Hydrology Commons^™

Enhancing Agricultural Sustainability Under Climate Change: A Multi-Scale Framework Integrating Climate Extremes, Resource Efficiency, And Data-Driven Modeling, Shahryar Fazli

Computational and Data Sciences (PhD) Dissertations

Agricultural systems are increasingly challenged by climate variability, where shifting temperature regimes, hydrological variability, and the rising frequency of compound and cascading extremes threaten global food security and resource sustainability. Addressing these challenges requires integrated frameworks that bridge biophysical monitoring, predictive modeling, and adaptive decision-making. This dissertation develops a data-driven, multi-scale framework to quantify and enhance agricultural resilience by integrating remote sensing, climate analytics, and machine learning across the United States, with a focus on California and the Western U.S.

First, hyperspectral and thermal remote sensing data from EMIT and OpenET are integrated to characterize crop nitrogen–water interactions and assess …

System-Scale Patterns Of Karst Ventilation In A Mediterranean Karst Massif And Their Implications For The Subsurface Thermal Regime, José Luis Yanes, Francisco Moral

International Journal of Speleology

Karst systems are heterogeneous environments in which water flow is commonly assumed to control subsurface thermal dynamics. However, the role of air circulation at the system scale remains poorly constrained. This study presents a characterization of the thermal expression of ventilation processes in a western Betic Range (southern Spain) karst massif, based on the continuous monitoring of air temperature in multiple conduits distributed along an altitudinal gradient, combined with the analysis of external atmospheric conditions. Results show that ventilation is strongly seasonal and controlled by the interaction between thermal gradients, transient atmospheric variations and system geometry. The observations reveal recurrent …

Calcite Spar Of Kryštálová Cave (Slovakia): Insights Into Formation Conditions From Fluid Inclusions, Stable Isotopes, And Noble Gases, Petronela Ševčíková, Yuri Dublyansky, Stanislava Milovská, László Palcsu, Marjan Temovski, Kata Molnár, Gabriella I. Kiss, Mário Olšavský, Pavel Herich, Gabriella Koltai, Christoph Spötl

International Journal of Speleology

Phreatic calcite spar is an infrequently used yet promising archive for paleohydrology, a diagnostic tool for speleogenesis, and a robust geothermometer. In this study, we investigated phreatic calcite from Kryštálová cave (Malá Fatra Mts., Slovakia) to constrain its formation conditions, reconstruct the composition of its parent fluid, determine precipitation temperatures, and assess its potential for paleohydrology. Fluid-inclusion microthermometry and stable isotope analyses of inclusion water indicate that calcite precipitated at 45-80°C from a meteoric fluid (δ²H_meas = -87.4 to -84.4‰; δ¹⁸O_calc = -12.2 to -11.8‰) with a purely crustal noble gas signature. Stable …

Towards Transparency In Sampling For Plant Xylem Water Isotope Studies: Current Practices And New Perspectives, Magali F. Nehemy, Hannes P.T. De Deurwaerder, Ginevra Fabiani, Gregory R. Goldsmith, W. Jesse Hahm, Danielle Hudson, Suzanne Jacobs, Huai Jianjun, James Knighton, Marco M. Lehmann, Pedro A. M. Leite, Kevin Li, Min Li, Xiuqiang Liu, Aline Meyer Oliveira, Yunpeng Nie, Natalie Orlowski, Daniele Penna, María Poca, Ricardo Sánchez-Murillo, Hongxiu Wang, Mingyi Wen, Lixin Wang, Seth E. Younger, Giulia Zuecco, Scott T. Allen

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Xylem water isotope values are widely used to trace plant water sources. However, the sampling decisions that precede extraction are rarely fully reported in isotope studies, limiting reproducibility and cross comparisons. A survey of 42 researchers across five continents, complemented by a virtual community workshop, revealed substantial methodological diversity: only 51% maintain standard operating procedures, with variation in organ selection among respondents (branches 73.8%, stems 64.3%, roots 35.7%), sapwood-heartwood separation (63.2% separate), bark removal (59% always) and transport conditions (56% ice packs vs. 39% ambient). From the surveyed researchers, 77.5% adapt sampling strategies to their extraction system, but these adaptations …

