenges for precipitation forcing data in post-wildfire hydrologic modeling applications Opportunities and challenges for precipitation forcing data in post-wildfire hydrologic modeling applications
The frequency and extent of wildfires have increased in recent decades with immediate and cascading effects on water availability in many regions of the world. Precipitation is used as primary input to hydrologic models and is a critical driver of post-wildfire hydrologic hazards including debris flows, flash floods, water-quality effects, and reservoir sedimentation. These models are...
Authors
Trevor Partridge, Zachary Johnson, Rachel Sleeter, Sharon Qi, Michelle Walvoord, Sheila Murphy, Cara Peterman-Phipps, Brian A. Ebel
Urbanization and water management control stream water quality along a mountain to plains transition Urbanization and water management control stream water quality along a mountain to plains transition
Urbanization can have substantial effects on water quality due to altered hydrology and introduction of constituents to water bodies. In arid and semi-arid environments, streams are further stressed by dewatering as a result of diversions. We conducted a high-resolution synoptic survey of two streams in Colorado, USA that transition abruptly from granitic/metamorphic forested mountains...
Authors
Sheila Murphy, Robert Runkel, Edward Stets, Alex Nolan, Deborah Repert
Prolonged drought in a northern California coastal region suppresses wildfire impacts on hydrology Prolonged drought in a northern California coastal region suppresses wildfire impacts on hydrology
Wildfires naturally occur in many landscapes, however they are undergoing rapid regime shifts. Despite the emphasis in the literature on the most severe hydrological responses to wildfire, there remains a knowledge gap on the thresholds of wildfire (i.e. burned area/drainage area ratio, BAR) required to initiate hydrological responses. We investigated hydrological changes in the Russian...
Authors
Michelle Newcomer, Jennifer Underwood, Sheila Murphy, Craig Ulrich, Todd Schram, Stephen Maples, Jasquelin Pena, Erica Siirila-Woodburn, Marcus Trotta, Jay Jasperse, Donald Seymour, Susan S. Hubbard
Chemical characteristics of wildfire ash across the globe and their environmental and socio-economic implications Chemical characteristics of wildfire ash across the globe and their environmental and socio-economic implications
The mobilisation of potentially harmful chemical constituents in wildfire ash can be a major consequence of wildfires, posing widespread societal risks. Knowledge of wildfire ash chemical composition is crucial to anticipate and mitigate these risks.Here we present a comprehensive dataset on the chemical characteristics of a wide range of wildfire ashes (42 types and a total of 148...
Authors
Carmen Sanchez-Garcia, Cristina Santín, Jonay Neris, Gabriel Sigmund, Xose Otero, Joella Manley, Gil Gonzalez-Rodriguez, Claire Belcher, Artemi Cerdá, Abbey Marcotte, Sheila Murphy, Charles Rhoades, Gary Sheridan, Tercia Strydom, Peter Robichaud, Stefan Doerr
Science and Products
Water Quality After Wildfire
Wildfires pose a substantial risk to water supplies because they can lead to severe flooding, erosion, and delivery of sediment, nutrients, and metals to rivers, lakes, and reservoirs. The USGS works with federal and state land managers and local water providers to monitor and assess water quality after wildfires in order to help protect our Nation’s water resources.
Connections between Forested and Urban Landscapes and Implications for Water Supply
Interactions between forested and urban landscapes can lead to reciprocal effects that have substantial impacts on water supply and ecology. Air pollution from urban and forested landscapes can be deposited on adjacent forests, while forest disturbance, such as wildfires and floods, can remobilize those contaminants. Additionally, pollutants from legacy land use (e.g., mining) can also be...
Trace element concentrations in streambed sediment and aquatic invertebrates in post-wildfire watersheds in the western United States Trace element concentrations in streambed sediment and aquatic invertebrates in post-wildfire watersheds in the western United States
The U.S. Geological Survey is monitoring concentrations of metals and other trace elements in streambed sediment and aquatic invertebrates in post-wildfire watersheds in five western states including California, Oregon, Montana, Colorado and New Mexico. This data release makes available major and minor trace element concentrations in bed sediment and aquatic invertebrates collected from...
