Collaborative Research (IRES Track I): A Multi-Faceted Approach for Understanding Hydrologic Controls on Transmission Losses in Dryland Environments

该IRES项目由国际科学与工程办公室(OISE)和水文科学项目(GEO/EAR)共同资助。第一部分：水资源对健康和可持续发展至关重要，特别是在中东和北非等干旱地区。水资源管理战略需要科学知识、物理观察和文化敏感性，以确保长期可持续性。该项目将培养具有不同背景的年轻美国水文科学家进行研究、交流他们的发现并在国际环境中合作的能力。在三年多的时间里，由学生与摩洛哥同事共同开展的项目将使人们更好地了解地下水资源的可持续性。了解干旱地区河床渗入如何补充含水层，将使研究人员能够模拟水资源的可用性，并回答有关这种渗入对水质和生态系统服务的影响的问题。学生将通过参加在线培训课程和研讨会、实地数据收集和分析、专业会议和公共出访，获得“硬”(技术)和“软”(人际)技能。第二部分：IRES项目建议将国际研究项目与文化培训、技术指导和水文学专业实践的准备结合起来，每年有5名来自美国机构的研究生，包括代表性不足的学院和大学。这项拟议的研究考察了干旱流域短暂河道内的入渗(传输损失)速率和变异性，以测试现代补给是否在这些环境下发生，进一步了解传输损失过程，并检查控制因素。这是佐治亚大学(UGA)、肯塔基大学、田纳西中部州立大学和摩洛哥四所大学之间的合作伙伴关系。与研究主题有关的三套活动将是：(1)通过一期旅行前在线课程、在UGA举办的一次旅行前讲习班和一次为期5周的摩洛哥研究之旅，培养技术专长；(2)发展专业联系和技能，包括通过共享平台获取和分发数据、进行科学交流、撰写拨款申请和学习科学伦理；(3)面向公众开展外联活动，提高学生的全球意识，向技术用户传递信息。我们将通过培训和反馈不断改进指导，我们将通过形成性和终结性评估来评估学生的学习。这项工作的智力价值在于将物理水文学、地球化学、遥感和建模相结合，在不同的环境条件下确定局部和区域尺度的地下水补给。研究人员试图确定(1)山洪暴发和净入渗的时间，(2)传输损失期间土壤水分、坡度和土壤性质的影响，(3)传输损失期间的渗透是否等于地下水补给，以及(4)后续降雨水平对入渗的影响，以及(5)改进未来旱地地面模型的参数化。社会经济和政治限制、不可访问性和/或传输损失的异质性可能限制人们获得巨大的、可持续的、新鲜的地下水储量。对输电损失的更好理解将使中东和北非等干旱地区的水资源管理者、监管者和规划者做出更好的决策。结果将通过与合作者的会议、公共推广活动、水文科学促进大学联盟(CUAHSI)水数据中心、全球地下水监测网络(GGMN)、在美国和摩洛哥的科学报告以及同行评议的出版物来传播。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This IRES project is co-funded by Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE) and Hydrologic Sciences programs (GEO/EAR).Part 1: Water resources are critical to health and sustainable development, particularly in arid regions such as theMiddle East and North Africa. Water-resource management strategies require scientific knowledge,physical observations, and cultural sensitivity to ensure long-term sustainability. This program willdevelop the abilities of young US hydrologic scientists with diverse backgrounds to conduct research,communicate their findings, and work collaboratively in an international setting. Over three years,student-led projects with colleagues in Morocco will provide an improved understanding of thesustainability of groundwater resources. Understanding how aquifers are recharged by infiltration throughstreambeds in arid regions will allow researchers to model water-resource availability and answerquestions about the impact of such infiltration on water quality and ecosystem services. Students willacquire both "hard" (technical) and "soft" (interpersonal) skills by participating in online training coursesand a workshop, in field data collection and analysis, and in professional meetings and public outreach.Part 2: This IRES project proposes to integrate international research projects with cultural training, technical instruction, andpreparation for professional practice in hydrology for 5 graduate students each year from US institutions,including underrepresented colleges and universities. The proposed research examines infiltration(transmission-loss) rates and variability within ephemeral channels in arid watersheds to test whethermodern recharge occurs within these settings, further the understanding of transmission-loss processes,and examine controlling factors. This represents a partnership between the University of Georgia (UGA),University of Kentucky, Middle Tennessee State University, and four Moroccan universities. Three setsof activities will be linked to the research theme: (1) developing technical expertise through a pre-triponline course, a pre-trip workshop at UGA, and a 5-week research trip to Morocco; (2) developingprofessional contacts and skills, including accessing and distributing data via shared platforms,communicating science, writing grant proposals, and learning scientific ethics; and (3) conductingoutreach to the general public, increasing students’ global awareness, and transferring information totechnical users. We will pursue continuous improvement of mentoring through training and feedback, andwe will evaluate student learning through both formative and summative assessments.The intellectual merit of this work lies in the integration of physical hydrology, geochemistry, remotesensing, and modeling to determine groundwater recharge at local to regional scales under varyingenvironmental conditions. The researchers seek to determine (1) the timing of flash floods and net infiltration, (2) theeffects of soil moisture, slope, and soil properties during transmission losses, (3) whether infiltrationduring transmission losses is equal to groundwater recharge, and (4) the influence of subsequent rainfallevents on infiltration, as well as (5) improving future land-surface parameterization of models in drylands.Socioeconomic and political constraints, inaccessibility, and/or the heterogeneous nature of transmissionlosses could limit access to vast, sustainable, fresh groundwater reserves. An improved understanding oftransmission losses will lead to better decisions by water managers, regulators, and planners in aridregions such as the Middle East and North Africa. Results will be disseminated through meetings withcollaborators, public outreach activities, the Consortium of Universities for the Advancement ofHydrologic Science (CUAHSI) Water Data Center, the Global Groundwater Monitoring Network(GGMN), scientific presentations in the USA and Morocco, and peer-reviewed publications.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.