NWRRI - Desert Research Institute April 3, 2017 Volume 3, Issue 3

Newsletter written and compiled by Nicole Damon Director’s Letter

We have wrapped up another Inside this issue: year at Nevada Water News and I’m very impressed by the unique and varied projects that our researchers Director’s Letter 1 have undertaken. From evaluating the presence of emerging contaminates in Lake Mead, to Project Spotlight 2 assessing urban water use, to analyzing groundwater basins and paleo-hydroclimatic data, these Events List 4 projects are exploring innovative solutions to conserve Nevada’s PI Spotlight 5 valuable water resources. I’m also proud that these projects have provided hands-on research Postdoc Interview 6 opportunities for a variety of students to learn skills that will prepare them for careers in the field of water resources research. at several treatment stages in a greenhouse environment to evaluate The newly funded NWRRI the transport, persistence, and project “Wastewater Reuse and accumulation of emerging RFPs Uptake of Emerging Contaminants contaminants in edible plants. by Plants” led by Drs. Kumud In addition to the exceptional If you have questions Acharya and Daniel Gerrity research that DRI faculty are about submitting a continues this innovative research. This project will evaluate the use of conducting, DRI also supports NWRRI proposal, advancements in water resources e-mail Amy Russell reclaimed water for agricultural irrigation. The benefit of using management and conservation ([email protected]). reclaimed water for agricultural statewide by partnering with For current RFP irrigation is that it could help programs such as WaterStart. information, visit the conserve valuable drinking water WaterStart is a public-private, not- for-profit, joint venture that works NWRRI website supplies. However, little is known to bring new water research, (www.dri.edu/nwrri). about the potential uptake of emerging contaminants by edible technology, and economic plants. This project will irrigate development opportunities to tomato and spinach plants with Nevada. Nevada’s climate provides potable water and reclaimed water unique opportunities for studying Pa ge 2 Nevada Water News Volume 3, Issue 3

(Director’s Letter continued) sustainable water management and to support existing businesses and and what new advancements in finding solutions for conserving this grow new business opportunities in resource conservation our valuable natural resource. Nevada through the group’s unique researchers continue to make. WaterStart connects world- capabilities and expertise, as well as Sincerely, renowned experts with partner to build an operational organizations to provide water infrastructure and educate and train Jim Thomas  innovation services to management a highly skilled workforce. agencies, policy makers, and I look forward to seeing what technology companies to support new research comes from our economic growth in Nevada’s water continuing projects and programs sector. The goals of WaterStart are

An 8,000-year Paleoperspective of Hydroclimate Variability in the Southern Sierra Nevada

Climate impact assessments of Bacon’s PhD research allow researchers to understand and and includes collaboration anticipate the effects of climate with his PhD advisor change on the environment. Dr. Rina Schumer of DRI, However, being able to conduct as well as Dr. Adam Csank accurate assessments requires of the University of understanding how and why climate Nevada, Reno. changes have occurred. To do this, The researchers will researchers need to be able to evaluate the sensitivity of differentiate natural climate the Methuselah Walk variability from human-induced chronology by comparing climate changes. “Deciphering historical ring widths to a patterns of natural hydroclimate variety of hydrologic variability from underlying outputs from the coupled anthropogenic climate change is water balance and lake only possible by understanding the evaporation model. The climate of the recent geologic past,” hope is to make confident explains Steven Bacon, the principal correlations in order to investigator of the project. “The develop an 8,000-year A new layer of wood is added each growing season, goal of this study is to evaluate the record of the southern which creates a growth ring. By analyzing the sensitivity of the longest tree-ring Sierra Nevada hydroclimate, tree-ring chronologies of precipitation- and record in North America, the which will include the temperature-sensitive trees, researchers can Methuselah Walk precipitation and evaluate changes in the hydroclimate. chronology from the White temperature fluctuations in Mountains, to different components the region over that time period. species show strong correlations of the hydrologic system using a “LaMarche (1974) demonstrated that with historical hydroclimate coupled watershed runoff and lake the growth patterns of some annual variability at watershed to regional surface evaporation model for the tree-ring chronologies from scales,” Bacon says. “Depending on Owens River-Lake system in moisture- and temperature-sensitive the type of tree species analyzed, .” This study is also part Pa ge 3 Nevada Water News Volume 3, Issue 3

