Cameron Peak Fire Water Quality Intern
Warner College of Natural Resources
Ecosystem Science and Sustainability
Larimer
County
- Natural Resources
- In the field
Primary Topic:
Natural Resources
Other Topics:
Health & Wellbeing, Emergency Management
Internship Overview:
The ROSSyndicate at Colorado State University (CSU) in conjunction with the Rocky Mountain Research Station (USFS) are researching the consequences of the 2020 Cameron Peak Fire on ash and sediment movement, water quality, and stream and reservoir productivity, and watershed restoration. In this project, we are sampling various reservoir, tributary, and mainstem sites of the Upper Cache la Poudre watershed. This field campaign allows us to analyze trends in water quality focusing on nutrients and other key constituents mobilized post-fire. The goal of this project is to understand how these nutrients affect algal growth in reservoirs and how those changes are propagated downstream. The reservoirs studied are the following: Barnes Meadow Reservoir, Chambers Lake, Comanche Reservoir, Hourglass Reservoir, Joe Wright Reservoir, Long Draw Reservoir, and Peterson Lake.
Goals, Scope and Objectives:
In this project, we use a variety of water quality tools and techniques to characterize the water quality of the Upper CLP Watershed. Primarily, we take water samples which are run in a biogeochemistry lab to measure a suite of nutrients and specific water constituents.
We also use in-situ water quality sensors to measure real-time and continuous water quality parameters such as temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, chlorophyll a, and conductivity. The objective of this internship is to maintain existing long term water quality grab sample dataset and to implement a decision support system for municipal water providers using water quality sensors. The intern would be aiding in the maintenance of a long-term water quality dataset to inform post-wildfire water quality research, water resource management and wildfire restoration/mitigation decisions in the Upper CLP basin.
Water sampling will occur throughout the field season (April- November) with most of the work being conducted during snowmelt (May-June) and monsoon season (July-August). During this time, our intern would oversee the sampling of seven high elevation reservoirs on a bi weekly basis, sampling 8 mainstem sites along the CLP, maintaining and troubleshooting sensors as needed, and processing these water samples at the RMRS biogeochemistry lab. Our intern may also be asked to assist on the installation, repair, or deconstruction of sensor housings if the need arises. On a typical week, this would involve 20-25 hours of field work and 5-10 hours of lab work.
We also use in-situ water quality sensors to measure real-time and continuous water quality parameters such as temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, chlorophyll a, and conductivity. The objective of this internship is to maintain existing long term water quality grab sample dataset and to implement a decision support system for municipal water providers using water quality sensors. The intern would be aiding in the maintenance of a long-term water quality dataset to inform post-wildfire water quality research, water resource management and wildfire restoration/mitigation decisions in the Upper CLP basin.
Water sampling will occur throughout the field season (April- November) with most of the work being conducted during snowmelt (May-June) and monsoon season (July-August). During this time, our intern would oversee the sampling of seven high elevation reservoirs on a bi weekly basis, sampling 8 mainstem sites along the CLP, maintaining and troubleshooting sensors as needed, and processing these water samples at the RMRS biogeochemistry lab. Our intern may also be asked to assist on the installation, repair, or deconstruction of sensor housings if the need arises. On a typical week, this would involve 20-25 hours of field work and 5-10 hours of lab work.
With which stakeholder group(s) will the intern work?
Our intern will primarily work with researchers from the ROSS (Radical Open Science Syndicate) in the Ecosystem Science and Sustainability Department at CSU. Our intern will also work closely with US Forest Service researchers (USFS) when aiding in the sampling of tributary study sites or processing samples at the biogeochemistry lab. Our intern may also work with community organizations such as the Coalition for the Poudre River Watershed during restoration activities or monitoring campaigns. Our intern will also work in conjunction with municipal water utility providers (Fort Collins, Greeley and Thornton) when on site at managed reservoirs.
What student learning outcomes do you anticipate and what are the opportunities for professional development?
1. Technical Skills: Our intern will gain experience with water sampling techniques and basic lab processing skills. Our intern will gain technical skills related to water quality monitoring with a particular focus on in situ sensor deployment, calibration, and maintenance. They will also learn how to operate radio telemetry systems to relay water quality data in areas where cell service is limited or non-existent.
2. Research Experience: Our intern will be involved in applied research focused on understanding reservoir water quality dynamics, wildfire impacts to water quality, creation of utility decision support systems, and long-term monitoring data management.
3. Problem-Solving: Our intern will often work in areas where cell service is limited and will have to create solutions with only the tools at their disposal. Our intern will engage in sensor or site troubleshooting which will improve their critical thinking and problem-solving skills while in the field.
4. Critical Thinking and Observation: Our intern will be encouraged to share what they have seen in the field and bring this knowledge to the discussion of watershed health, water quality condition of reservoirs and movement of impaired water thru reservoirs into the mainstem.
5. Collaboration: Our intern will work with multiple local stakeholder groups, fostering collaboration, teamwork, and networking opportunities with water quality professionals that can be valuable for future career development.
6. Literature review and data management: Our intern will be encouraged to help staff with literature review on water quality dynamics within reservoirs, nutrient processing and the wildfire water quality
2. Research Experience: Our intern will be involved in applied research focused on understanding reservoir water quality dynamics, wildfire impacts to water quality, creation of utility decision support systems, and long-term monitoring data management.
3. Problem-Solving: Our intern will often work in areas where cell service is limited and will have to create solutions with only the tools at their disposal. Our intern will engage in sensor or site troubleshooting which will improve their critical thinking and problem-solving skills while in the field.
4. Critical Thinking and Observation: Our intern will be encouraged to share what they have seen in the field and bring this knowledge to the discussion of watershed health, water quality condition of reservoirs and movement of impaired water thru reservoirs into the mainstem.
5. Collaboration: Our intern will work with multiple local stakeholder groups, fostering collaboration, teamwork, and networking opportunities with water quality professionals that can be valuable for future career development.
6. Literature review and data management: Our intern will be encouraged to help staff with literature review on water quality dynamics within reservoirs, nutrient processing and the wildfire water quality
