Title of Submission
Using High Resolution Regional Climate Models to Inform Watershed Function
Degree Program
Geophysics, PhD
Major Advisor Name
Alejandro Flores
Type of Submission
Scholarly Poster
Abstract
The Critical Zone (CZ) is the thin layer of the Earth that extends from the bedrock to the tops of the trees. Within this layer, a host of biogeochemical processes necessary for life on Earth take place. These reactions need water, and the lack of knowing the rates and volumes of water delivery to the CZ limit our ability to understand CZ processes including carbon storage, soil respiration, plant growth and subsurface chemical transport. This problem is exacerbated in mountainous areas, where meteorological observations are sparse and rain/snowfall is highly variable. High resolution regional climate models (essentially the same models used to predict the weather) are promising techniques to reproduce weather conditions of the recent past, including quantitative estimates of precipitation (both rain and snow). For this research, I’m creating a 1km in space and 1hr in time reconstruction of past weather in Colorado’s East River Watershed from 1990 to present. The meteorological data outputs will be used to inform fundamental understanding of how the East River CZ stores and moves water, with implications for water resource management and the understanding of future climate scenarios.
Funding Information
U.S. Department of Energy DE-FOA-0001724