Presenter: Audrey F. Hsieh
Faculty Sponsor: Christian David Guzman
School: UMass Amherst
Research Area: Environmental Science and Sustainability
Session: Poster Session 5, 3:15 PM - 4:00 PM, Auditorium, A3
ABSTRACT
Forested areas are being disrupted due to climate shifts and anthropogenic influence such as urbanization and housing development, solar panel farms, and other commercial uses. These disturbances can affect the filtration capability and water quality of nearby watersheds. The purpose of this project is to quantify the resilience and watershed storage for minimally disturbed areas of Amherst, MA. More, specifically, this project focuses on Roaring Brook and Doolittle Brook, both of which are heavily forested watershed sites near Leverett, MA. Samples were taken for stable water isotopes, deuterium (δ2H), Oxygen-17 (δ17O), Oxygen-18(δ18O), and phosphorus across four years. Laboratory analysis was performed on a LGR–Triple Liquid Water Isotope Analyzer and a Seal Analytical AQ400. The results are analyzed for seasonal fluctuations, young water fractions, and mean transit times (MTT) to better understand how filtration, recharge, and surface percolation may be affected. Doolittle and Roaring had MTTs of 367.5 days and 446.3 days respectively. These are relatively high MTTs compared to neighboring urban sites which had the MTTs of 117.8 and 143.7 days. These longer MTTs demonstrate forested watershed’s ability to hold water for more than a year. By quantifying forested watershed’s ability to maintain water fluxes, we gain insights on the need to counteract diminishing freshwater supply and storage due to rising temperatures and human disturbances. This research aims to provide further impetus to develop sustained efforts to combat water quality challenges in the greater Connecticut River watershed and beyond.
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