Restoring Historical Water Data and Quantifying Catchment Water Dynamics in California and the United States

This defense will be presented in person. Join us in the MSI Auditorium or watch online using this link and passcode tea

ABSTRACT

Water data are critical to sustainable water management. However, we lack adequate spatial and temporal water data for much of the United States. Groundwater is particularly challenging to quantify because it exists in the subsurface, beyond direct observation. This dissertation restores millions of water measurements throughout the US from federal archives and demonstrates the applicability of such information in current water research. In my first chapter, I quantify groundwater conditions across the US using historical records which span a century. In my second chapter, I develop a machine learning workflow to automate the digitization of millions of archival water records in California. In my final chapter, I take a deep dive into rainfall and streamflow dynamics, and examine the impact of watershed differences and antecedent conditions on stream response in Santa Barbara County. 

BIO

Annette is a hydrologist whose research encompasses continental, regional, and catchment-scale analyses with a focus on groundwater and historical data restoration. Annette earned a B.A. in Geology from The College of Wooster, where she became passionate about environmental science. In her PhD at the Bren School, Annette conducted hands-on field research in hydrology as well as large scale analyses of water resources. Annette is an award winning mentor and science communicator. She was the UCSB Center for Science and Engineering Partnerships (CSEP) Mentor Leadership Fellow (2024-2025) and the UCSB Grad Slam Champion in 2023. During the final year of her PhD, Annette collaborated with a non-profit, Land Together, and the UC Davis Center for Community and Citizen Science to bring science into correctional facilities in California. Annette has been awarded an NSF STEM Ed IPRF Postdoctoral Fellowship to continue this work and will join her colleagues at UC Davis as a postdoctoral researcher.