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• 1. [Article] Investigations into the Regional and Local Timescale Variations of Subglacial Drainage Networks

  Subglacial water plays an important role in the regulation of an ice sheet's mass balance. It may be the dominant control on the velocities of ice streams and outlet glaciers on scales of months to millennia. ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Investigations into the Regional and Local Timescale Variations of Subglacial Drainage Networks Author: Hiester, Justin Year: 2013 Subglacial water plays an important role in the regulation of an ice sheet's mass balance. It may be the dominant control on the velocities of ice streams and outlet glaciers on scales of months to millennia. Recent satellite observations of ice surface elevation changes have given researchers new insights into how subglacial water is stored and transported. Localized uplift and settling of the ice surface implies that lakes exist beneath the ice sheet that are being filled and drained on relatively short time scales. %At the base of an ice sheet water can be transported through a variety of drainage networks or stored in subglacial lakes. Here, a numerical investigation of the mechanisms of transport and storage of subglacial water and the associated time scales is presented. Experiments are carried out using a finite element model of coupled ice and water flow. The first experiment seeks to understand the relationship between the depth of a basal depression and the area over which the feature affects basal water flow. It is found that as the perturbation to a topographic depression's depth is increased, water is rerouted in response to the perturbation. Additionally it is found that the relationship between perturbation depth and the extent upstream to which its effects reach is nonlinear. The second experiment examines how the aspect ratio of bed features (prolate, oblate, or equidimensional) influences basal water flow. It is found that the systems that develop and their interactions are mediated by both the topography and the feedbacks taken into account by the coupling of the systems in the model. Features oriented parallel to ice and water flow are associated with distributed fan systems that develop branches which migrate laterally across the domain and interact with one another on monthly and yearly timescales. Laterally oriented features develop laterally extensive ponds. As the ratio of longitudinal to lateral dimension of the topography is increased, a combination of these two water distributions is seen. Title: Investigations into the Regional and Local Timescale Variations of Subglacial Drainage Networks Author: Hiester, Justin Year: 2013 Subglacial water plays an important role in the regulation of an ice sheet's mass balance. It may be the dominant control on the velocities of ice streams and outlet glaciers on scales of months to millennia. Recent satellite observations of ice surface elevation changes have given researchers new insights into how subglacial water is stored and transported. Localized uplift and settling of the ice surface implies that lakes exist beneath the ice sheet that are being filled and drained on relatively short time scales. %At the base of an ice sheet water can be transported through a variety of drainage networks or stored in subglacial lakes. Here, a numerical investigation of the mechanisms of transport and storage of subglacial water and the associated time scales is presented. Experiments are carried out using a finite element model of coupled ice and water flow. The first experiment seeks to understand the relationship between the depth of a basal depression and the area over which the feature affects basal water flow. It is found that as the perturbation to a topographic depression's depth is increased, water is rerouted in response to the perturbation. Additionally it is found that the relationship between perturbation depth and the extent upstream to which its effects reach is nonlinear. The second experiment examines how the aspect ratio of bed features (prolate, oblate, or equidimensional) influences basal water flow. It is found that the systems that develop and their interactions are mediated by both the topography and the feedbacks taken into account by the coupling of the systems in the model. Features oriented parallel to ice and water flow are associated with distributed fan systems that develop branches which migrate laterally across the domain and interact with one another on monthly and yearly timescales. Laterally oriented features develop laterally extensive ponds. As the ratio of longitudinal to lateral dimension of the topography is increased, a combination of these two water distributions is seen. Close

• 2. [Article] Analysis and numerical simulation of the ground water system at the Bonneville navigation lock site, Oregon

