Urban ecohydrology

The use of vegetation in urban watersheds (i.e., green infrastructure) can reduce flooding and cool neighborhoods. However, nutrients from urban vegetation can also pollute downstream waters. The benefits and burdens of green infrastructure depend on their spatial configuration within the urban watershed. We are collecting data on the flow of water and nutrients through urban watersheds and using models to help identify tradeoffs between the benefits and burdens that urban forests and watersheds provide to urban residents.

Project Sponsor: National Science Foundation Long-Term Ecological Research program (DEB-2045382), Minnesota Stormwater Research Council 

Team: Xue Feng, Diana Karwan (collaborator), Xiating Chen (Ph.D. student), Jeannie Wilkening (postdoc), Lucy Rose (research associate), Kuan-Ying Lee (Ph.D. student), Carter Pechacek (M.S. student), and many others