PhD Proposal: Maryam Rishehri

Maryam Rishehri, PhD Student

Advisor: 

Dr. Claire Welty

TITLE: 

Exploring the Influence of Urban Hydrologic Connectivity on Infiltration Dynamics and Baseflow Solute Pathways Using Integrated Hydrologic Modeling

ABSTRACT: 

Urbanization significantly alters hydrologic connectivity and solute transport dynamics, yet many modeling approaches fail to capture the full complexity of these processes. This research aims to advance our understanding of urban water systems by integrating computational hydrologic modeling with field data analysis. Specifically, this study addresses two major challenges in urban hydrology: (1) understanding the evolution of infiltration and subsurface flow patterns in rain gardens under episodic recharge conditions, and (2) quantifying how urban infrastructure influences solute transport during baseflow periods.

To address these challenges, this research utilizes ParFlow-CLM, a fully integrated, three-dimensional hydrologic model, and EcoSLIM, a Lagrangian particle tracking model. In the first part of the study, field observations from a rain garden in Philadelphia are integrated with ParFlow-CLM simulations to investigate how infiltration dynamics and lateral subsurface flow pathways evolve over multiple recharge events. In the second part, EcoSLIM is applied to a domain-wide ParFlow-CLM simulation of the Dead Run watershed in Baltimore to analyze how urban features such as impervious surfaces influence solute migration pathways during groundwater-dominated flow.

Location: Webex

Agenda

• 9:55 pm: Meeting room will open
• 10:00 pm: 45-min presentation will be open to the public with Q&A.
• Followed by a closed session with the committee and PhD Student.