Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID IN_2024_Li

Impacts of Drought-Flood Abrupt Alternation on Water Quality in Indiana

Institute: Indiana
Year Established: 2024 Start Date: 2024-09-01 End Date: 2025-08-31
Total Federal Funds: $30,000 Total Non-Federal Funds: $30,657

Principal Investigators: Zhiying Li

Project Summary: Water quality issue is important to the state of Indiana’s economy. The state is concerned how climate change in the future can significantly impact water quality. For example, drought can upset water quality by reducing dilution due to less water availability while floods can transport high amounts of pollutants and sediments into rivers and streams. As climate change leads to greater numbers and more intense extreme events, we may experience quicker changes between drought and floods, termed drought-flood abrupt alternation (DFAA). The impact of DFAA on water quality in Indiana remains under-studied. The proposed study will quantify the frequency and severity of DFAA events in the state, especially around underserved communities. We will then assess the historical influence of DFAA events on water quality from 1972 to 2023 and predict future changes in DFAA occurrences under climate change. We will make collected data and modeling outcomes online and freely available to all stakeholders, contributing to the open science communities.