  As part of the new navigation lock for Bonneville Dam a new water source for the Bonneville Fish Hatchery must be supplied. The hatchery is located on the Oregon side of the Columbia River downstream of ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Analysis and numerical simulation of the ground water system at the Bonneville navigation lock site, Oregon Author: Baron, Dirk Year: 1990 As part of the new navigation lock for Bonneville Dam a new water source for the Bonneville Fish Hatchery must be supplied. The hatchery is located on the Oregon side of the Columbia River downstream of the dam. It requires large quantities of water free from chemical and biological contamination. In addition, the water has to be in a narrow temperature range. Currently the fish hatchery receives its water from a well field that is located on the alluvial terrace downstream of Bonneville Dam. The well field lies in the proposed approach channel for the new lock and has to be abandoned during construction of the lock. For the continued water supply of the hatchery, a new well field will be developed north of the approach channel. Early in the planning phase for the new lock, concerns were raised about the potential impact of the relocation of the well field and the excavation of the new approach channel on the hatchery. To assess these concerns and to assure a continuous water supply during and after construction, a hydrogeologic investigation was initiated. Within the framework of the investigation this study focuses on the analysis of pumping test data and the development of a three-dimensional ground water flow model for the site. Title: Analysis and numerical simulation of the ground water system at the Bonneville navigation lock site, Oregon Author: Baron, Dirk Year: 1990 As part of the new navigation lock for Bonneville Dam a new water source for the Bonneville Fish Hatchery must be supplied. The hatchery is located on the Oregon side of the Columbia River downstream of the dam. It requires large quantities of water free from chemical and biological contamination. In addition, the water has to be in a narrow temperature range. Currently the fish hatchery receives its water from a well field that is located on the alluvial terrace downstream of Bonneville Dam. The well field lies in the proposed approach channel for the new lock and has to be abandoned during construction of the lock. For the continued water supply of the hatchery, a new well field will be developed north of the approach channel. Early in the planning phase for the new lock, concerns were raised about the potential impact of the relocation of the well field and the excavation of the new approach channel on the hatchery. To assess these concerns and to assure a continuous water supply during and after construction, a hydrogeologic investigation was initiated. Within the framework of the investigation this study focuses on the analysis of pumping test data and the development of a three-dimensional ground water flow model for the site. Close

• 3. [Article] Water quality effects of hyporheic processing

  "PB2000-107420."

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Water quality effects of hyporheic processing Author: Wigington, P.J., Landers, Dixon, Fernald, Alexander "PB2000-107420." Title: Water quality effects of hyporheic processing Author: Wigington, P.J., Landers, Dixon, Fernald, Alexander "PB2000-107420." Close

• 4. [Article] Upper Spokane River Model: Boundary Conditions and Model Setup, 2001

  The Washington Department of Ecology is interested in a water quality model for the Upper Spokane River system for use in developing Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs). The goals of this modeling effort ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Upper Spokane River Model: Boundary Conditions and Model Setup, 2001 Author: Slominski, Spencer, Annear, Robert Leslie, Berger, Chris, Wells, Scott A. Year: 2002 The Washington Department of Ecology is interested in a water quality model for the Upper Spokane River system for use in developing Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs). The goals of this modeling effort are to: • Gather data to construct a computer simulation model of the Spokane River system including Long Lake Reservoir and the pools behind Nine Mile dam, Upper Falls dam and Upriver dam for 2001 based on the calibration conducted for 1991 and 2000 data sets, (Annear et al, 2001). • Ensure that the model accurately represents the system hydrodynamics and water quality (flow, temperature, dissolved oxygen and nutrient dynamics) for the three simulation years A hydrodynamic and water quality model, CE-QUAL-W2 Version 3 (Wells, 1997), is being applied to model the Spokane River system. CE-QUAL-W2 is a two dimensional (longitudinal-vertical), laterally averaged, hydrodynamic and water quality model that has been under development by the Corps of Engineers Waterways Experiment Station (Cole and Wells, 2000). In order to model the system, the following data were required: • Spokane River flow, water level and water quality data at the upstream system boundary (the State of Idaho boundary) • Tributary inflows and water quality • Meteorological conditions • Bathymetry of the Spokane River, the dam pools along the river, and Long Lake Reservoir • Point source (wastewater treatment plants, WWTPs) inflows and water quality characteristics Data have been primarily collected from 1991 to 1992, during 2000, and more recently during 2001. This report summarizes the 2001 data used in the modeling effort to expand the model calibration period. Title: Upper Spokane River Model: Boundary Conditions and Model Setup, 2001 Author: Slominski, Spencer, Annear, Robert Leslie, Berger, Chris, Wells, Scott A. Year: 2002 The Washington Department of Ecology is interested in a water quality model for the Upper Spokane River system for use in developing Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs). The goals of this modeling effort are to: • Gather data to construct a computer simulation model of the Spokane River system including Long Lake Reservoir and the pools behind Nine Mile dam, Upper Falls dam and Upriver dam for 2001 based on the calibration conducted for 1991 and 2000 data sets, (Annear et al, 2001). • Ensure that the model accurately represents the system hydrodynamics and water quality (flow, temperature, dissolved oxygen and nutrient dynamics) for the three simulation years A hydrodynamic and water quality model, CE-QUAL-W2 Version 3 (Wells, 1997), is being applied to model the Spokane River system. CE-QUAL-W2 is a two dimensional (longitudinal-vertical), laterally averaged, hydrodynamic and water quality model that has been under development by the Corps of Engineers Waterways Experiment Station (Cole and Wells, 2000). In order to model the system, the following data were required: • Spokane River flow, water level and water quality data at the upstream system boundary (the State of Idaho boundary) • Tributary inflows and water quality • Meteorological conditions • Bathymetry of the Spokane River, the dam pools along the river, and Long Lake Reservoir • Point source (wastewater treatment plants, WWTPs) inflows and water quality characteristics Data have been primarily collected from 1991 to 1992, during 2000, and more recently during 2001. This report summarizes the 2001 data used in the modeling effort to expand the model calibration period. Close