Water and sediment geochemistry in the Gallinas Creek Watershed, New Mexico following the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon fire 2022-2023 Water and sediment geochemistry in the Gallinas Creek Watershed, New Mexico following the Hermits Peak-Calf Canyon fire 2022-2023
This data set was collected throughout the Gallinas watershed in New, Mexico following the Hermit's Peak-Calf Canyon fires on April 6, 2022. The watershed has a history of mining and prospecting, which acts as an additional stressor to post-wildfire water quality and ecosystem health. Water samples were collected immediately post-fire. Water, sediment deposit and bed sediment samples...
Biogeochemical Data from Field Samples and Laboratory Experiments, Boulder Creek Watershed, Colorado (2019-2023) Biogeochemical Data from Field Samples and Laboratory Experiments, Boulder Creek Watershed, Colorado (2019-2023)
Biogeochemical processes are key drivers of chemical solubility and mobilization. Understanding these processes will lead to improved predictive capabilities and may aid with watershed management decisions. This data release presents results from the Boulder Creek, Colorado watershed, including analyses of water and sediment. From April to August 2019, water samples were collected weekly...
Specific conductance data collected during slug additions Specific conductance data collected during slug additions
Slug additions are often the most accurate method for determining discharge when traditional current meter or acoustic measurements are unreliable because of high turbulence, rocky streambed, shallow or sheet flow, or the stream is physically inaccessible (e.g., under ice or canyon walls) or unsafe to wade (Zellweger et al., 1989, Kilpatrick and Cobb 1984, Ferranti 2015). The slug...
Biological N-cycling data from soils collected along an elevation gradient in the CO Front Range (2018-2019) (ver. 2.0, November 2024) Biological N-cycling data from soils collected along an elevation gradient in the CO Front Range (2018-2019) (ver. 2.0, November 2024)
Atmospheric deposition of reactive nitrogen (Nr) can impact the soil microbial community structure and function and thus ecosystem processing and export of nutrients. Ecosystem response to atmospheric inputs of nitrogen depends on several factors, including elevational climate conditions (freeze/thaw cycles, precipitation), geology, soil and vegetation type, N speciation and microbial...
Seasonal Atmospheric Nitrate and Ammonium Deposition along an Elevation Gradient in the Colorado Front Range using Ion Exchange Resin Columns (2018-2019) Seasonal Atmospheric Nitrate and Ammonium Deposition along an Elevation Gradient in the Colorado Front Range using Ion Exchange Resin Columns (2018-2019)
Atmospheric deposition of reactive nitrogen (Nr) due to human activities can have measurable effects on ecosystem processing and export of nutrients, groundwater and surface-water quality. Rates of Nr deposition to lower-elevation forests immediately adjacent to the Denver/Boulder urban area, however, have only recently been measured. The focus of this study was to determine the extent...
Diel and synoptic sampling data from Boulder Creek and South Boulder Creek, near Boulder, Colorado, September–October 2019 Diel and synoptic sampling data from Boulder Creek and South Boulder Creek, near Boulder, Colorado, September–October 2019
Multiple sampling campaigns were conducted near Boulder, Colorado, to quantify constituent concentrations and loads in Boulder Creek and its tributary, South Boulder Creek. Diel sampling was initiated at approximately 1100 hours on September 17, 2019, and continued until approximately 2300 hours on September 18, 2019. During this time period, samples were collected at two locations on...
Temperature, relative humidity and cloud immersion data for Luquillo Mountains, eastern Puerto Rico, 2014-2019 Temperature, relative humidity and cloud immersion data for Luquillo Mountains, eastern Puerto Rico, 2014-2019
Supplementary data for studies conducted in the Luquillo Experimental Forest (LEF), eastern Puerto Rico include measurements of temperature, relative humidity and cloud immersion at 30-minute resolution. Temperature and relative humidity were measured at five sites; two primary sites have records from March 2014 to June 2019; other sites have shorter records within that period. From...
Chemistry of water, stream sediment, wildfire ash, soil, dust, and mine waste for Fourmile Creek Watershed, Colorado, 2010-2019 Chemistry of water, stream sediment, wildfire ash, soil, dust, and mine waste for Fourmile Creek Watershed, Colorado, 2010-2019
In response to the 2010 Fourmile Canyon fire near Boulder, Colorado, the U.S. Geological Survey collected data to support investigations into the magnitude and critical drivers of water-quality impairment after wildfire. We analyzed chemistry of stream water, sediment, wildfire ash, soil, dust, and mine waste for metals and other parameters in order to evaluate the effects of legacy...
