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Below, you can link to project information and proposal abstracts:
- Title: Determining Spatial and Temporal Variability of Groundwater Nitrate in the Southern Willamette Valley , OR
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- Project Type: Research
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- Principle Investigators:
Roy Haggerty, Associate Professor, Oregon State University , haggertr@geo.orst.edu, 541-737-1210
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Abstract:-
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) recently designated the Southern Willamette Valley (SWV) as a Groundwater Management Area (GWMA) due to concerns over high groundwater nitrate concentrations. Data indicate that high groundwater nitrate concentrations may depend upon the underlying geologic formation present at the site (Aitken et al., 2003). Other factors likely to affect groundwater nitrate concentrations include overlying land management practices, specifically the application of nitrogen fertilizer, the presence or absence of irrigation, and the presence of human or animal waste. It is regionally important to understand how quickly and to what extent different land management practices affect groundwater nitrate concentrations. This is especially relevant because the GWMA committee will need to determine the most suitable best management practices (BMPs) for implementation.
We will investigate temporal variations of groundwater nitrate under different land management practices in the SWV to determine how BMPs are likely to impact nitrate concentrations. In determining the extent of seasonal groundwater nitrate variability, we will sample ~20 shallow wells (< 50 ft) on a monthly basis to determine how variability differs based on overlying land use and geologic unit. It has been shown that there is a seasonal variation in nitrate leached below the root zone (Faega et al., 2004), but limited high quality data are available to indicate if a seasonal fluctuation occurs in groundwater nitrate. Using land management data and our groundwater nitrate data, we will calibrate and validate a model of surface and near surface variables that affect the distribution and concentrations of nitrate. Variables included in the Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model include land use, climate, irrigation practices, soil type and depth, nitrogen inputs, crop type, and aquifer properties. The model will be used to examine how long and to what extent BMPs must be implemented to affect groundwater nitrate concentrations. A predictive model along with monthly nitrate data to guide future monitoring efforts will be invaluable to both management and future research in the area. All maps, major model findings, and graphs of geochemical data will be made publicly available via the PI's Willamette Silt website
( http://science.orst.edu/~haggertr/WS/ ).
- Title: Influence of Climate Change on Water Supply in the McKenzie River Basin : Analysis of Long-term and Spatial Hydrologic Data.
- Project Type: Research
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- Principal Investigator:
Anne Nolin, Assistant Professor, Department of Geosciences, Oregon State University, nolina@geo.oregonstate.edu , 541-737-8051
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Abstract:
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The Oregon Cascades are the headwaters of a system that provides water to over 3 million people. Much of this water comes from snowmelt that recharges a vast groundwater aquifer, resulting in sustained spring and summer flow to major rivers such as the Willamette and Deschutes . Current climate models for the Northwest predict warmer temperatures for the Cascades will result in reduced snowpacks and decreased summer streamflow. However, in the young basaltic geology of the High Cascades, reduced snowpacks may not result in a drastic reduction of summer streamflow, since precipitation will be stored in the aquifer even if it falls as rain. This research examines the processes by which a rain or snow input to the High Cascades is transformed into streamflow, and seeks to understand the sensitivity of that process to climate change scenarios using long-term records from a High Cascade basin. The Clear Lake watershed forms the headwaters of the McKenzie River , and has precipitation, snow, and streamflow records for over 50 years. We will first quantify key components of the water balance (snowmelt, precipitation, evapotranspiration, streamflow) and assess their variability across the landscape and over time, by using remote sensing and historical data. We will then use statistical time series analysis techniques to investigate how snowpack and groundwater reservoirs cause lags in streamflow response. We hope to develop a method of analysis that will be applied to other High Cascade basins. This research will provide the fundamental understanding necessary to accurately model water resources impacts from climate change, as well as being directly applicable in the current management of the McKenzie River basin .
- Title: Groundwater and Surface Water Resources in the Williams Creek Watershed, Southern Oregon
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- Project Type: Education and Research
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- Principal Investigator:
Charles Rogers, MSc. Geology, Geology instructor for Rogue Community College, and Project Manager for Williams Creek Watershed Council, crogers@roguecc.edu , wcwc@earthlink.net 541 8469175
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Abstract:
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Groundwater and Surface water are interdependent and rely on annual rainfall in the Williams Basin . Over appropriation of irrigation rights, expanding population, and the need for native salmonid and aquatic species, all compete for limited water resources. This study investigates the water potential and seeks to develop a groundwater/surface water flow model using GIS and MODFLOW. By monitoring existing wells to collect aquifer data, rainfall information derived from various locations, geologic mapping, and newly established gauging station, we seek to develop an overall picture of the groundwater.
Williams Creek is a major tributary to the Applegate River entering at river mile 19.5, and its tributaries drain 82 square miles (52,432 acres) of the Siskiyou Mountains Province . Major tributaries of Williams Creek include: the East Fork Williams Creek (11.60 square miles); the West Fork Williams Creek (19.47 square miles); Powell Creek (8.17 square miles); and the main stem of Williams Creek (42.76 square miles). Land use is predominately forestry, especially in the upland sections, with the lower fertile valley portion primarily agricultural with a slow increase in upscale homes and small rural ranches.
