Please Join Max Evans, NAU, and Hannah Chambless, Grand Canyon National Park, for a talk about hydrogeologic research and springs monitoring at the Grand Canyon.
When: March 24, 5:30 PM, Talk at 6:00 PM (Arizona time)
Where: Online meeting
Cost: Free for AHS members and students, $10 for non-members
RSVP: The Zoom invitation will be provided in your registration confirmation. This event is limited to 100 attendees.
Abstract: Grand Canyon Regional Hydrogeologic Research and Springs Monitoring
As Grand Canyon National Park management upgrades the park’s water supply and delivery infrastructure, it is imperative to characterize and forecast the quantity, quality, and vulnerability of water resources. Through a cooperative agreement with the National Park Service, this team at Northern Arizona University has been conducting hydrologic research within the Grand Canyon region to characterize and better understand the regional aquifers. Technicians at NAU have been installing and maintaining stream and spring gages as well as collecting samples and discrete water quality measurements. While many sites are along maintained trails, several instrumented cave springs are far from any roads or trails and make access uniquely difficult. Technicians and students analyze and interpret data for several different projects. Ongoing investigations include temperature correlations between Kaibab Plateau springs and sinks with north rim R aquifer springs, hydrograph recession analyses, characterization of the C aquifer, post-fire response of a riparian drainage, and potential impacts of land management practices and aquifer withdrawals on Grand Canyon south rim springs. These projects support Grand Canyon science staff and the community of hydrologists in the region and beyond.
Speakers:
Max Evans received his bachelor’s degree in geology from NAU in May of 2020. Throughout his undergraduate career he focused his coursework in the field of hydrogeology. Max participated in multiple research projects related to the hydrology of the Mogollon Rim and the Grand Canyon. With the guidance of his advisor, Dr. Abe Springer, he wrote a research grant proposal which provided the funding to conduct ground penetrating radar surveys to search for the water table at Phantom Ranch in the Grand Canyon. After graduation, Max was hired as a full-time research technician at NAU funded by Grand Canyon National Park to continue researching the spring water resources available to the Park. Max thoroughly enjoys his work and values the experiences he’s gaining through this research position. He plans to go back to school for a Master’s in hydrogeology within the next two years.
Hannah Chambless received her Bachelor’s in Environmental Geoscience and Master’s in Geology from Boston College in May of 2015 and August of 2018, respectively. Her graduate research involved spatial and temporal analyses of wastewater injection-induced seismicity in Oklahoma related to oil and gas activities, which she conducted with Dr. Alan Kafka. Her dream to work in the National Park Service led her to accept an internship through the GIP program at Grand Canyon National Park in September of 2018, in which she worked on an overflight noise monitoring project. During this time, she volunteered with the Physical Science program and accepted a position as a full-time Hydrologic Research Technician at NAU in October of 2019. This position is in line with her research experience in statistical analyses of scientific data and desire to pursue a career in Hydrology. Through this job, she is working under the guidance of Dr. Abe Springer to conduct hydrograph recession and water budget analyses of two major R-aquifer springs in Grand Canyon. She recently accepted a position with Grand Canyon National Park as an internal Hydrologic Research Technician, where she is excited to continue this research for the next three years. She plans to either pursue a PhD or a supervisory Hydrologist position after this time.