• 5. [Article] Upper Spokane River Model: Boundary Conditions and Model Setup, 1991 and 2000

  The Washington Department of Ecology is interested in a water quality model for the Upper Spokane River system for use in developing Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs). The goals of this modeling effort ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Upper Spokane River Model: Boundary Conditions and Model Setup, 1991 and 2000 Author: Annear, Robert Leslie, Berger, Chris, Wells, Scott A. Year: 2001 The Washington Department of Ecology is interested in a water quality model for the Upper Spokane River system for use in developing Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs). The goals of this modeling effort are to: • Gather data to construct a computer simulation model of the Spokane River system including Long Lake Reservoir and the pools behind Nine Mile dam, Upper Falls dam and Upriver dam • Ensure that the model accurately represents the system hydrodynamics and water quality (flow, temperature, dissolved oxygen and nutrient dynamics) A hydrodynamic and water quality model, CE-QUAL-W2 Version 3 (Wells, 1997), is being applied to model the Spokane River system. CE-QUAL-W2 is a two dimensional (longitudinal-vertical), laterally averaged, hydrodynamic and water quality model that has been under development by the Corps of Engineers Waterways Experiments Station (Cole and Wells, 2000). In order to model the system, the following data were required: • Spokane River flow, water level and water quality data at the upstream system boundary (the State of Idaho boundary) • Tributary inflows and water quality • Meteorological conditions • Bathymetry of the Spokane River, the dam pools along the river, and Long Lake Reservoir • Point source (wastewater treatment plants, WWTPs) inflows and water quality characteristics Data have been primarily collected from 1991 to 1992 and again during 2000. This report summarizes the data used in the modeling effort. Title: Upper Spokane River Model: Boundary Conditions and Model Setup, 1991 and 2000 Author: Annear, Robert Leslie, Berger, Chris, Wells, Scott A. Year: 2001 The Washington Department of Ecology is interested in a water quality model for the Upper Spokane River system for use in developing Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs). The goals of this modeling effort are to: • Gather data to construct a computer simulation model of the Spokane River system including Long Lake Reservoir and the pools behind Nine Mile dam, Upper Falls dam and Upriver dam • Ensure that the model accurately represents the system hydrodynamics and water quality (flow, temperature, dissolved oxygen and nutrient dynamics) A hydrodynamic and water quality model, CE-QUAL-W2 Version 3 (Wells, 1997), is being applied to model the Spokane River system. CE-QUAL-W2 is a two dimensional (longitudinal-vertical), laterally averaged, hydrodynamic and water quality model that has been under development by the Corps of Engineers Waterways Experiments Station (Cole and Wells, 2000). In order to model the system, the following data were required: • Spokane River flow, water level and water quality data at the upstream system boundary (the State of Idaho boundary) • Tributary inflows and water quality • Meteorological conditions • Bathymetry of the Spokane River, the dam pools along the river, and Long Lake Reservoir • Point source (wastewater treatment plants, WWTPs) inflows and water quality characteristics Data have been primarily collected from 1991 to 1992 and again during 2000. This report summarizes the data used in the modeling effort. Close

