Lab News

A new study, Environmental planning and the evolution of inter-basin water transfers in the United States, led by postdoc Sooyeon Yi, was published in Frontiers in Environmental Science. The study provides a comprehensive analysis of inter-basin water transfers across the U.S., crucial for balancing water availability and demand. These projects can significantly alter river flows, affect water quality, and disrupt habitats. By categorizing projects from 1900 to 2020, the study reveals trends toward larger, energy-intensive systems and an evolving emphasis on environmental planning. The findings highlight the growing need for sustainable management, urging future projects to incorporate climate change vulnerability assessments to mitigate potential impacts effectively.

A new Applied Water Science study led by Berkeley Freshwater postdoc Sooyeon Yi highlights the importance of improving flood forecasting for reservoir-based systems, essential for effective flood management and community safety. By comparing advanced machine learning and deep learning techniques, the research provides valuable insights into optimizing prediction models, ultimately enhancing our ability to respond to extreme flood events. This work is crucial for informing decision-makers and improving early warning systems in regions vulnerable to flooding.

Congratulations to new Dr. Kyle Leathers on delivering his finishing talk! Kyle gave an overview of his impressive dissertation research and successfully completed the ceremonial crossing over Strawberry Creek (in waders). We are lucky that Kyle will be staying on with the Ruhi Lab a couple of months before beginning a postdoc at USGS exploring water quality and algae in the San Francisco Bay-Delta!

Members of Berkeley Freshwater recently attended the Annual Meeting of the American Fisheries Society in Honolulu! Ted organized a session on ecosystem-based approaches to environmental flow management and Mariska presented a study on the environmental factors that influence emigration timing of coho salmon. We were also thrilled to connect with incoming faculty member Rachel Carlson and to reunite with Berkeley Freshwater alums Brian Kastl, Emily Chen, and Kasey Pregler!

Congratulations to Tim Jäger on his magnificent Master’s defense! His thesis examined life-history plasticity of stream insects to future climates in the Sierra Nevada. Earlier snowmelt and return to low-flow conditions will likely lead to earlier peaks and smaller size at emergence. It was not a (chirono)mini undertaking as Tim processed thousands of individuals! We can’t wait to see what this newly emerged MSc flies off to do next!

A new Nature Sustainability study by Lucy Andrews and Ted Grantham found that only 8% of all rivers and streams in California are monitored by stream gauges that measure flow. Lead author Lucy told the LA Times, “More monitoring of these critical streams is needed to protect these vulnerable species. If we maintain the status quo, and if we don’t know how much water is in rivers and streams, we are essentially dooming some of our freshwater species.” The papers also outlined a method to improve stream monitoring and modeled a reconfigured gauging network across the state.

A robust contingent from the Berkeley Freshwater group participated in the Society for Freshwater Science Annual Meeting in Philadelphia! We presented talks on a variety of topics: estuarine phenological shifts by Robert, riparian tree-groundwater interactions at Pinnacles by Rose, effects of drought on Sierra Nevada stream communities by Kyle, flow variation and riparian birds in Southern California rivers by Melissa, and time-varying effects of Delta outflow on Longfin smelt by Parsa. It looks like they also managed to sneak in some sightseeing!

Melissa’s doctoral research project is titled “Understanding Flow-Ecology Relationships to Inform the Restoration of Effluent-Influenced Coastal Streams in Southern California.” She is quantifying how changes in flows along the Los Angeles and Santa Clara Rivers may affect birds, invertebrates, and plants. Additionally, she is exploring people’s perceptions of and priorities for flows along these rivers. Melissa’s work will assist environmental managers in understanding the socio-ecological implications of changes in riverine flows and investigate how flow can be used as a restoration tool in the context of these two sister rivers.

Left: Melissa conducts bird point counts along the Santa Clara River / Right: A great egret rests along an effluent-influenced part of the Los Angeles River

Congratulations to Emily, Rachael, Kyle, Jessie, and Lucy on their graduation! We are thrilled to celebrate the graduation of our incredible cohort of Freshwater PhDs! This amazing group proudly walked in the May 2024 commencement ceremony at The Greek Theater, adorned in full regalia. We can’t wait to see what exciting paths you each embark on next!

Congrats to Emily Chen, who delivered her finishing talk today to a packed audience! Her talk covered an overview of the different elements of her dissertation research, including dimensions focused on all four runs of Chinook in California’s Central Valley. Emily is on track to finish this summer and will then begin a postdoc exploring factors influencing the dynamics of Chinook salmon in the Klamath Basin. (PC: Rachael Ryan)