Date of Award
Fall 2010
Project Type
Thesis
Program or Major
Civil Engineering
Degree Name
Master of Science
First Advisor
Jennifer Jacobs
Abstract
Water temperature in small, headwater streams may reveal much about stream health. Yet, our understanding of stream temperature and its driving factors is limited compared to other water quality parameters. In addition to natural factors, research suggests that watershed urbanization may impact a stream's thermal regime. This research quantified culverts and impervious area's stream temperature impacts across coastal NH streams using experimental data and a deterministic temperature model. Impervious areas were found to increase streams' daily average temperatures, possibly accentuate storm temperature surges, but not diurnal temperature ranges. Road crossings were found to increase the variability of diurnal temperature ranges, daily average temperatures, and increase storm temperature surges. Culverts and parking lots' thermal stormwater runoff impacts were observed during summer rainfall through high resolution temperature sensors. Modeling results showed that while solar radiation is the largest energy influx for most streams, it was not in reaches with dense canopy.
Recommended Citation
Lemay, Gary, "Stream temperature impacts of culverts and impervious areas" (2010). Master's Theses and Capstones. 576.
https://scholars.unh.edu/thesis/576