• 6. [Article] Upper Spokane River Model: Model Calibration, 1991 and 2000

  The Washington Department of Ecology is interested in a water quality model for the Upper Spokane River system for use in developing Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs). The goals of this modeling effort ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Upper Spokane River Model: Model Calibration, 1991 and 2000 Author: Berger, Chris, Annear, Robert Leslie, Wells, Scott A. Year: 2002 The Washington Department of Ecology is interested in a water quality model for the Upper Spokane River system for use in developing Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs). The goals of this modeling effort are to: • Gather data to construct a computer simulation model of the Spokane River system including Long Lake Reservoir and the pools behind Nine Mile dam, Upper Falls dam and Upriver dam. • Ensure that the model accurately represents the system hydrodynamics and water quality (flow, temperature, dissolved oxygen and nutrient dynamics) This report evaluates the model calibration and discusses issues relative to that calibration effort. The calibration effort focused on model predictions of hydrodynamics (flow and water level), temperature, and eutrophication model parameters (such as nutrients, algae, dissolved oxygen, organic matter, coliform). The model calibration periods were from February 1, 1991 to October 31, 1991 and from January 1, 2000 to October 31, 2000. Title: Upper Spokane River Model: Model Calibration, 1991 and 2000 Author: Berger, Chris, Annear, Robert Leslie, Wells, Scott A. Year: 2002 The Washington Department of Ecology is interested in a water quality model for the Upper Spokane River system for use in developing Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs). The goals of this modeling effort are to: • Gather data to construct a computer simulation model of the Spokane River system including Long Lake Reservoir and the pools behind Nine Mile dam, Upper Falls dam and Upriver dam. • Ensure that the model accurately represents the system hydrodynamics and water quality (flow, temperature, dissolved oxygen and nutrient dynamics) This report evaluates the model calibration and discusses issues relative to that calibration effort. The calibration effort focused on model predictions of hydrodynamics (flow and water level), temperature, and eutrophication model parameters (such as nutrients, algae, dissolved oxygen, organic matter, coliform). The model calibration periods were from February 1, 1991 to October 31, 1991 and from January 1, 2000 to October 31, 2000. Close

• 7. [Article] Idaho Pend Oreille River Model: Model Development and Calibration

  The objectives of this project were to: • Develop a hydrodynamic and temperature model of Pend Oreille River using CE-QUAL-W2 Version 3.2 • Calibrate the CE-QUAL-W2 model to field data collected during ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Idaho Pend Oreille River Model: Model Development and Calibration Author: Annear, Robert Leslie, Berger, Chris, Wells, Scott A. Year: 2006 The objectives of this project were to: • Develop a hydrodynamic and temperature model of Pend Oreille River using CE-QUAL-W2 Version 3.2 • Calibrate the CE-QUAL-W2 model to field data collected during 2004 and 2005 using the following water quality variables: flow, water surface elevation, and velocity temperature o dissolved oxygen nutrients (NO3-N+NO2-N, NH4-N, PO4-P) algae – chlorophyll a BOD5 and dissolved organic matter and particulate organic matter compartments (both labile and refractory) for the organic matter cycling with algae periphyton The model chosen for development was CE-QUAL-W2 Version 3.2 (Cole and Wells, 2004). This is a two-dimensional unsteady hydrodynamic and water quality model that includes typical eutrophication constituents (algae, nutrients, temperature, organic matter, dissolved oxygen, pH). Portland State University’s Water Quality Research Group is a center for development of this modeling tool (see http://www.cee.pdx.edu/w2). The model simulation was run from January 1st, 2004 to September 25th, 2005. The calibration period focused on the summers during each year when water quality data were obtained. Title: Idaho Pend Oreille River Model: Model Development and Calibration Author: Annear, Robert Leslie, Berger, Chris, Wells, Scott A. Year: 2006 The objectives of this project were to: • Develop a hydrodynamic and temperature model of Pend Oreille River using CE-QUAL-W2 Version 3.2 • Calibrate the CE-QUAL-W2 model to field data collected during 2004 and 2005 using the following water quality variables: flow, water surface elevation, and velocity temperature o dissolved oxygen nutrients (NO3-N+NO2-N, NH4-N, PO4-P) algae – chlorophyll a BOD5 and dissolved organic matter and particulate organic matter compartments (both labile and refractory) for the organic matter cycling with algae periphyton The model chosen for development was CE-QUAL-W2 Version 3.2 (Cole and Wells, 2004). This is a two-dimensional unsteady hydrodynamic and water quality model that includes typical eutrophication constituents (algae, nutrients, temperature, organic matter, dissolved oxygen, pH). Portland State University’s Water Quality Research Group is a center for development of this modeling tool (see http://www.cee.pdx.edu/w2). The model simulation was run from January 1st, 2004 to September 25th, 2005. The calibration period focused on the summers during each year when water quality data were obtained. Close