(Project Spotlight continued) tree-ring chronologies are the Holocene commonly compared to a wide shoreline record range of instrumental records of the of Owens Lake watershed’s hydroclimatic system, in combination such as precipitation, temperature, with the snow water equivalent, soil paleotemperature moisture, streamflow, lake water depression record level, and drought indices. developed in the Ultimately, the goal of these Sierra Nevada analyses is to develop a from glacial hydroclimatic proxy dataset that deposits.” could be used to infer paleoclimatic The research change over the length of the tree- for this study ring chronology.” will also Combining the precipitation- incorporate some and temperature-sensitive tree-ring novel techniques. chronologies from the White This project will Mountains will potentially allow combine the researchers to reconstruct the precipitation- and hydrologic system of the Sierra temperature- Nevada region. “The coupled sensitive tree-ring watershed runoff and lake surface chronologies to evaporation model we will use has reconstruct a three primary model parameters: hydrologic precipitation, temperature, and system. The Great Basin bristlecone pines are a long-lived species found solar insolation. If we can resultant in California, Nevada, and . The Methuselah Walk demonstrate strong correlations chronology will bristlecone pine chronology from the White Mountains in between the White Mountain tree- be approximately Inyo County, California, is the longest tree-ring record in ring chronologies and the historical 6,000 years North America. modeled components of the longer than hydrologic system in the watershed, similar records in the western climate impact assessments to be then we could in turn use the United States and potentially have extended,” Bacon explains, “which associated precipitation and the longest tree-ring-based could provide an extended temperature reconstructions as reconstruction of runoff and lake- perspective on the range in input parameters in the coupled level fluctuations in North magnitude and duration of potential water balance model,” Bacon says. America. “Tree-ring and other high- hydroclimatic variability that could “The accuracy of the modeled lake resolution paleoproxies that are be experienced under future climate levels based on the tree-ring resolved to annual time scales allow change in eastern California and hydroclimatic reconstructions will the range of precipitation and western Nevada.” be assessed by comparing them with temperature scenarios used in (Continued on next page)

“If we can demonstrate strong correlations between the White Mountain tree-ring chronologies and the historical modeled components of the hydrologic system in the watershed, then we could in turn use the associated precipitation and temperature reconstructions as input parameters in the coupled water balance model.” – Steven Bacon Nevada Water News Volume 3, Issue 3 Pa ge 4

(Project Spotlight continued)

