Lake Anna Water Resources (Summer 2023)

Team: Olivia Etherton (Project Lead), Caroline Bahun, Alexander Krest, Justin Wilder

Summary: 

Lake Anna is a man-made reservoir and popular recreation destination that spans over 13,000 acres—9,600 public and 3,400 private—in the Piedmont region of Virginia. Harmful algal...

Southeast Coast Ecological Conservation (Summer 2023)

Team: Emma Cheriegate (Project Lead), Eleri Griffiths, Quintin Munoz, Vivienne von Welczeck

Summary: Shallow aquifers along the southeastern US are experiencing saltwater intrusion from rising sea levels, changes in tidal cycles, and groundwater pumping, which are leading to higher...

Capitol Reef Ecological Conservation (Summer 2023)

Team: Vanchy Li (Project Lead), Evgeny Mazko, Kyleigh Kowalski, Drew Comin

Summary: Capitol Reef National Park (CARE) reached out to NASA DEVELOP to investigate invasive exotic plant (IEP) species found within the park boundaries. Our partners have familiarity...

Potomac River Basin Water Resources (Summer 2023)

Team: Zach Kinloch, Divina Lade, Xavier García López, Haydee Portillo

Summary: The Potomac River Basin (PRB) is responsible for providing drinking water to over 5 million residents and plays a significant role in the health of the Chesapeake...

PACE Water Resources (Summer 2023)

Team: Jules Kourelakos, Isabel Lubitz, Matt Romm, Grace Thorpe

Summary: This project aimed to develop tools to support the future use of Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem (PACE) hyperspectral imagery in water resource monitoring and research by NASA DEVELOP teams...

Richmond Disasters (Summer 2023)

Team: Kaylee Tanner (Project Lead), Brodie Thiele, Trinity Johnson, Maggie Lincoln 

Summary: Pluvial flooding is the most frequent and widespread type of flooding in urban areas. It occurs when intense precipitation events overwhelm the capacity of soils and drainage systems. The...

Unalakleet Climate (Summer 2023)

Team: Ian Lee (Project Lead), Clara Maxwell, Daniel J. Marsden, M. Jaweed Nazary 

Summary: The coastal community of Unalakleet is currently the 8th most at-risk community in Alaska to the adverse effects of climate change that include permafrost degradation, severe coastal...

Bandelier Ecological Conservation (Summer 2023)

Team: van Barrett (Project Lead), Megan Rich, Nusrat Zahan Jarin, Chloe Johnson 

Summary: The Southwest U.S. has experienced a growth of invasive riparian species, specifically Elaeagnus angustifolia (Russian olive), Tamarix ramosissima (saltcedar), and Ulmus pumila (Siberian elm), which alter local...

Southern Wyoming Ecological Conservation II (Summer 2023)

Team: Bryan Graybill (Project Lead), Lillian Gordon, Estelle Lindrooth, Sarah Sathe 

Summary: Cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) is an invasive species of grass across the United States, and due to its ability to establish itself in disturbed landscapes, outcompete native...

Paria River Ecological Conservation (Summer 2023)

Team: Max VanArnam (Project Lead), Wesley Rancher, Truman Anarella, Annie Kowalski 

Summary: Invasive species within desert riparian environments significantly affect ecosystem function by overtaking native species and altering their fluvial geomorphology. The Paria River, a sediment-heavy river and...