• 8. [Article] Hydrologic and Land Cover Effects on Sources and Fate of In-Stream Fluorescent Dissolved Organic Matter

  Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a critical component of the carbon cycle linking terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Although many factors influence DOM fluxes and quality in rivers, controls on DOM ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Hydrologic and Land Cover Effects on Sources and Fate of In-Stream Fluorescent Dissolved Organic Matter Author: Lee, Baek Soo P. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a critical component of the carbon cycle linking terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Although many factors influence DOM fluxes and quality in rivers, controls on DOM compositions in catchments of the western U.S. are poorly understood. UV and fluorescent spectroscopy is a simpler, faster, and less expensive DOM fingerprinting technique compared to techniques, such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy or wet chemical fractionation, and could be useful for characterizing complex DOM chemistry. However, only 1 % of DOM is estimated to be fluorescent, and the utility of UV and fluorescent spectroscopy for DOM characterization needs to be further investigated. This dissertation applied UV and fluorescent spectroscopy to examine hydrologic and land cover controls on DOM chemistry in streams of 45 catchments in the forested headwaters and a mixed landscape of the Willamette River Basin, Oregon, based on two years of monitoring. This dissertation contributes three major findings. First, freezing of water alters DOM chemistry by preferentially precipitating aromatic DOM. Second, UV and fluorescent spectroscopy was able to discriminate DOM delivered from highly processed, proteinrich deep subsurface sources during dry seasons especially in forested headwater streams of the H. J. Andrews Experimental Forest (HJA), where nitrogen inputs are very low. In addition, fluorescent DOM chemistry differed among watersheds with varying forest management history. Third, although fluorescent DOM in a headwater forested system differed among land use history, fluorescent DOM composition did not vary among streams draining a well-mixed landscape of urban, pasture/hay, forest, and agricultural land cover types in the central Willamette River Basin, where nitrogen inputs to streams are relatively high. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration decreased and the fluorescent index indicated an increase in terrestrial sources of DOM from small (1st and 2nd order) to large (4th to 6th order) streams. A protein-like DOM component that was detected in the headwater forested study site (HJA) was not detected in stream samples from the middle basin study site. These findings indicate that in-stream respiration, fueled by nutrient additions from agriculture runoff, consumes bioavailable, labile DOM (proteins) preferentially relative to more recalcitrant, terrestrial sources of DOM along water flow paths from headwater streams to major rivers. This study shows the clear applicability of the fluorescent characterization of DOM in identifying hydrologic and landscape controls as well as varying DOM chemistry and functions throughout watershed ecosystems. Title: Hydrologic and Land Cover Effects on Sources and Fate of In-Stream Fluorescent Dissolved Organic Matter Author: Lee, Baek Soo P. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is a critical component of the carbon cycle linking terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Although many factors influence DOM fluxes and quality in rivers, controls on DOM compositions in catchments of the western U.S. are poorly understood. UV and fluorescent spectroscopy is a simpler, faster, and less expensive DOM fingerprinting technique compared to techniques, such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy or wet chemical fractionation, and could be useful for characterizing complex DOM chemistry. However, only 1 % of DOM is estimated to be fluorescent, and the utility of UV and fluorescent spectroscopy for DOM characterization needs to be further investigated. This dissertation applied UV and fluorescent spectroscopy to examine hydrologic and land cover controls on DOM chemistry in streams of 45 catchments in the forested headwaters and a mixed landscape of the Willamette River Basin, Oregon, based on two years of monitoring. This dissertation contributes three major findings. First, freezing of water alters DOM chemistry by preferentially precipitating aromatic DOM. Second, UV and fluorescent spectroscopy was able to discriminate DOM delivered from highly processed, proteinrich deep subsurface sources during dry seasons especially in forested headwater streams of the H. J. Andrews Experimental Forest (HJA), where nitrogen inputs are very low. In addition, fluorescent DOM chemistry differed among watersheds with varying forest management history. Third, although fluorescent DOM in a headwater forested system differed among land use history, fluorescent DOM composition did not vary among streams draining a well-mixed landscape of urban, pasture/hay, forest, and agricultural land cover types in the central Willamette River Basin, where nitrogen inputs to streams are relatively high. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration decreased and the fluorescent index indicated an increase in terrestrial sources of DOM from small (1st and 2nd order) to large (4th to 6th order) streams. A protein-like DOM component that was detected in the headwater forested study site (HJA) was not detected in stream samples from the middle basin study site. These findings indicate that in-stream respiration, fueled by nutrient additions from agriculture runoff, consumes bioavailable, labile DOM (proteins) preferentially relative to more recalcitrant, terrestrial sources of DOM along water flow paths from headwater streams to major rivers. This study shows the clear applicability of the fluorescent characterization of DOM in identifying hydrologic and landscape controls as well as varying DOM chemistry and functions throughout watershed ecosystems. Close

