Mechanistic and AI/ML Models
We integrate high-resolution mechanistic and AI/ML models to address pressing, socially relevant hydrology questions using transdisciplinary methodologies.
Research
Our research is at the nexus of climate, hydrology, and communities.
Guiding question
The availability and quality of water resources, essential for ecosystem health, are deeply intertwined with the complex interactions among climate, hydrology, ecosystems, and communities. How will climate change impact water quality and quantity, and what will these changes mean for local communities?
Approach
Remote Sensing
We use satellite imagery and other remote sensing technologies to complement modeling and improve understanding of Earth's surface dynamics and hydrological processes.
Community Collaboration
We pursue convergent research co-created with local communities, integrating diverse perspectives, methods, and knowledge sources to support actionable outcomes.
Research areas
Watershed Hydrology
Understanding water flows through landscapes and the effects of climate, land use, and vegetation.
Hydrological Modeling
Using models to predict floods, droughts, and water availability.
Ecohydrology
Investigating how water supports ecosystems and how hydrological change affects biodiversity.
Water Quality
Determining drivers of changing nutrients and contaminants in rivers, lakes, and estuaries.
Surface and Groundwater Interactions
Studying movement of water between rivers, lakes, and underground aquifers.
Water Resources Management
Developing strategies for sustainable water use, conservation, and policy.
Climate Change Impacts
Assessing how global changes affect water cycles and availability.
Urban Hydrology
Studying stormwater management, flooding, and infrastructure in cities.
Current projects
Orange Rivers in Alaska
In collaboration with the USGS, the lab is modeling the role hydrological changes play in turning Alaskan rivers orange.
Fecal Indicator Bacteria in Coastal Waterways
In collaboration with the Edisto Island Open Land Trust, the lab is developing hydrodynamic models of the South Carolina coast to identify sources and transport of fecal indicator bacteria.
South Carolina River Discharge
The lab is creating a river discharge model for the state of South Carolina accounting for reservoir operation and tidal backwater effects.
Past projects
Arctic Rivers Project
Through knowledge co-production, community-based monitoring, and modeling, our research advanced our understanding of climate change impacts on Alaskan river discharge, temperature, and ice.
Mid-Barataria Sediment Diversion Hydrodynamics
This work examined how a sediment diversion could impact water levels and flow in Grand Bayou, Louisiana, and how operation could mitigate flooding and erosion risks.