CAREER: Integrating geophysical data and hydrologic modeling to quantify subsurface water storage along elevation gradients in mountainous terrains

美国西部许多地区正在经历气候变暖，干旱等极端天气状况更加频繁。这些不断变化的天气模式可能会影响有多少降水流入山区的溪流(变成溪水)和渗入地下(变成土壤水和/或地下水)。为了更好地管理未来的水资源，关键是要了解分水岭如何应对气候变化，将降水划分为溪水、土壤水和地下水。该项目将侧重于量化美国西部一个半干旱分水岭不同海拔处的各种蓄水量和流量。将进行现场测试和计算模拟。该项目收集的科学数据和开发的计算模型将有助于更好地了解山区水资源如何应对气候变化。此外，该项目还将包括重要的教育活动，包括向经济困难/非传统学生提供地球科学实地技能培训，并向本科生提供与水资源有关问题的研究经验。该项目主要研究地下蓄水如何缓冲沿高程梯度的山区流域的水文过程。所获得的知识将帮助利益攸关方有效管理山区未来的水资源，特别是在气候变暖的情况下。遵循数据-模型融合原则，该项目将把地球物理数据整合到水文建模中，以实现对爱达荷州南部一个试验性分水岭不同海拔集水区的各种水通量和蓄水量的改进量化。在野外，将进行地震折射测试和电阻率监测，以表征复杂的地下结构非均质性，并估计地下蓄水动力学。这些野外地球物理数据将被纳入综合水文模型，以揭示地下蓄水在流域功能中的潜在缓冲作用。该项目的教育目标是促进地球科学实地技能培训的包容性。将提供一个通勤野战营地，以容纳当地学生和有个人和经济障碍的学生。将制定一个垂直整合的项目计划，以扩大博伊西州立大学本科生对水资源相关研究的参与。该项目还将为学生提供一个研究生实习生职位，以学习最先进的地球物理技术及其在水文科学中的应用。该奖项由水文科学计划和既定的刺激竞争研究计划(EPSCoR)共同资助。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。

Many areas in the western United States are experiencing a warming climate and more frequent extreme weather conditions such as drought. These changing weather patterns could affect how much of the precipitation flows into streams (becoming stream water) and seeps into the subsurface (becoming soil water and/or groundwater) in mountainous areas. To better manage future water resources, it is critical to understand how a watershed responds to climate change regarding the partitioning of precipitation into stream water, soil water, and groundwater. This project will focus on quantifying various water storages and fluxes at different elevations in a semi-arid watershed in the western United States. Both field tests and computational simulations will be performed. The collected scientific data and developed computational models in this project will contribute to an improved understanding of how the water resources in the mountains respond to climate change. In addition, this project will also encompass significant educational activities, including offering geoscientific field skill training to financially disadvantaged/nontraditional students and providing research experiences to undergraduates on water resources-related issues. This project focuses on how the subsurface water storage buffers the hydrologic process along the elevation gradient in mountainous watersheds. The knowledge gained will help stakeholders effectively manage future water resources in mountainous areas, especially in a warming climate. Following the data-model fusion principle, the project will integrate geophysical data into hydrologic modeling to achieve an improved quantification of various water fluxes and storages in catchments at different elevations in an experimental watershed in southern Idaho. In the field, seismic refraction tests and electrical resistivity monitoring will be performed to characterize the complex subsurface structural heterogeneity and to estimate subsurface water storage dynamics. These field geophysical data will be incorporated into integrated hydrologic modeling to reveal the potential buffering role of subsurface water storage in watershed functions. The educational goal of this project is to promote inclusivity in geoscientific field skills training. A commuter field camp will be offered to accommodate local students and students with personal and financial barriers. A vertically integrated project program will be developed to broaden the participation of undergraduates in water resources-related research at Boise State University. This project will also provide a graduate intern position for students to learn state-of-the-art geophysical techniques and their applications in hydrologic sciences.This award is co-funded by the Hydrologic Sciences program and Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).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.