The Colorado River Upper Initial Units Take Center Stage, Eric Kuhn, Anne Castle, Jack Schmidt, Kathryn Sorensen, Katherine Tara

The Traveling Wilburys of the Colorado River

In 1956, Congress authorized the Upper Initial Units—Flaming Gorge Reservoir,

Navajo Reservoir, and the Aspinall Unit (UIUs)—for a variety of water use

purposes in the Upper Colorado River Basin, including compliance with the

1922 Colorado River Compact (1922 Compact). The historical record is clear

that the primary reason these reservoirs exist is to satisfy the math of the 1922

Compact and the obligations it imposed on the Upper Division States

regarding flows at Lee Ferry.

Quality Assurance Project Plan - Spokane River Pfas Study, Chad Pritchard

EWU PFAS Research Collection

Assessing the impacts of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination across multiple aquifers and multiple sources requires a detailed understanding of the hydrogeologic framework to quantifiably determine PFAS sources. The West Plains of eastern Washington is an ideal natural laboratory to study the fate and transport of PFAS because the general geohydrologic framework has been established and collaboration with several related PFAS projects will maximize the use of grant funds. This project will help the population, environment, and commercial entities of the West Plains by building a transport model, delineating PFAS contamination, and using unique PFAS distribution at different locations …

Clustering Of Potable Water Sources In Rural Oyo State, Nigeria: Implications For Equitable Distribution And Sustainability, Adesola Adediran, Ibrahim O. Raufu

Tanzania Journal of Science

Adequate and equitable access to potable water remains a major challenge in rural communities of Oyo State, Nigeria, with uncoordinated provision leading to widespread shortages. This study employs geospatial techniques to assess the spatial distribution of water supply sources across five purposively selected rural communities in Olorunsogo Local Government Area (OLGA). Geographic coordinates of boreholes, hand-dug wells, and other potable water sources were collected using a handheld Garmin GPS 76S device. Spatial analysis was conducted using ArcGIS, and Nearest Neighbour Analysis (NNA) was applied to evaluate the pattern of distribution. Results indicate a strong tendency toward clustering, with a Nearest …

The Fragmentation Of Helcar: A Paratethyan Model For Rhûn, Núrnen And The Dead Marshes, Federico Manzoni

Journal of Tolkien Research

This work proposes a conjectural paleogeographic model linking the Sea of Rhûn, Núrnen and the Dead Marshes to the former Sea of Helcar. Beginning from Christopher Tolkien's suggestion that Rhûn may represent Helcar ``vastly shrunken,'' the study combines textual evidence, the Ambarkanta, Fonstad's cartographic reconstructions, and terrestrial analogues drawn from the evolution of the Paratethys, the Messinian Salinity Crisis and other endorheic basins. Helcar is interpreted not merely as an isolated body of deep water but as the centre of a broader hydrological province subsequently partitioned by relief change, sedimentary infilling, basin isolation and drainage reorganization. Within this model, Rhûn …

Multi-Temporal Satellite Observations And Machine Learning-Based Flood Susceptibility Assessment Of The 2025 Punjab Flood, Ankush Kumar, Ashwani Raju, Saraah Imran, Ramesh P. Singh

Mathematics, Physics, and Computer Science Faculty Articles and Research

Over the past decade, the Punjab plains of Northern India have experienced recurrent flooding driven by hydroclimatic variability, specifically shifts in western disturbances that have intensified monsoon precipitation. Following a devastating flood in 2025, the region remains highly vulnerable to hydrological extremes, a risk further exacerbated by shifting land use and agricultural patterns, geomorphic parameters, and complex fluvial systems. This study assesses flood susceptibility by integrating multi-sensor satellite observations, multi-temporal Sentinel-1 backscatter signals, and refined runoff potential estimates derived from local climate zones, accounting for land cover, soil type, and infiltration characteristics, into machine learning frameworks. The model is trained …

The Colorado River Water Supply Crisis In A Few Graphs: Part 2 Agricultural Water Use In The Lower Basin, Jack Schmidt, Anne Castle, Eric Kuhn, Kathryn Sorensen, Katherine Tara

The Traveling Wilburys of the Colorado River

Reductions in Lower Basin water use during the last four years, including

forecast use in 2026, are similar to the initial targets for Lower Basin shortages

described in the Final Environmental Impact Statement for Post-2026

Operational Guidelines and Strategies for Lake Powell and Lake Mead (FEIS)

and the accompanying Record of Decision (ROD).

