Research
The River Basin Center works in three broad areas: a) Conservation ecology of aquatic ecosystems; b) Applied research on aquatic system stressors and development of appropriate management tools; c) policy development and outreach.
The River Basin Center includes over 80 affiliates from 27 different University of Georgia units and $6,400,000 in active grants from external funders.
To learn more about River Basin Center research or request a project description of your own work, email UGARiverbasincenter@uga.edu.
A day in the life of a pond: Measuring small-reservoir emissions to inform infrastructure decisions
By 7:45 a.m. on Tuesday, June 21, 2022 Laura Naslund had already spent over an hour in a canoe on a little pond on the east side of Athens, Georgia. Naslund, a graduate student in the Odum School of Ecology and a 2022 Spencer Grant recipient, was finishing up the first field sampling event of … Continue reading A day in the life of a pond: Measuring small-reservoir emissions to inform infrastructure decisions
The breakdown on crabs
Freshwater crabs play an important role in the breakdown of nutrients from natural materials that fall into streams, but few studies have looked into exactly how their relationships with other detritivores and the leaf litter itself impacts ecosystems.
Ethics Of Water Legislation In Brazil
As climate change causes rising temperatures and changes in rainfall across the planet, Dr. Don Nelson is shedding light on the differing values of populations in Northeastern Brazil to inform future water management decisions.
The Fate of Carbon in Warmer Waters
Researchers Seth Wenger and Amy Rosemond examine the consequences of climate warming on how the carbon contained in leaves, fallen trees, and other natural materials is processed within streams.
Finding the Path of Least Resistance
Researcher Nandita Gaur uses tomography to map nutrient pathways from septic systems into Lake Lanier
Insects through the ages
Graduate student Denzell Cross builds on past research to monitor how urban aquatic insect communities change over time.
The impact of Aetokhonos hydrillicola on avian species
Dr. Susan Wilde recently characterized a new toxin that is made by the novel cyanobacteria and kills waterfowl and birds of prey
Impact of Flow Regimes on Fish Populations
Mary Freeman and Seth Wenger are working to improve the understanding of how dams, water withdrawals and other flow modifications affect fish populations.
The Impacts of Drought on Puerto Rican Streams
Dr. Catherine Pringle and Dr. Alan Covich collaborated on a study on the effects of global climate change, specifically extreme weather events, on ropical stream ecosystems in Puerto Rico.
Mapping Septic in Athens-Clarke County
Researcher Krista Capps is organizing scientific data and building relationships between decision makers to enhance local understanding of existing water infrastructure
Nutrient pollution in streams
Researcher Amy Rosemond studies how nutrient uptake in streams impacts carbon processing
Peering Beneath the Surface
USGS researcher Mary Freeman tracks freshwater fish populations in southeastern streams
RBC Researchers Explore Drivers of Algal Blooms and Host-Parasite Dynamics in Local Pond Ecosystems
The presence of a little-known group of parasites in zooplankton populations in the ponds of Whitehall Forest immediately drew the attention of River Basin Center affiliate Alex Strauss, an assistant professor in the Odum School of Ecology, when he arrived at UGA.
The Supply and Demand of Trout in Georgia
Graduate students Hailey Yondo and Jenna Haag map the supply and demand of Georgia’s trout fishery in space and time
Streamlining to Save Species
Streamlining the GDOT consultation process to help support imperiled aquatic species.
UGA Researchers Redefine the 100-Year-Flood
Researcher Brian Bledsoe redefines the term 100-year flood and develops maps that more accurately depict flood risk
Water Scarcity in Arid Environments
Water scarcity in arid environments around the world is a threat to ecosystem health as well as to the livelihoods of the one billion people who inhabit them. Dr. Adam Milewski, an affiliate with the River Basin Center at the University of Georgia and an Associate Professor and Associate Department Head in the Department of … Continue reading Water Scarcity in Arid Environments
Septic System Effects on Lake Lanier
Researcher David Radcliffe is tracking the input of phosphorus to Lake Lanier, Atlanta’s water supply through groundwater measurements, lake sampling, and modeling.
The Search for Gopher Frogs
Dr. Stacey Lance is working to identify suitable habitat for Carolina gopher frogs, a species identified as endangered in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama, and to survey existing populations on private lands.
Supporting policy in the face of sea level rise
Katie Hill, an affiliate of UGA’s River Basin Center and research professional in the Planning and Environmental Services unit at the Carl Vinson Institute of Government at the University of Georgia is investigating how communities can adapt to climate change challenges.
Watershed Learning Network
Promoting healthy environments for vulnerable communities.