CLIMATIC CONTROLS ON MISSISSIPPI RIVER FLOODS

These projects use climate reanalysis data sets and Earth system model output together with sedimentary archives from the Mississippi River and its major tributaries together with  to understand the climatic controls on Mississippi River flood hazard during the past, present, and future. Collaborators: Liviu Giosan & Jeff Donnelly (WHOI), Zhixiong Shen (CCU), Matt Therrell (Alabama), Jon Remo (SIU),  and Sylvia Dee & James Doss-Gollin (Rice). Funding from NSF-P2C2 (award no. 1804107) and NSF-CLD (award no. 2147782).

IMPROVING COASTAL FLOOD PREDICTABILITY IN NEW ENGLAND

This project integrates high-fidelity computer models with observations of water levels and sediment deposition from coastal storms to (1) evaluate the sensitivity of washover deposits to geomorphic change and (2) quantify the intensity and track of past storms from sedimentary deposits. Collaborators: Jim Chen (Northeastern) & Jeff Donnelly (WHOI). Funding from the Global Resilience Institute and NSF-GLD (award no. 2052443).

CONTAMINANT MOBILITY ACROSS THE LAND-SEA INTERFACE

Industrial contaminants are detrimental to human and ecosystem health, and can continue to be mobilized by geomorphic and biochemical processes for decades. These projects examines the stability of industrial contaminants, including plastics, in floodplains and the coastal ocean at several locations across eastern North America. Collaborators: Aron Stubbins, Loretta Fernandez & Phil Larese-Casanova (Northeastern), Zhixiong Shen & Till Hanebuth (Coastal Carolina U.). Funding from NSF-GLD & NSF-GG (award nos. 1902126 and 2219334).

CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF HYDROCLIMATE EXTREMES IN NEW ENGLAND

These interrelated projects examine riverine flooding and hydrologic droughts in New England to understand the ocean-atmosphere processes that cause them, and how they influence floodplain sedimentation and channel hydraulics. Collaborators: Tracey Lesser & Amy West (New Hampshire Technological Institute). Funding from NSF-GLD and NSF-HS (award no. 2236920) and USGS WRRC.

Completed Projects

CONTEXTUALIZING HURRICANE HARVEY

In August 2017, Hurricane Harvey produced catastrophic flooding across southeast Texas that caused over $100 billion in damages. Rainfall totals and river flows associated with Hurricane Harvey shattered records across southeast Texas, but these records span only the last ~100 years. This project will improve flood hazard assessments for precipitation and discharge extremes in southeast Texas by coupling geological evidence of pre-instrumental floods to a hydrologic model. Collaborators: Ed Beighley (Northeastern), Pete Van Hengstum (Texas A&M), Paul Hudson (Leiden), Center for Texas Beaches and Shores. Funding from NSF-HS (award no. 1833200).