Weston Roundtable – Using Tracers to Discern Flow Paths Across the Lake Warner-Mill Watershed, Northeastern U.S.

Speaker: Christian Guzman, Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Headwater streams comprise land surfaces with deep flow paths as well as impervious surfaces with short ones, contributing flows and constituents. The impaired Mill River Watershed discharges into Lake Warner after flowing through such heterogenous land-uses.

We compare these dynamics and the influence of urban, agricultural, and forested land use on young water fractions (Fyw) and mean transit times (MTT) using stable water isotopes (δ2H, δ 17O, and δ18O). In this talk, Guzman will discuss local efforts at improving water quality by better understanding the hydrological dynamics of the tributaries.

The Weston Roundtable is made possible by a generous donation from Roy F. Weston, a highly accomplished UW-Madison alumnus. Designed to promote a robust understanding of sustainability science, engineering, and policy, these interactive lectures are co-sponsored by the Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment (SAGE), the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and the Office of Sustainability.

Date

February 27, 2025    

Time

4:15 pm – 5:15 pm

Location

1163 Mechanical Engineering
1513 University Avenue, Madison

Category