Collaborative Research: RII FEC: The Flooding in Appalachian Streams and Headwaters Initiative: Mitigating Impacts of Climate Change and Flash Flooding in Appalachia

Grants and Contracts Details

Description

Abstract: Recent flash flooding in eastern Kentucky claimed dozens of lives and damaged or destroyed over 10,000 homes. Unfortunately, catastrophic floods and other natural disasters are becoming increasingly frequent, and this trend is expected to continue under climate change projections. For example, in eastern Kentucky, climate change is expected to lead to increased precipitation in the dormant season, when soil water storage is already high—this combination will lead to increased flooding frequency and magnitude. The Flooding in Appalachian Streams and Headwaters (FLASH) Initiative seeks to 1) better understand the dynamics and mechanics of flash flooding in eastern Kentucky headwaters, 2) build models to more accurately and effectively predict flooding given soil moisture and precipitation conditions, and 3) develop community partnerships to build early warning technologies that serve local community needs. The UKy component of this collaborative proposal focuses on improving understanding of flooding in headwater streams and education and workforce development. To accomplish the former, we will analyze decades of historical streamflow and precipitation data from UK’s Robinson Forest for trends in flood frequency, duration, timing, and magnitude, in watersheds ranging from less than 50 ha to over 1,200 ha. Next, we will install a suite of soil moisture sensors in UK’s Robinson Forest to address a critical water cycle data gap—soil moisture. We have good data in the forest on incoming precipitation and outgoing streamflow, but we lack a robust understanding of soil moisture variability over time and space. These sensors will enable us to more accurately model the movement of incoming precipitation through soil and into streams, improving the ability of our models to predict flash flood risk. To accomplish the education and workforce development goals, we will recruit undergraduate students from traditionally underrepresented groups, including students from Appalachia, for mentored student research projects. We will also recruit high school teachers from the Appalachian region to participate in Teacher Fellowship programs that will support their professional development in STEM education. Overall, this project builds on decades of hydrology research at Robinson Forest and strengthens partnerships across Kentucky and West Virginia institutions to address a critical public health and safety concern in Central Appalachia—flash flooding. If funded, the proposed project will dramatically improve both our understanding of flood propagation in small headwater streams, but also develop critical infrastructure and technologies for prediction and early warning of deadly flash floods, saving lives.
StatusActive
Effective start/end date9/1/248/31/28

Funding

  • National Science Foundation

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