Floodplain geomorphology and circulation

University Of South Carolina At Columbia, Columbia SC

Investigators

Abstract

This project will enhance knowledge of landscape response in coastal floodplains to extreme rainfall events, which could aid coastal communities to better prepare for flood hazards. This project will also provide: an opportunity to further advance the career of a Native American scientist; research experience for a Hispanic female technician; and quality educational opportunities for undergraduate students. Reporting of the project results at the Society for Advancing Chicanos/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) undergraduate research conferences will attract underrepresented groups to pursue careers in geoscience. This project will examine the landscape and hydrological response of the Santee River Floodplain to an extreme rainfall event that occurred between October 3-5, 2015, in South Carolina (two-day rainfall totals up to 400 mm on the coastal plain, 300 mm in the piedmont, and 250 mm in the upstate). The team will collect perishable data from coastal floodplains, develop scientific criteria for locating sampling sites, and enhance hydrodynamic modeling capabilities with potential broad applications in coastal floodplain landscapes.