Collaborative Research: Quantifying changes in near-surface soil properties from hydrologic intensification

This project investigates how repeated cycles of drought and extreme rainfall affect the ability of soils to absorb, store, and move water. Rapid shifts between very dry and very wet conditions (called hydrological intensification) are becoming more common and increase risks of flooding and drought. The research will improve understanding of how soils respond to hydrologic extremes across agricultural, woodland, and mountain environments in the United States, supporting better water and land resource management and flood forecasting. The project will train graduate and undergraduate students, develop publicly available research tutorials, and share results with farmers, water managers, and the broader scientific community through workshops and outreach activities. The project combines field and laboratory experiments to determine how hydrologic intensification alters soil properties that influence how precipitation infiltrates into the ground. Field experiments in Indiana, California, and Idaho will create small plots where rainfall patterns can be controlled and drought and extreme rainfall conditions simulated. Soil properties controlling infiltration will be measured before and after simulated events under varying soil, vegetation, and snow conditions. Laboratory experiments will extend the field studies by testing how soil texture, vegetation density, soil compaction, freezing conditions, and snow cover influence soil responses to hydrologic extremes. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.