UCSC-GEOPATHS SUMMER INTERNSHIPHydrology and Terrain Analysis

Abstract:

UCSC GEOPATHS is an NSF-supported initiative to improve student success in the geosciences, driven by a desire to broaden participation. One component of the program is undergraduate student internship that provide authentic, career-relevant experiences – across all employment sectors – to increase student engagement in the geoscience pipeline.

My GEOPATHS Internship at the Watershed Hydrology Laboratory at UCSC focused on understanding how watershed properties may be related to the and presence of stream flow. This is important because the presence of stream flow can influence water supply, flood mitigation, agriculture, and other ecosystem services. To address this, we conducted a GIS analysis to quantify critical terrain attributes, such as the area, curvature, and slope of watersheds located in central coastal California. We applied these terrain attributes to a predictive model of stream flow presence to test if previous models can be applied to our study system. This internship has exposed me to what watershed properties influence how stream flow works and how important its role is today. All in all, these studies and experiments will aid in future management of water resources. I will share the results of my project and experiences in the program.