School of Earth and Sustainability
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School of Earth & Sustainability

Email:
SES.Admin​@nau.edu
Call:
928-523-9333

Water Management, Policy, & Science

Humans are now one of, if not the most important, agent for processes at the surface of the Earth. We conduct comprehensive collaborative research to inform ecosystem management practices that affect hydrologic systems. Some of our research themes include an exploration of the role of upland forest management on hydrologic processes, the implications of dam and reservoir management on associated resources, and the stewardship of springs ecosystems.

Graduates of our programs work in the private, governmental, and non-governmental sectors doing land and resource science, management and planning. We focus on modern arid and semi-arid climate systems in Western North America, but include research and teaching from all modern and ancient climate systems.

Current projects

  • Springs Ecohydrology
  • Development of a guidebook for environmental flow needs assessment under a changing climate.
  • Mobile field application for citizen science springs monitoring of 4FRI treatments
  • Developing a geodatabase and geocollaborative tools to support springs and springs-dependent species management in the Southern Rockies LCC
  • Linking forest landscape management and climate change to the conservation of riparian habitat in Grand Canyon
  • Fast and slow recharge to deep karst aquifers

Who we are

  • Faculty and research staff Tab Open

  • Research laboratories Tab Closed

  • Collaborators Tab Closed

Faculty and research staff Accordion Open

  • Abe Springer, hydrogeology, ecohydrology, karst
  • Denielle Perry, water resources policy and management, geography, political ecology, Wild and Scenic Rivers Act
  • Julie Mueller, environmental economics, non-market valuation
  • Pranay Ranjan, institutions, water governance, conservation behavior, climate change adaptation, environmental social science
  • Rebecca Best, aquatic ecology and evolution
  • James Sample, tectonics, geochemistry, geoscience education

Research laboratories Accordion Closed

  • Colorado Plateau Analytical Lab

Collaborators Accordion Closed

At NAU
  • Ecological Restoration Institute
Outside NAU
  • Grand Canyon National Park
  • Springs Stewardship Institute at the Museum of Northern Arizona
  • Grand Canyon Monitoring and Research Center

In the news

NAU News: Vital Springs Need Protection and Study

The Academic Minute: Abe Springer – Springs and Sustainability

KNAU, Arizona Public Radio: Flagstaff Research Conducts Largest-ever Study of Arid Landscape Springs

NAU News: Citizen Science Initiative to Monitor Area Springs

AZ Daily Sun: Groundwater in Flagstaff; a Precious Resource

nau professor and students study water ecology

For students

  • Degree programs Tab Open

  • Graduate-level courses Tab Closed

Degree programs Accordion Open

  • Bachelor’s degree (BS) in Environmental Sciences or Geology
  • Master’s Degree (MS) in Environmental Sciences and Policy or Geology
  • PhD in Earth Sciences & Environmental Sustainability, with an emphasis in Earth Systems or Climate & Environmental Change

Graduate-level courses Accordion Closed

  • GLG 451 Hydrogeology
  • GLG 670 Advanced Hydrogeology (Springs Ecohydrology)
  • GLG 575 Environmental Geochemistry
  • ENV 525 Water Resources Policy
  • ENV 555 Science Policy Interface
  • FOR 560 Wetland Ecology and Management

School of Earth & Sustainability
Location
Room A108 Building 11
Ashurst
624 S Knoles Dr
Flagstaff, AZ 86011
Contact Form
Email
SES.Admin@nau.edu
Phone
928-523-9333
Fax
928-523-7423
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