The Williams Creek Watershed is designated as a recovery zone for anadromous fish runs in Southern Oregon . Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) and Oregon Water Resources Department (WRD) have identified Williams Creek as a high priority stream flow restoration area for salmonid growth and refugia in the Applegate River Watershed. This proposal includes several of the WRD's Oregon Plan measures specifically designed to enhance streamflow. Salmonid species, such as the fall Chinook, endangered Southern Oregon coho, winter Steelhead, and Pacific lamprey all use these waters for spawning and rearing. Southern Oregon native salmon runs and especially those in the Applegate River tributaries are threatened because of several factors; low flow, elevated summer temperatures, and excessive winter turbidity.
With the construction of the Applegate Dam in 1981 many miles of prime salmon spawning and rearing habitat above the dam was cut off from native runs. Irrigation push up dams and other diversions have contributed to the slow decline of the native runs in the region. Water quality has suffered from road construction, deforestation, and intensive agriculture. Water temperatures have been affected from factors including, clearing of land, erosion, flooding, and gravel exposure to summer sun. Gravel extraction has contributed to the removal of vital substrate that promotes spawning, riparian vegetation, complex channel characteristics, and reduced streambed elevations. Large Wood in stream systems which holds and filters surface water has been systematically removed, either by landowners and loggers attempting to improve the flow characteristics or by large flood events that remove wood debris and gravel.
The Williams Valley has shown to have valuable habitat, year around flow, adequate temperatures, intact forests, and interested landowners in improving the viability of this and other native species within the watershed. Recovery of these native fish runs is dependent on stream flow and, of course, habitat improvements. The ultimate challenge we face is to balance the need for water within this basin with irrigators, landowners, and native fish to promote a local climate that supports existing lifestyles and exemplifies the Oregon Plan for Salmon Recovery. Continued data collection from established gauging station, well networks, temperature probes, rainfall, and local water users will provide us with a system that uses our existing resources and provides education opportunities to local geology and hydrology students.
Title: Development of a web-based database of hydrologic data for the Upper Oak Creek Watershed
- Project Type: Information Management and Information Transfer
- Principal Investigator:
Dr. Arne Skaugset,
Associate Professor, Forest Engineering, Oregon State University,
arne.skaugset@oregonstate.edu ,
541-737-3283
- Abstract:
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Oregon State University is one of the leading research Universities in water resources in the United States . Evidence of this fact is the brand new graduate degree program in Water Resources. While research sites for the scientists involved in water resources research at Oregon State University certainly span the state, the nation, and a substantial number of international sites, a diamond in the rough for water resources research Oregon State is the Oak Creek watershed. The Oak Creek watershed represents a tremendous potential asset to Oregon State water resources as a potential research site but also, and potentially more importantly, as a teaching resource. Oregon State University resides within the Oak Creek watershed. The watershed can be divided roughly into thirds with dominate land uses that are forestry, agriculture, and urban, which allow a variety of land in the form of a dairy farm and the upper forested third of the watershed is part of the McDonald/Dunn Research Forest, the school forest for the College of Forestry.
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The portion of the Oak Creek Watershed in the MacDonald/Dunn research forest has often been used for research during the past decades. Most notably Drs. Klingleman and Beschta carried out some landmark research on bedload transport in Oak Creek in the late 1960's and early 1970's. Currently, we are involved in a research project to investigate the hydrology and sediment yield of individual road segments in forested watersheds, how these road segments aggregate to affect the hydrology of roaded watersheds, and how chronic sediment inputs from individual road segments is route din a forested watershed. As a result, a lot of hydrologic research infrastructure has been installed in the forested portion of the Oak Creek watershed. Most notably, for the past three winters water level data has been collected and runoff data has been calculated for each of the 98 culverts on every road in the forested portion of Oak Creek . In addition to the runoff data from the culverts on the roads, discharge and sediment yield has been measured at the boundary of the school forest, precipitation has been measured at four rain gages throughout the watershed, and meteorological data has been collected at a weather station in the watershed.
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The collection of hydrologic data for the forested portion of the Oak Creek watershed is currently being supported by dedicated research funds. Because of this the data is available to the research group carrying out the research projects in Oak Creek , but is not generally available to the University hydrology community. The objectives of this project are to 1) establish a database (available on the internet) that provides the OSU hydrology research and teaching community, as well as the public, with access to the non-proprietary data collected in the forested portion of the Oak Creek watershed beginning in 2001 through the present. Data will include discharge at the forest boundary, precipitation, and climate data; 2) Add proprietary data including runoff data from all culverts and sediment yield data from road segments and the forest boundary to the database when it is published; and 3) Consolidate and make publicly available in electronic format the historical data from Oak Creek that was collected by Drs. Klingeman and Beschta. This project will support teaching and research in Oak Creek by providing hydrologic data to the public.
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