Hydrologic Sciences Archives

Researcher kneeling on ground holding a device into water to take a sample for analysis

DRI Launches Collaborative New Project Investigating PFAS and Microplastics for Department of Defense

By Elyse DeFranco | Aug 27, 2025 | Featured projects

DRI’s Monica Arienzo, Director of the Microplastics and Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, was recently awarded $250,000 by the Department of Defense to investigate laundering and textile degradation as a possible source of PFAS and microplastic pollution. The one-year grant will fund laboratory studies and analysis led by Arienzo, with DRI’s Daniel Saftner and Yeongkwon Son contributing to the work. Matt Reeves of Western Michigan University is partnering with the DRI scientists for the project.

Buildings and tents in a snowy landscape

Hidden Life Beneath Antarctic Ice: Microbial Diversity and Survival Strategies Revealed in Mercer Subglacial Lake

By Elyse DeFranco | Aug 19, 2025 | Research findings

Hundreds of lakes exist beneath the Antarctic ice sheet, and very few have ever been explored by scientists. Now, an international research team has published their findings from an ambitious effort to drill over 1,000 meters into the ice to sample the life hidden in one known as Mercer Subglacial Lake. The project, referred to as the Subglacial Antarctic Lake Scientific Access (SALSA) project, was documented in detail for the film The Lake at the Bottom of the World.

Photo of Erik overlooking the canyon at Zion National Park on a snowy day.

Meet Erik Henzl

By Elyse DeFranco | Aug 12, 2025 | Featured researchers

Erik Henzl is a Staff Research Scientist and environmental economist who joined DRI in January 2025. Based at DRI’s Reno campus, he is currently focused on estimating the water and energy required to support Nevada’s rapidly expanding data centers now and into the future. In the following interview, he shares his passion for learning as a vocation and how his research will help Nevada navigate its growing role in the digital world.

DRI Contributes to Study Using AI in Wastewater Surveillance for Detection of Emerging Virus Pathogens

By Elyse DeFranco | Aug 5, 2025 | News releases, Research findings

DRI Microbiologist Duane Moser co-authored a new study which introduces an AI-driven approach for the rapid detection and characterization of emerging variants during wastewater surveillance. The research builds on his earlier work helping to establish wastewater monitoring as a cost-effective tool for tracking pathogens during the COVID-19 pandemic.

A yellow sign that says Flooded is set at the side of a road with a vehicle parked on the washed out shoulder.

Wet Soils Increase Flooding During Atmospheric River Storms

By Elyse DeFranco | Jun 12, 2025 | Research findings

A new study examined decades of atmospheric river storms across the West Coast to pinpoint the conditions that lead to catastrophic flooding. The research, published June 4 in the Journal of Hydrometeorology, analyzed more than 43,000 atmospheric river storms across 122 watersheds on the West Coast between 1980 and 2023.

Image of a flooded orchard with trees emerging from the water.

New Study Offers Detailed Look at Winter Flooding in California’s Central Valley

By Elyse DeFranco | Jun 10, 2025 | Research findings

The research used satellite imagery to identify where winter flooding occurs, which can improve flood risk awareness and inform how to best redirect floodwaters to replenish groundwater supplies.

Native Waters on Arid Lands project featured in World Drought Atlas

By DRI Communications | Jun 10, 2025 | Featured projects

DRI’s Native Waters on Arid Lands project was recently featured in the 2024 World Drought Atlas, a 175-page hardcover reference book for decision-makers detailing drought impacts and adaptation solutions from around the world.

Arial image of a river running through a canyon between mountains with pine trees and scrubs.

Spring Runoff is Older Than You Think

By Elyse DeFranco | Jun 3, 2025 | Research findings

DRI’s Rosemary Carroll, Research Professor of Hydrology, co-authored a new study that found spring runoff in mountains across the Western U.S. is much older than previously known. Using advanced dating techniques, the research discovered that melting mountain snowpacks first replenish groundwater reserves before filling springs several years later. This means that the water relied on by communities across the West takes over five years from snowflake to streamflow. The research has implications for water management and our understanding of the changing dynamics of water availability.

Satellite image from OpenET that displays a map of blue and green circles.

OpenET’s New CEO, Sara Larsen, Discusses the Future of the Revolutionary Water-Monitoring Initiative

By Elyse DeFranco | Apr 8, 2025 | Featured projects

OpenET, a nonprofit initiative focused on improving water management with accessible, satellite-based evapotranspiration (ET) data, has welcomed Sara Larsen as the new CEO. DRI sat down with Sara to discuss what makes the initiative unique, her plans for the organization, and how OpenET can help address the biggest challenges in water management.

A river winds through a snow covered landscape with mountains in the distance.

New Study Finds Rocky Mountain Snow Contamination

By Elyse DeFranco | Apr 1, 2025 | Research findings

An examination of Rocky Mountain snow finds higher contamination levels of mercury and others metals in the northern part of the range, consistent with increased current and historical mining in the region. The study, published in the May issue of the journal Environmental Pollution, examined contamination levels for Mercury, Zinc, Cadmium and Antimony from nearly 50 sites in the Rocky Mountains.