Given the likelihood that climate change will result in changes to the hydrologic cycle, it is important to understand how extreme precipitation events may affect water systems. This project will analyze how biophysical and socioeconomic elements of the landscape affect water quality and the adaptability of water systems to extreme precipitation events, to understand water resource sustainability under stress. Climate change scenarios suggest more frequent extreme precipitation events and extended droughts, increasing the effect of contaminants on streams and underground aquifers. These events may also affect the resilience of social institutions and built structures that are necessary for water quality management and water distribution. This research will specifically address two central questions about changes in precipitation: first, how the spatial distribution and composition of land cover and land use in a watershed affects water quality when a region is exposed to extreme precipitation events, and second, which aspects of water governance promote sustainable, reliable sources of clean water in the region. The research will be carried out in the La Plata Watershed in Puerto Rico, which has been exposed to large precipitation extremes from multiple hurricanes and displays a diversity of water management systems. By reconstructing the history of land cover change, stream water quality, water governance, and extreme precipitation events in the La Plata Watershed, this project will produce models that explain the primary factors that affect water quality and sustainability. The field site is close to the University of Puerto Rico in Cayey, which will allow the field research methods and the knowledge obtained from this project to be integrated into an undergraduate science curriculum. Implementing and assessing new student-centered education course components based on this field research will lead to new strategies to integrate research into education and bolster student engagement in science.
The project will give new insights into how changes in land cover, precipitation events and water management affect water quality and sustainability. Understanding these processes is needed to address the complex human-environmental dynamics that are characteristic of climate change problems. By demonstrating which social and environmental factors enhance water quality and sustainable access to potable water, these results may impact water policies and help define better water resource management strategies that can adapt to climate change. Planned community interactions will create awareness about the collection of scientific data, local water quality issues, and the impact of geography on clean, sustainable water. Finally, the project will enhance science education by integrating field research experience and training in spatial thinking into undergraduate courses at a minority serving institution.