6 Lower Basin consumptive

use in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and forecast for 2026 has been the smallest for

the entire 2010-2026 period. These four years of smallest use are between 1.4

and 1.7 million acre feet/year (maf/yr) less than the 7.50 maf/yr amount

generally recognized as …

Mapping The Water Quality Of Jamaica Bay, New York (1996-2024): Principal Component Analysis And K-Means Clustering, Sneha Srivastava

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Jamaica Bay, located along the southeastern coast of New York City, acts as a biodiverse estuary of wetlands, meadows, and salt marsh islands. The purpose of this study is to analyze the water quality conditions of the region over time, comparing locations around the bay to identify hyperlocal features that influence larger trends in the hydrological system. Ten variables were used as water quality indicators, including total Kjeldahl nitrogen, salinity, pH, Secchi disk depth, and total phosphorus, among others, across five stations in the bay, between 1994 and 2024. After data cleaning and standardization methods were applied, principal component analysis …

Karst Hydrogeologic Framework And Factors Contributing To Flooding In Burgin, Kentucky, Charles Taylor, Junfeng Zhu, Matthew Carmichael, Hudson J. Koch

KGS Publications and Maps

This report examines the karst hydrogeologic setting and drainage characteristics that are thought to contribute to frequent severe flooding in the city of Burgin in Mercer County, Kentucky. Burgin is located at the eastern end of an approximately 4.5 mi² mapped karst groundwater basin in the Ordovician limestone aquifer system in the Inner Bluegrass karst region. Flooding occurs within a streamless 1.4 mi² dry karst valley where almost all channelized surface runoff has been captured by sinkholes and sinking stream segments and diverted underground by con­duit piracy. The only natural outlet for water exiting from the karst valley and larger …

Hydrogeophysical Assessment Of Groundwater And Saltwater–Freshwater Interface In A Quaternary– Neogene Coastal Aquifer, Kilwa Kisiwani Island, Southeast Tanzania, Simon R. Melchioly

Tanzania Journal of Science

This study aims to identify and explore new potential sites of groundwater resources using geophysical methods, and to demarcate the depth to the saltwater-freshwater interface. Kilwa Kisiwani Island is geologically covered mostly by Neogene and Quaternary alluvial sediments, sand and gravel. The geophysical techniques employed during the research include Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES), Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT), and Transient Electromagnetics (TEM). The Island has the potential for groundwater occurrences, but the layer with fresh water is shallow and thin. Out of the 18 VES sites, 2 (11%) points have shown non-potential, but the remaining 16 (89%) of the VES sites …

Data Repository For "The Influence Of Hydrologic And Salinity Conditions On Drought-Tolerant Great Salt Lake Wetland Plant Species" By Samantha Kurkowski And Karin Kettenring, Samantha Kurkowski

Browse all Datasets

This greenhouse experiment investigated the effects of salinity (3 levels) and hydrologic condition (5 levels),  on the cover and biomass of a single mix of 11 native drought- and salt-tolerant species.

Implementation Of A Practical Sharp Interface Saltwater Intrusion Model To Assess Future Sea-Level Impacts, Alexandra G. Defalco

All Theses

Rising sea levels caused by global warming exacerbate saltwater intrusion, the inland movement of seawater into coastal aquifers. These processes increase susceptibility to freshwater contamination, surface flooding, and infrastructure damage. Numerical models are utilized to assess hazards to coastal aquifers on a regional scale.