Additionally, this project will use conducted by Hughes and precipitation and temperature in variable estimates of solar insolation Graumlich (1996) and Salzer the southern Sierra Nevada region values over time in the evaporation et al. (2014),” Bacon explains. for up to 8,000 years. The model component of the water balance “These results are likely related to could then be used to estimate the model. “The total energy received the bristlecone’s harsh, upper paleohydrologic surface conditions by the Earth from the Sun changes montane to alpine mountainous in closed Nevada basins. “With with time, so the change in the environment and its short growing additional research, the results magnitude of paleo-solar insolation season and complex physiology. could possibly provide Holocene needs to be included in a As a result, our ongoing research groundwater recharge estimates for paleoclimate water balance model to has primarily focused on finding these basins,” he adds, “which could accurately estimate evaporation which component of the then be used to provide a from the water surface and hydrologic system and at what paleohydrologic context of modern evapotranspiration from the land extent within the watershed the groundwater recharge rates used for surface,” Bacon says. “Fortunately, tree rings are recording.” water resources management.”  previous work has computed the The modeling techniques that References positions of Earth’s orbit and the researchers are developing for rotation for the last 10 million years this study could also benefit future Hughes, M.K., and L.J. Graumlich, 1996. Multimillennial dendroclimatic studies for paleoclimatic research. The watershed studies. “Although the resolution of this dataset is monthly from the western United States. In watershed-scale modeling approach (eds.) R.S. Bradley, P.D. Jones, and insolation values for intervals of we are using is relatively similar J. Jouzel. Climatic Variations and 10 degrees of latitude at 1,000-year in principle to the study of Saito Forcing Mechanisms of the Last 2000 time steps.” Years. Berlin: Springer Verlag, et al. (2015) in the Sierra Nevada,” p. 109–124. Although the project is still in its Bacon says, “this project also LaMarche, V.C., 1974. Paleoclimatic early stages, it has already produced includes lake surface evaporation inferences from long tree-ring records. some interesting results. “Our and perennial snow/glacier Science 183(4129), 1,043-1,048. preliminary analysis and model accumulation elements that are Saito, L., F. Biondi, R. Devkota, J. Vittori, results have confirmed that calibrated to the shoreline record of and J.D. Salas, 2015. A water balance traditional statistical techniques yield Owens Lake and the glacial record approach for reconstructing problematic correlations to observed in the watershed.” If the researchers streamflow using tree-ring proxy precipitation and temperature, observe confident correlations records. Journal of Hydrology 529, 535-547. which have also been found in between the observed precipitation previous dendrochronologic research and temperature and the other Salzer, M.W., A.G. Bunn, N.E. Graham, and M.K. Hughes, 2014. Five of the White Mountain bristlecone hydrologic system components, millennia of paleotemperatures from pine tree-ring chronologies then they will be able to estimate tree-rings in the Great Basin, USA. Climate Dynamics 42, 1,517-1,526.

Upcoming Events 2017 UNR/NWRA Dinner Forum Truckee River Tour April 19, 2017 May 4 & 5, 2017 Sparks, NV Reno, NV www.nvwra.org/2017unr-nwradinnerforum www.nvwra.org/truckee-river-tour

2017 Spring AWRA Specialty Conference Long Canyon Mine Tour Connecting the Dots: The Emerging Science of Aquatic May 9 & 10, 2017 System Connectivity Elko, NV April 30-May 3, 2017 www.nvwra.org/2017-long-canyon-mine-tour Snowbird, UT www.awra.org/meetings/Snowbird2017/ (Continued on page 7) Pa ge 5 Nevada Water News Volume 3, Issue 3

PI Spotlight: Steven Bacon Steven Bacon first became in snowmelt-dominated arid interested in water resources and semiarid basins.” research while he was working on In addition to conducting his master’s degree in geology at hydrologic modeling of the Humboldt State University in Southwest to evaluate California. “The watershed hydroclimate variability, hydrology and fluvial processes Bacon’s recent research classes that I was taking for my includes geomorphic degree initially sparked my interest mapping of alluvial, fluvial, in the field,” Bacon says. “I also and lacustrine depositional used to perform geologic hazard environments; characterizing assessments for dams and related alluvial fan environments for water conveyance facilities along flood hazard assessments; the western Sierra Nevada, which conducting analyses of exposed me to the engineering sequence stratigraphy and aspect of water resources.” His soils; and geomorphic-based interest in water resources research terrain modeling of dust has also inspired him to pursue a emission hazards in desert PhD in hydrology at the University regions. As he continues in of Nevada, Reno. his research, Bacon hopes to The NWRRI project “An incorporate more of his geological says. If he had six months with no 8,000-year Paleoperspective of expertise in future water resources obligations or financial constraints, Hydroclimate Variability in the studies. “Because I have a Bacon would spend the time Southern Sierra Nevada” is part of background in geomorphology traveling with his family to Bacon’s PhD research, and it has and engineering geology, it would multiple countries so that they given him a new understanding of be interesting to use some the could visit the mountains to play in the complex dynamics of governing principles of process the snow and tropical beaches to hydrologic systems. “Developing a geomorphology to better relax in the sun. When asked what watershed runoff and lake understand the connection he would want to have with him if evaporation model for paleoclimatic between surface water and both he were shipwrecked on a desert research that is process based and unconfined and confined island, Bacon answered, “I would calibrated by Holocene and late groundwater systems,” he adds. want a machete and a fire starter. Pleistocene shoreline and glacial When it comes to working in I’ve seen the movie Cast Away, geomorphic records has been the lab or being out in the field, and if Tom Hanks had these two fascinating,” Bacon says. Bacon’s preference is for items with him, he would have had “In developing this model, I fieldwork. “It’s a chance to be more time to relax on the beach have learned a lot about the where the air is fresh, the light is and figure out how to brew complexity of hydrologic systems natural, and dirt is underfoot,” he coconut beer.” 

