Date of Award:

8-2017

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Committee Chair(s)

Bethany T. Neilson

Committee

Bethany T. Neilson

Committee

Jeffery S. Horsburgh

Committee

Patrick Belmont

Abstract

Water is one of the most important and limited resources in regions with little rainfall. As populations continue to grow, so does the need for water. Individuals in water management positions need to be well informed in order to avoid potential negative effects concerning the overall quality and amount of water available for both people and the environment. In order to provide better information for these individuals, computer models and mathematical relationships are commonly developed to estimate the outcome of different situations regarding surface water and groundwater. Along these lines, this study focused on two modeling studies that provide information to managers regarding either stream restoration techniques or the amount of groundwater available.

The first study investigated the effects that beaver dams have on streams. In order to do this, a computer model was developed to represent a section of stream with beaver dams and a section without. The model provided information regarding changes in the average depth, width, and velocity of the stream as a result of having beaver dams. We also measured changes in sediment size distributions between the two stream sections to confirm that beaver dams additionally impact sediment movement and channel shape. Results indicated that only a few dams are actually needed to achieve many of the desired changes in stream restoration.

The second study involved testing an equation that was used to predict how much precipitation would become groundwater in a Midwestern watershed. Variables in the equation included measurements of natural or developed land, movement of water through soil, the depth of the water table, and hillslope steepness. We tested the equation in two western watersheds to determine if variables used in the earlier study remain relevant when applied under different conditions. The independent application of the method to each western watershed stressed the importance of meeting simplifying assumptions and developing more complete datasets. We also found that the application of existing simplified empirical relationships may not be suitable in estimating groundwater recharge in mountain watersheds.

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