The U.S. Navy is currently developing a robust, reduced-order groundwater modeling platform, SWI6, that uses the sharp interface approach to approximate the location of the freshwater-saltwater interface to define the extent of saltwater intrusion within an aquifer. Featuring compatibility with MODFLOW 6 unstructured grid formats and the Newton-Raphson formulation for better solution stability, SWI6 improves upon …

Characterizing Microplastics In Flood Sediments After Hurricane Helene In Asheville, North Carolina, Abigail Sgan

All Theses

Microplastics are contaminants of emerging concern whose ubiquity across natural environments results in their involvement in many kinds of natural processes, including transportation and deposition in natural systems. The purpose of this thesis is to characterize microplastics and determine the mechanisms that affect their distribution, transport, and sequestration within known Hurricane Helene flood deposits in fluvial and Southern Appalachian wetland environments after Hurricane Helene in Asheville, North Carolina. Four fluvial and four Southern Appalachian wetland environments were sampled after Hurricane Helene. Samples collected in fluvial environments were taken as grab samples from surficial sandy flood deposits left behind by flooding …

Forest Cover Effects On Canopy Interception Loss, Evapotranspiration, And Soil Infiltration On Stormwater Detention Basins, Alexandria N. C. Perez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Developing cities and increased impervious surfaces has resulted in more surface runoff and severe flooding. Harris County, Texas has experienced major flooding events, such as Hurricane Harvey in 2017 which was estimated to be a 9,000-year flood event. The Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) is dedicated to creating, maintaining, and finding new ways to reduce flooding damage such as the use of detention basins as green infrastructure. These basins are either populated by grass or are planted with various tree species. This study will identify the planted trees’ canopy interception loss, reference evapotranspiration, and enhanced soil infiltration effects within …

Information Theory Analysis Of Water Vapor Stable Isotopes From The Sail Campaign, Matthew John Rybecky

Earth and Planetary Sciences ETDs

Understanding the processes that control water vapor isotopic composition in mountain environ- ments is essential for interpreting isotope records and predicting water resource responses to cli- mate change. This thesis applies information theory to continuous, high-resolution water vapor stable isotope measurements from the Surface Atmosphere Integrated Field Laboratory (SAIL) campaign in the East River watershed of Colorado’s Upper Gunnison Basin, spanning the winter- to-spring transition of 2022–2023. The analysis employs Shannon entropy, mutual information, transfer entropy, and joint transfer en- tropy (JTE) to quantify how environmental variables, including surface meteorology, radiation, tur- bulent fluxes, and ERA5 reanalysis products, transfer information …

Wildfire Impacts On Fluvial Hydrology From Watershed To National Scales, Paige G. Tunby

Civil Engineering ETDs

Wildfires alter the water quantity and quality in downstream river networks. Fires promote biodiversity, maintain habitat, and provide many ecosystem services in a fire-adapted landscape. However, changes in the natural fire regimes can alter ecosystem function and threaten the water security of impacted downstream communities. The magnitude, timing, and persistence of these impacts are difficult to predict due to the lack of high-resolution datasets with adequate coverage to evaluate spatiotemporal trends after a fire. This dissertation moves us beyond the status quo to evaluate post-fire fluvial responses across scales, from the event-scale impacts after the Hermit’s Peak-Calf Canyon wildfire in …

Global Performance Of Remote Sensing-Based And Reanalysis-Driven Models To Estimate Open Water Evaporation, Júlia Brusso Rossi, Ayan Santos Fleischmann, Leonardo Laipelt, Bruno Comini De Andrade, Joshua B. Fisher, Justin L. Huntington, Christopher Pearson, R. Iestyn Woolway, Roseilson Vale, Júlio Tota, Gabriel B. Senay, Huilin Gao, Anderson Ruhoff

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Evaporation plays an essential role in the water cycle, influencing local and regional climates while directly impacting water availability in lakes. However, directly measuring evaporation over water bodies remains challenging due to the high costs of installing and maintaining the required in situ instrumentation. Although several remote sensing algorithms have been providing evaporation estimates, the lack of a global validation hinders our understanding of their relative uncertainties and performances across different regions. Here, we analyze the performance of a suite of models that leverage satellite data and meteorological reanalysis to estimate evaporation over lakes worldwide. We compare 3 remote sensing‐based …