“Developing a watershed runoff and lake evaporation model for paleoclimatic research that is process based and calibrated by Holocene and late Pleistocene shoreline and glacial geomorphic records has been fascinating. In developing this model, I have learned a lot about the complexity of hydrologic systems in snowmelt-dominated arid and semiarid basins.” – Steven Bacon Nevada Water News Volume 3, Issue 3 Pa ge 6

Postdoc Interview: Kelly Gleason We asked Maki Postdoctoral climate-forest interactions Fellow Dr. Kelly Gleason about her using a suite of tools, current research and her continuing including integrated research plans. Here’s what she had hydroclimate modeling, to say: surface energy balance modeling, remote sensing 1) What sparked your interest in of land cover change, water resources research? spatiotemporal statistics, I became interested in water and geoanalytics. resources research because it is the My primary research is primary mechanism by which focused on how forest fires climate influences ecosystems and affect snow hydrology and society. Water is the conduit that subsequent water resources connects upland montane headwater across the Colorado River ecosystems to lowland natural Basin. Burned forests shed resource users and policy makers. black carbon, burned 2) What do you find most debris, and other light interesting about water resources absorbing impurities that research, particularly working in deposit in the snowpack an arid/semiarid environment during winter and such as Nevada? concentrate on the snow surface during snowmelt. By water resources across the western In the semiarid western United increasing the transmission of United States and beyond under States, most annual precipitation sunlight through the canopy, past, current, and future climate falls as snow, although rising decreasing the emission of conditions. temperatures are reducing snowpack longwave radiation by the canopy, storage. I find snow hydrology 5) Do you have a preference for and reducing snow surface particularly interesting because the lab work or fieldwork, and if so, shortwave albedo, forest fire biophysical interactions of water, why? disturbance accelerates snowmelt climate, and ecosystem disturbances rates and advances the date of As a snow hydrologist and have profound consequences on snow disappearance for many physical geographer, I use a water resource availability across years following a fire. combination of fieldwork, lab multiple scales in space and time. work, numerical modeling, and 4) What do you hope to learn 3) What kinds of research are you remote sensing to investigate the more about from the research currently working on and what interactions of water, climate, and you are doing? have you learned so far from this ecosystems. This provides me with research? I hope to learn more about the a good seasonal balance of working combined effects of light in the field during the winter and Currently, I’m researching snow absorbing impurities (i.e., black conducting analyses in the lab and ice processes in mountain carbon, dust, and burned woody during the summer. environments, disturbance debris) on snow hydrology and hydroclimatology, and water- (Continued on next page)

“My goal in water resources research is to develop a world-class eco-hydro-climatology research group that investigates mechanistic biophysical drivers of earth surface processes and water resource availability in snow-dominated ecosystems.” – Kelly Gleason Nevada Water News Volume 3, Issue 3 Pa ge 7

(Postdoc Interview continued)

6) What are some of your other multiple scales in space and time. 7) If you had six months with no research interests? Do you have My goal in water resources research obligations or financial any goals for incorporating those is to develop a world-class eco- constraints, what would you do interests into your work as you hydro-climatology research group with the time? continue in your career? that investigates mechanistic I would hike the Pacific Crest I am broadly interested in biophysical drivers of earth surface Trail with skis. processes and water resource interactions and feedback of water, 8) Cake or Pie? climate, and ecosystems under a availability in snow-dominated changing climate system and across ecosystems. Sweet potato pie. 