Geospatial data for Luquillo Mountains, Puerto Rico: Mean annual precipitation, elevation, watershed outlines, and rain gage locations Geospatial data for Luquillo Mountains, Puerto Rico: Mean annual precipitation, elevation, watershed outlines, and rain gage locations
These geospatial data sets were developed as part of a new analysis of all known current and historical rain gages in the Luquillo Mountains, Puerto Rico published in the journal article Murphy, S.F., Stallard, R.F., Scholl, M.A., Gonzalez, G., and Torres-Sanchez, A.J., 2017, Reassessing rainfall in the Luquillo Mountains, Puerto Rico: Local and global ecohydrological implications: PLOS...
Filter Total Items: 60
Emerging investigator series: Post-wildfire sediment geochemical characterization reveals manganese reactivity and a potential link to water quality impairment in the Gallinas Creek watershed, New Mexico Emerging investigator series: Post-wildfire sediment geochemical characterization reveals manganese reactivity and a potential link to water quality impairment in the Gallinas Creek watershed, New Mexico
Water quality post-wildfire is often impaired by increased turbidity and elevated concentrations of elements such as manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe). Precipitation events exacerbate these issues, due in part to increased erosion and transport of sediment from hillslopes to surface water. Both Mn and Fe are major redox-active elements in sediments that drive a variety of biogeochemical...
Authors
Elizabeth Tomaszewski, Sheila Murphy, Johanna Blake, Michelle Hornberger, Gregory Clark
A review of post-wildfire adaptations of surface-water-quality models: Synthesis, gaps, and opportunities A review of post-wildfire adaptations of surface-water-quality models: Synthesis, gaps, and opportunities
As wildfires increasingly affect water-supply watersheds, the demand for models to predict water-quality responses is increasing. This work reviews and synthesizes existing post-wildfire applications of water-quality models in the context of geographic and ecohydrological distribution, hydrologic and water-quality response process representation, model parameterization, model and input...
Authors
Zachary Shephard, Trevor Partridge, Sheila Murphy, Michelle Walvoord, Brian A. Ebel
Hysteretic response of suspended-sediment in wildfire affected watersheds of the Pacific Northwest and Southern Rocky Mountains Hysteretic response of suspended-sediment in wildfire affected watersheds of the Pacific Northwest and Southern Rocky Mountains
Wildfires can have a profound impact on hydrosedimentary interactions, or the relationship between sediment and runoff, in forested headwater streams. Quantification of sediment-runoff dynamics at the event scale is integral for understanding source areas and transport of suspended-sediment through a watershed following wildfire. Here we used high-frequency turbidity and stream discharge...
Authors
Gregory Clark, Sheila Murphy, Katherine Skalak, David Clow, Garrett Akie, Kurt Carpenter, Sean Payne, Brian A. Ebel
Relationship of atmospheric nitrogen deposition to soil nitrogen cycling along an elevation gradient in the Colorado Front Range Relationship of atmospheric nitrogen deposition to soil nitrogen cycling along an elevation gradient in the Colorado Front Range
Microbial processing of atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition regulates the retention and mobilization of N in soils, with important implications for water quality. Understanding the links between N deposition, microbial communities, N transformations, and water quality is critical as N deposition shifts toward reduced N and remains persistently high in many regions. Here, we investigated...
Authors
Deborah Repert, Ruth Heindel, Sheila Murphy, Kaitlyn M. Jeanis
Stream discharge determinations using slug additions and specific conductance Stream discharge determinations using slug additions and specific conductance
Stream discharge is often determined by wading the stream and measuring the velocity at fixed widths and depths. However, there are conditions when wading measurements are not safe or the measurements are poor because of high turbulence, rocky streambeds, shallow or sheet flow, aquatic plants, or inaccessibility due to ice. Under these conditions, it is often preferable to determine...
Authors
R. Blaine McCleskey, Robert Runkel, Sheila Murphy, David Roth
An intercomparison of DOC estimated from fDOM sensors in wildfire affected streams of the western United States An intercomparison of DOC estimated from fDOM sensors in wildfire affected streams of the western United States
Wildfires in the western United States (US) have been demonstrated to affect water quality, including dissolved organic carbon (DOC), in streams. Elevated post-wildfire DOC concentration poses a potential risk to drinking water treatment systems. In-stream measurements of fluorescent dissolved organic matter (fDOM), a proxy for DOC, have shown potential to detect dynamic changes in DOC...
