Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID MT_2025_BarbosaSantos

Understanding Hydrologic Connectivity in Gravel-Bed Rivers: Integrating UAV and SWOT Observations to Analyze Connectivity Dynamics

Institute: Montana
Year Established: 2025 Start Date: 2026-01-01 End Date: 2026-12-31
Total Federal Funds: $1,900 Total Non-Federal Funds: Not available

Principal Investigators: Marina Barbosa Santos

Project Summary: Gravel-bedded river systems are dynamic landscapes that support a wide range of ecological interactions, with their floodplains providing vital connectivity for aquatic and terrestrial species. Despite their ecological importance, these systems remain under-studied, particularly regarding what drives surface and subsurface water exchanges and how geomorphic features influence connectivity patterns. Human developments such as roads, housing, and dams, often disrupt these processes by fragmenting floodplain habitats, reducing hydrologic variability, and limiting the system's natural resilience. Seasonal flow variations further impact water levels, floodplain dynamics, and groundwater recharge, contributing to the shifting nature of these waterways. Improved understanding of these dynamics is essential to support effective water management, habitat restoration, and climate adaptation strategies, especially in unconfined, multi-threaded reaches where these complexities are most pronounced.