Events continued

2017 GSA Cordilleran Section: 113th Annual Meeting May 23-25, 2017 Honolulu, Hawai’i www.geosociety.org/Sections/cord/2017mtg/ SeriesSEE Workshop June 19, 2017 Reno, NV www.nvwra.org/seriessee Well Regulations Workshop June 19, 2017 Reno, NV www.nvwra.org/2016-wellregs-workshop Well Design, Construction & Rehab Workshop June 20, 2017 Pressing Water Quality Issues in Nevada Workshop Reno, NV September 26, 2017 www.nvwra.org/well-design Reno, NV www.nvwra.org/waterquality Well Rehabilitation Workshop June 21, 2017 NWRA Fall Symposium Reno, NV September 27 & 28, 2017 www.nvwra.org/well-rehab Reno, NV www.nvwra.org/2017fallsymposium Borehole Geophysical Logging Workshops June 22 & 23, 2017 2017 ASA, CSSA, and SSSA International Reno, NV Annual Meeting www.nvwra.org/2017borehole-geophysical-logging- Managing Global Resources for a Secure Future workshop October 22-25, 2017 Tampa, FL 2017 AWRA Summer Specialty Conference www.acsmeetings.org/ Climate Change Solutions June 25-28, 2017 GSA 2017 Tysons, VA October 22-25 www.awra.org/meetings/Tysons2017/ Seattle, WA community.geosociety.org/gsa2017/home 2017 AWRA International Conference September 10 & 11, 2017 2017 Annual AWRA Conference Tel Aviv, Israel November 5-9, 2017 www.awra.org/meetings/Israel2017/ Portland, OR www.awra.org/meetings/Portland2017/ AEG 2017 Annual Meeting September 10-16, 2017 AGU Fall Meeting Colorado Springs, CO December 11-15, 2017 aegweb.site-ym.com/events/EventDetails.aspx? New Orleans, LA id=593893&group= fallmeeting.agu.org/2017/ NWRRI - Desert Research Institute

Success and the dedication to quality research have established the Division of Hydrologic Sciences (DHS) as the Nevada Water Resources Research Institute (NWRRI) under the Water Resources Research Act of 1984 (as amended). As the NWRRI, the continuing goals of DHS are to develop the water sciences knowledge and expertise that support Nevada’s water needs, encourage our nation to manage water more responsibly, and train students to become productive professionals.

Desert Research Institute, the nonprofit research campus of the Nevada System of Higher Education, strives to be the world leader in environmental sciences through the application of knowledge and technologies to improve people’s lives throughout Nevada and the world.

The work conducted through the NWRRI program is supported by the U.S. Geological Survey under Grant/Cooperative Agreement No. G16AP00069.

www.dri.edu/nwrri

Banner photo: Spring flowers in Red Rock Canyon National For more information about the NWRRI, contact: Conservation Area, Nevada, by BLM Nevada - April, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php? curid=33658910 Amy Russell, Business Manager Page 2: Diagram of secondary growth in a tree showing idealized 702-862-5471 vertical and horizontal sections, by Chiswick Chap - Own [email protected] work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/ index.php?curid=35580681 Jim Thomas, Director Page 3: Great Basin bristlecone pine in the White Mountains, Inyo 775-673-7305 County, California, by Dcrjsr - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, [email protected] https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11040152 Events list, page 7: Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Nevada, by Fred Morledge - Self-photographed, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22419840