Sam Munoz

Sponsor: NSF

CAREER: Sedimentary signatures of large riverine floods to constrain risk and build resiliency

The traditional paradigm in river and floodplain management relies almost exclusively on stream gage measurements as the key dataset informing flood hazard assessments, while largely neglecting the geomorphic dynamics and resulting sedimentary records preserved in floodplains. This project builds on prior work in the development and application of stratigraphic records in floodplains by harnessing recent advances in hydraulic modeling, environmental sensors, and sedimentology to constrain flood hazard assessments. This research is integrated with an education and outreach plan designed to attract, motivate, and train community college students in geoscience research through an established internship program.