WELCOME TO THE DYNAMIC WATER CLUSTER

In the western United States, the critical zone is sensitive to changes in the environment, such as fires or droughts. This project studies how processes in the critical zone respond to changes in the environment. Data are collected from five watersheds along similar latitudes in Colorado and California. The project links the fields of water science, forest ecology, rock chemistry and soil chemistry. The project connects the way water moves and is stored in the ground to how trees grow and to how soil and rocks change. Studying these interactions is important to understanding how Earth will respond to future changes in climate.

Our team consists of researchers from six universities, USGS, and the US EPA. Students are trained in interdisciplinary Earth Science. Educational materials are developed for all grade levels including K-12 and college.

Dynamic Water Project Goals

1. Advance understanding of the interactions among dynamic water storage, CZ processes, and water provisioning in the complex physiology of western U.S. montane ecosystems
2. Explore how dynamic water storage and CZ processes will change under global drivers
3. Create educational opportunities and resources that are accessible to a diverse student population, including K-12 to postgraduates