Authors
Garrett Akie, David Clow, Sheila Murphy, Gregory Clark, Michael Meador, Brian A. Ebel
Intersection of wildfire and legacy mining poses risk to water quality Intersection of wildfire and legacy mining poses risk to water quality
Mining and wildfires are both landscape disturbances that pose elevated and substantial hazards to water supplies and ecosystems due to increased erosion and transport of sediment, metals, and debris to downstream waters. The risk to water supplies may be amplified when these disturbances occur in the same watershed. This work describes mechanisms by which the intersection of mining and...
Authors
Sheila Murphy, Johanna Blake, Brian A. Ebel, Deborah A. Martin
Dynamic water-quality responses to wildfire in Colorado Dynamic water-quality responses to wildfire in Colorado
In 2020, Colorado experienced the most severe wildfire season in recorded history, with wildfires burning 625 357 acres across the state. Two of the largest fires burned parts of Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP), and a study was initiated to address concerns about potential effects on drinking water quality from mobilization of ash and sediment. The study took advantage of a wealth of...
Authors
David Clow, Garrett Akie, Sheila Murphy, Evan Gohring
Opportunities and challenges for precipitation forcing data in post-wildfire hydrologic modeling applications Opportunities and challenges for precipitation forcing data in post-wildfire hydrologic modeling applications
The frequency and extent of wildfires have increased in recent decades with immediate and cascading effects on water availability in many regions of the world. Precipitation is used as primary input to hydrologic models and is a critical driver of post-wildfire hydrologic hazards including debris flows, flash floods, water-quality effects, and reservoir sedimentation. These models are...
Authors
Trevor Partridge, Zachary Johnson, Rachel Sleeter, Sharon Qi, Michelle Walvoord, Sheila Murphy, Cara Peterman-Phipps, Brian A. Ebel
Urbanization and water management control stream water quality along a mountain to plains transition Urbanization and water management control stream water quality along a mountain to plains transition
Urbanization can have substantial effects on water quality due to altered hydrology and introduction of constituents to water bodies. In arid and semi-arid environments, streams are further stressed by dewatering as a result of diversions. We conducted a high-resolution synoptic survey of two streams in Colorado, USA that transition abruptly from granitic/metamorphic forested mountains...
Authors
Sheila Murphy, Robert Runkel, Edward Stets, Alex Nolan, Deborah Repert
Prolonged drought in a northern California coastal region suppresses wildfire impacts on hydrology Prolonged drought in a northern California coastal region suppresses wildfire impacts on hydrology
Wildfires naturally occur in many landscapes, however they are undergoing rapid regime shifts. Despite the emphasis in the literature on the most severe hydrological responses to wildfire, there remains a knowledge gap on the thresholds of wildfire (i.e. burned area/drainage area ratio, BAR) required to initiate hydrological responses. We investigated hydrological changes in the Russian...
Authors
Michelle Newcomer, Jennifer Underwood, Sheila Murphy, Craig Ulrich, Todd Schram, Stephen Maples, Jasquelin Pena, Erica Siirila-Woodburn, Marcus Trotta, Jay Jasperse, Donald Seymour, Susan S. Hubbard
Chemical characteristics of wildfire ash across the globe and their environmental and socio-economic implications Chemical characteristics of wildfire ash across the globe and their environmental and socio-economic implications
The mobilisation of potentially harmful chemical constituents in wildfire ash can be a major consequence of wildfires, posing widespread societal risks. Knowledge of wildfire ash chemical composition is crucial to anticipate and mitigate these risks.Here we present a comprehensive dataset on the chemical characteristics of a wide range of wildfire ashes (42 types and a total of 148...
Authors
Carmen Sanchez-Garcia, Cristina Santín, Jonay Neris, Gabriel Sigmund, Xose Otero, Joella Manley, Gil Gonzalez-Rodriguez, Claire Belcher, Artemi Cerdá, Abbey Marcotte, Sheila Murphy, Charles Rhoades, Gary Sheridan, Tercia Strydom, Peter Robichaud, Stefan Doerr