Department of Geosciences
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Browsing Department of Geosciences by Department "Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation"
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- Headwater stream length dynamics across four physiographic provinces of the Appalachian HighlandsJensen, Carrie K.; McGuire, Kevin J.; Prince, Philip S. (Wiley, 2017-09-15)Understanding patterns of expansion, contraction, and disconnection of headwater stream length in diverse settings is invaluable for the effective management of water resources as well as for informing research in the hydrology, ecology, and biogeochemistry of temporary streams. More accurate mapping of the stream network and quantitative measures of flow duration in the vast headwater regions facilitate implementation of water quality regulation and other policies to protect waterways. We determined the length and connectivity of the wet stream and geomorphic channel network in three forested catchments (<75 ha) in each of four physiographic provinces of the Appalachian Highlands: the New England, Appalachian Plateau, Valley and Ridge, and Blue Ridge. We mapped wet stream length seven times at each catchment to characterize flow conditions between exceedance probabilities of <5% and >90% of the mean daily discharge. Stream network dynamics reflected geologic controls at both regional and local scales. Wet stream length was most variable at two Valley and Ridge catchments on a shale scarp slope and changed the least in the Blue Ridge. The density and source area of flow origins differed between the crystalline and sedimentary physiographic provinces, as the Appalachian Plateau and Valley and Ridge had fewer origins with much larger contributing areas than New England and the Blue Ridge. However, the length and surface connectivity of the wet stream depended on local lithology, geologic structure, and the distribution of surficial deposits such as boulders, glacially-derived material, and colluival debris or sediment valley fills. Several proxies indicate the magnitude of stream length dynamics, including bankfull channel width, network connectivity, the base flow index, and the ratio of geomorphic channel to wet stream length. Consideration of geologic characteristics at multiple spatial scales is imperative for future investigations of flow intermittency in headwaters.
- How Perceptions of Trust, Risk, Tap Water Quality, and Salience Characterize Drinking Water ChoicesGrupper, Madeline A.; Schreiber, Madeline E.; Sorice, Michael G. (MDPI, 2021-03-18)Provision of safe drinking water by water utilities is challenged by disturbances to water quality that have become increasingly frequent due to global changes and anthropogenic impacts. Many water utilities are turning to adaptable and flexible strategies to allow for resilient management of drinking water supplies. The success of resilience-based management depends on, and is enabled by, positive relationships with the public. To understand how relationships between managers and communities spill over to in-home drinking water behavior, we examined the role of trust, risk perceptions, salience of drinking water, and water quality evaluations in the choice of in-home drinking water sources for a population in Roanoke Virginia. Using survey data, our study characterized patterns of in-home drinking water behavior and explored related perceptions to determine if residents’ perceptions of their water and the municipal water utility could be intuited from this behavior. We characterized drinking water behavior using a hierarchical cluster analysis and highlighted the importance of studying a range of drinking water patterns. Through analyses of variance, we found that people who drink more tap water have higher trust in their water managers, evaluate water quality more favorably, have lower risk perceptions, and pay less attention to changes in their tap water. Utility managers may gauge information about aspects of their relationships with communities by examining drinking water behavior, which can be used to inform their future interactions with the public, with the goal of increasing resilience and adaptability to external water supply threats.