New research analyzes impact of climate change and urban development on compound dry-hot weather events

Portrait of Mahshid Ghanbari standing in front of greenery

The concurrent occurrence of hot and dry weather events, known as compound dry-hot extreme (CDHE) events, poses a significant risk to the health of both humans and the environment. In their research published by Nature Communications journal, postdoctoral researcher Mahshid Ghanbari and Professor Mazdak Arabi analyze the impact of climate change and urban development on…Read more

Smith and Hasan develop model for monitoring subsidence and groundwater storage loss

Fahim Hasan standing in green field with sunset behind him

Groundwater is a critical yet finite resource. When groundwater is excessively pumped for its many uses (drinking, irrigation, etc.), the surrounding land area can sink, known as land subsidence, causing permanent groundwater storage loss. Prof. Ryan G. Smith and colleagues have developed a new model to map subsidence globally for the first time. They published…Read more

Carlson and Tong’s fracking research cited in NYT feature

The New York Times’ article “‘Monster Fracks’ Are Getting Far Bigger. And Far Thirstier.” references research by CEE professors Kenneth Carlson and Tiezheng Tong. The article demonstrated the impact on U.S. aquifers by fracking activity by large oil and gas wells, using “astonishing volumes of water.” Carlson and Tong’s research found hydraulic fracturing in arid…Read more

Smith featured in NY Times article on diminishing groundwater

Candid outdoor portrait of Ryan Smith

Assistant Professor Ryan Smith’s research connecting groundwater depletion to arsenic contamination was cited in a New York Times article entitled “America Is Using Up Its Groundwater Like There’s No Tomorrow.” Below is an excerpt from the article: “In general, as people drill deeper wells, the likelihood of arsenic contamination increases, according to Dr. Smith, now…Read more