• 9. [Article] Inter-relationships of vegetation, hydrology and micro-climate in a young, Douglas-fir forest

  The links between forests, streamflow, and climate are poorly understood. Despite hundreds of studies over the past 60 years, fundamental questions of forests' effects on the hydrologic cycle remain unanswered. ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Inter-relationships of vegetation, hydrology and micro-climate in a young, Douglas-fir forest Author: Barnard, Holly Rene The links between forests, streamflow, and climate are poorly understood. Despite hundreds of studies over the past 60 years, fundamental questions of forests' effects on the hydrologic cycle remain unanswered. The hydrological cycle involves mutually-dependent biological and physical processes that operate at multiple scales of time and space, and this principle is the foundation for research in ecohydrology. The objective of this research was to determine how vegetation processes (especially transpiration) affect subsurface water flow dynamics in hillslopes, and conversely how soil moisture and environmental variables affect vegetation function. This dissertation used multiple approaches to mechanistically assess the inter-relationships between vegetation water use, hydrology, and climate. I found that transpiration on hillslopes played an important role in diel variation in subsurface discharge in headwater catchment. However, the amount of influence transpiration had on discharge was strongly dependent upon soil moisture properties. In addition, plot-scale transpiration across a steep topographic gradient could not be predicted from measured variations in environmental variables alone. Heterogeneity in biophysical drivers, edaphic properties and whole tree conductance controlled plot scale transpiration. Last, I applied a dual isotope (¹³C and ¹⁸O) approach to infer physiological response of trees to changing environmental conditions. I found that stable isotopes of oxygen were directly related to stomatal conductance and inversely related to relative humidity; however, the relationship with relative humidity more apparent. The correlation of stable isotopes in tree rings with environmental variables can be particularly useful for assessing the impacts of environmental change on vegetation over short time series. Results demonstrated that the physiological interpretation of stable isotope in tree rings continues to be challenging in uncontrolled environments. This work represents one step forward in elucidating the linkages between vegetation processes, hydrology, and climate. Title: Inter-relationships of vegetation, hydrology and micro-climate in a young, Douglas-fir forest Author: Barnard, Holly Rene The links between forests, streamflow, and climate are poorly understood. Despite hundreds of studies over the past 60 years, fundamental questions of forests' effects on the hydrologic cycle remain unanswered. The hydrological cycle involves mutually-dependent biological and physical processes that operate at multiple scales of time and space, and this principle is the foundation for research in ecohydrology. The objective of this research was to determine how vegetation processes (especially transpiration) affect subsurface water flow dynamics in hillslopes, and conversely how soil moisture and environmental variables affect vegetation function. This dissertation used multiple approaches to mechanistically assess the inter-relationships between vegetation water use, hydrology, and climate. I found that transpiration on hillslopes played an important role in diel variation in subsurface discharge in headwater catchment. However, the amount of influence transpiration had on discharge was strongly dependent upon soil moisture properties. In addition, plot-scale transpiration across a steep topographic gradient could not be predicted from measured variations in environmental variables alone. Heterogeneity in biophysical drivers, edaphic properties and whole tree conductance controlled plot scale transpiration. Last, I applied a dual isotope (¹³C and ¹⁸O) approach to infer physiological response of trees to changing environmental conditions. I found that stable isotopes of oxygen were directly related to stomatal conductance and inversely related to relative humidity; however, the relationship with relative humidity more apparent. The correlation of stable isotopes in tree rings with environmental variables can be particularly useful for assessing the impacts of environmental change on vegetation over short time series. Results demonstrated that the physiological interpretation of stable isotope in tree rings continues to be challenging in uncontrolled environments. This work represents one step forward in elucidating the linkages between vegetation processes, hydrology, and climate. Close

