Untitled DocumentEvaluating the effects of climate and land use change on runoff and recharge with high resolution measurements of the quantity, chemistry, and isotopic signature of rainfall and runoff
Macro Theme Area:
Basin Scale Water Balance [Project ID: B27]
PI:
Paul Brooks
CO-PI(s):
N/A
Basin focus:
N/A
Specific area in
basin /
field sites:
N/A
Summary/Goals: This project is funded under a Center-Directed Initiatives grant through the Water Sustainability Program and reports on a fiscal year basis.
Our objectives are 1) to quantify how contaminant concentrations and loads vary based on the amount and timing of precipitation and 2) evaluate whether natural/ vegetated drainage systems result in greater attenuation and/ or removal of contaminants than engineered systems?
Activities and outcomes during past year:
x
Plans for the upcoming year:
To address our first objective, we will establish spatially dense networks of rain gages to develop fine resolution datasets of precipitation input. We will monitor both precipitation and runoff chemistry of successive storms within these subcatchments and develop a model of water quality for select contaminants based on the timing and amount of rainfall. To address our second objective, we will establish four experimental study reaches that represent a range of channel characteristics from naturally vegetated washes to completely engineered channels. We will collect discharge data and water samples at the upstream and downstream ends of each reach during flow events and analyze water samples for conservative solutes, isotopes, and contaminants to evaluate the effects of channel characteristics on select contaminant load and concentrations. Throughout the project we will coordinate closely with the WSP project funded to Lohse et al. that is quantifying the effects of land use on the quality and quantity of runoff. Timeline: We will install both the rain gauge networks and the automated water samplers during the summer of 2007. Sample analyses will proceed through the fall and winter of 2007 and early 2008. A conceptual and/or numerical model of water quality will be developed during the spring of 2008. Deliverables: Network of rain gauges with data available in real time (summer 2007); automated water sampling network (summer 2007); data set of rainfall and runoff water quality (winter 2008); initial/ preliminary runoff water quality model (early summer 2008)
