1)ÌýMulti-method approach to assessing baseflow vulnerability to water use and climate change
Baseflow is the component of streamflow that originates from groundwater, it sustains streams during times of drought, buffers changes in surface water temperatures, and provides nutrients to surface water systems. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to identify and measure baseflow across large areas. InÌýaddition, baseflow is sensitive to changes in local and regional water use and climate. In this work, we partner with government agencies and researchers in Alberta to assess the vulnerability of baseflow using a variety of different indirect approaches, including measured, modeled, and statistically-based methods.
2)ÌýSimulating the impacts of woody plant encroachment on subsurface water and carbon cycling
Changes in climate have induced changes in vegetation growth in many regions of the world. In grassland ecosystems, encroachment of woody plants, with deeper root systems than the native grass species, is a critical issue. In this project, we are working with a group of international researchers at a field site in Kansas to measure and model the effects of this woody plant encroachment on both water and carbon cycling. Representing the root systems within the hydrologic model is critical to understanding how water is moving in these systems, and in turn, how that will change the carbon cycling. This work will investigate how to best represent these systems using a variety of different modeling approaches.
3)ÌýPredicting future irrigation patterns across Canada
As theÌýglobal population increases, the demand for food also increases. Concurrently, as the climate changes, we are seeing a change in the distribution of water resources and an increased demand for water for irrigating crops. Sustainable water management and food production requires understanding where and when the demands for irrigation will be, and if the water resources in those regions can support irrigation development. In this work, we are working with several US-based researchers and Canadian government researchers to test a machine-learning based model toÌýpredict future irrigation demands, and to assess water availability in those regions.
4)ÌýMonitoring and simulating hydrologic restoration of a historically mined peatland
Peatlands areÌýcritical to carbon storage, wildlife habitat, and control of water quality and quantity.ÌýThisÌýwork partners with a local conservation district to establish a hydrological observatory to monitor the effects of peatland restoration efforts in a severely disturbed peatland system that was historically mined. This work will include installation of monitoring equipment and collection of hydrologic data to support the development of an integrated groundwater-surface water model of the site. TheÌýestablishment of this long-term monitoring site and model will allow the conservation district toÌýmeasureÌýthe impact of restoration efforts on the hydrologic cycle, and understand the effects of these restoration effort on the hydrologic system.
°ä´Ç²Ô³Ù²¹³¦³ÙÌýandrea.brookfield@uwaterloo.caÌýfor more information