• 10. [Article] Flow processes in the dry regime : the effect on capillary barrier performance

  Engineered capillary barriers typically consist of two layers of granular materials designed so that the contrast in sediment hydrologic properties and sloping interface retains infiltrating water in the ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Flow processes in the dry regime : the effect on capillary barrier performance Author: Jansik, Danielle P. Engineered capillary barriers typically consist of two layers of granular materials designed so that the contrast in sediment hydrologic properties and sloping interface retains infiltrating water in the upper layer. We report here on the results of two bench-top capillary barrier experiments, and associated modeling. These experiments were conducted to better understand the behavior of capillary barriers in particular with respect to an engineered barrier system proposed at the potential high-level nuclear waste site at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, where different engineered barriers have been under consideration throughout the site development process (Carter and Pigford 2005; Tidwell et al. 2003). We measured hydrologic parameters for both coarse materials using standard methods and found that the two materials had similar hydrologic properties despite being morphologically different (round, uniform vs. angular, non-uniform). The rounded sand provided a better functioning capillary barrier than the angular sand, but neither experiment could be characterized as a perfectly working capillary barrier. In both cases, more than 93% of the infiltrating water was successfully diverted from the lower layer, but infiltration into the underlying layer was observed in both systems. Our experimental results show that capillary barriers designed based on standard hydrologic property measurements may result in invalid prediction of the system behavior. Moreover, our numerical simulations of these experiments show that the predicted capillary barrier performance was highly sensitive to physically realistic variability in model hydrologic parameter values. Based on this work, we believe that other non-continuum processes such as vapor diffusion and film flow contribute to the observed phenomena and are important aspects to consider with respect to capillary barrier design, as well as dry vadose zone processes in general. By applying a theoretical film flow equation representative of sediment surface geometries we were able to show that infiltration into the underlying sediment layer can be dominated by water film flow, a characteristic that is typically not considered in mainstream numerical models. Title: Flow processes in the dry regime : the effect on capillary barrier performance Author: Jansik, Danielle P. Engineered capillary barriers typically consist of two layers of granular materials designed so that the contrast in sediment hydrologic properties and sloping interface retains infiltrating water in the upper layer. We report here on the results of two bench-top capillary barrier experiments, and associated modeling. These experiments were conducted to better understand the behavior of capillary barriers in particular with respect to an engineered barrier system proposed at the potential high-level nuclear waste site at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, where different engineered barriers have been under consideration throughout the site development process (Carter and Pigford 2005; Tidwell et al. 2003). We measured hydrologic parameters for both coarse materials using standard methods and found that the two materials had similar hydrologic properties despite being morphologically different (round, uniform vs. angular, non-uniform). The rounded sand provided a better functioning capillary barrier than the angular sand, but neither experiment could be characterized as a perfectly working capillary barrier. In both cases, more than 93% of the infiltrating water was successfully diverted from the lower layer, but infiltration into the underlying layer was observed in both systems. Our experimental results show that capillary barriers designed based on standard hydrologic property measurements may result in invalid prediction of the system behavior. Moreover, our numerical simulations of these experiments show that the predicted capillary barrier performance was highly sensitive to physically realistic variability in model hydrologic parameter values. Based on this work, we believe that other non-continuum processes such as vapor diffusion and film flow contribute to the observed phenomena and are important aspects to consider with respect to capillary barrier design, as well as dry vadose zone processes in general. By applying a theoretical film flow equation representative of sediment surface geometries we were able to show that infiltration into the underlying sediment layer can be dominated by water film flow, a characteristic that is typically not considered in mainstream numerical models. Close