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Welcome to Pradhanang lab

Welcome to the Hydrology and Environmental Water Quality Lab, a dynamic research group at the URI’s Department of Geosciences. My Lab group focuses on hydrological, ecological, and biogeochemical processes that affect water resources. We are interested in how climatic variability, land use, and watershed management affect status and trends of water quantity and quality in streams, lakes, rivers, and estuaries. We use combined approach of monitoring and modeling to understand water and nutrients movement in complex terrain, soils, land use, and with various watershed protection practices.  Our work evaluates management practices to develop guidelines to ensure the protection of the ecosystem that provides our water. Current projects explore emerging contaminants in drinking water, modeling of pollutant fluxes in surface water and climate change applications.

[themify_button bgcolor=”light-green” size=”large” link=”https://web.uri.edu/geo/pradhananglab/survey/” target=”_self” ]Survey – Hatch project S1063[/themify_button]

Research

Ongoing Research Projects

Scituate Reservoir Mitigation Model , CDBG-DR 2016 Grant

This project will evaluate spillway management as the primary mitigation tool.  Spillway management has the potential to negatively impact Water Supply or (Safe Yield).  Therefore, an integral part of this model and analysis is intended to identify the Safe Yield and opportunities for mitigation without negatively impacting Safe Yield.

Floating Wetland to Remediate Water Pollution

GEOPATHS and Coastal Fellows deploying floating wetland, URI

Floating Wetland units provides are used to improve the water quality and ecological health of polluted water in ponds, lakes or moving waters. The main objective of this eco-friendly based technology is to reduce pollutants such as excess nutrients, total suspended solids, metals and bacteria, as well as improving dissolved oxygen appropriately in the heavily polluted pond, for a healthy and sustainable ecosystem.

Evaluate riparian zone functions in glaciated settings for decision-support purposes with respect to N and P fluxes (USDA-AFRI)

Peckham Farm, URI . [Marzia Tamanna, URI]
Photo Courtesy: Kelly Addy, URI

Develop and evaluate watershed water quality models for predicting water quality at the field and watershed-scales when considering climate change (S-1063 Project USDA, NEWRNet Sensors –NSF EPSCoR RI)

Northeast Water Resources Network (NEWRNet) Sensors Site
Bailey’s Brook, RI

Dissolved organic matters (DOMs) and formation potentials of Disinfectant By Products (DBPs) in the drinking water (NEWRNet Sensors –NSF EPSCoR RI)

Potential pathways for DBP formation

Understanding impacts of warmer climate on stream water quality in forested Watershed: Habitat implications and spatial variation in hydrologic drivers (S-1063 Project USDA ; NEWRNet Sensors –NSF EPSCoR RI)

Northeast Water Resources Network (NEWRNet): Aquidneck Island Watersheds
Photo Credit: Britta Anderson, URI

Students

Maxwell Meadows
M.S. Student
Hydrology and Environmental Water Quality Lab Manager
Program: Biological and Environmental Sciences
(Environmental and Earth Sciences Specialization)

Previous Education:
Bachelor of Science in Earth Sciences, Central Connecticut State University, 2017

Maxwell is a M.S. student and lab manager in the department of Geosciences at URI. As an undergraduate in Connecticut, Maxwell’s research focused on the fate and transport of heavy metals in agricultural soils. Now, his Master’s Thesis research is focused on the occurrence and formation of drinking water contaminants known as nitrogenous disinfection byproducts (N-DBPs). With his research, Maxwell will develop a replicable method of analysis to quantify N-DBPs in drinking water, and demonstrate control and improvement of drinking water quality using unconventional treatment techniques.

Shiva Gopal Shrestha
Ph.D Student, Graduate Research Assistant, Dept of Geoscience, University of Rhode Island

Previous Education:
Water engineering professional with a Master of Science in Civi Engineering focused in Water Resources Engineering. Skilled in AutoCAD, Arc Gis, SWAT,HEC-RAS, HEC-HMS ,MATLAB, FORTRAN,R and Python.

Shiva is an experienced research analyst in water, climate and energy. His expertise has been in understanding of water availability of watershed system and its response to the precipitation extremes under current and changing climate. Development of realistic hydrological model in data scarce environment is a challenge and understanding the behavior of a watershed system under potential future anthropogenic stresses is of utmost importance as only with vulnerability assessment of a system, adaptation pathways may be figured out. His current research interest is policy implication research related to hydrology and biogeochemistry through scientific understanding of anthropogenic interactions with watershed and related infrastructures. This shall help increase knowledge and capacity required to build robust water infrastructures which is the foundation of sustainable development.

Jeeban Panthi (Co-Advised with Thomas Boving)
Ph.D Student, Graduate Research Assistant, Dept of Geoscience, University of Rhode Island

Previous Education:
MSc in Environmental Science from Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal

Jeeban Panthi received his MSc in Environmental Science from Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal in 2011. He worked at a research organization – The Small Earth Nepal- for 6 years as Research Coordinator. He got opportunities to work on multiple aspects of environment focusing to climate and water, and their interconnections. Recognizing his research activities in Nepal, United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) provided him PROVIA Young Research Fellowship in 2016, he worked on climate change and water quality under the fellowship program. His interest is to evaluate the climatic and non-climatic stresses to water resources and identify practical solution to mitigate the impacts. In his PhD research, Jeeban is working on saltwater intrusion to groundwater aquifer taking the coastal area of Rhode Island as a case study. Jeeban loves to travel, hiking and make connections with people from diverse background.

Mamoon Ismail
Ph.D Student, Graduate Research Assistant, Dept of Geoscience, University of Rhode Island

Previous education:
Master of of Science in Environmental Sciences, Yarmouk University
Thesis: “Hydrogeochemical Modeling of the Shallow Groundwater in the Northern Jordan Valley”
Bachelor of Since in Geology, Yarmouk University

Mamoon is a Hydrogeologist, and Groundwater-Flow Modeler, has over ten years of experience in water resources management, groundwater data analysis, and private wells monitoring and metering, through his work at the Ministry of Water and Irrigation in Jordan and international agencies.
His focus research on groundwater quality deterioration and salinization, applying geochemical mass-balance and isotopic composition in the Jordan Valley to identify the age and origin of water.
Currently he is a Ph.D student in the department of Geosciences at URI, working on developing a saltwater intrusion model for South Coastal Basin in RI, where groundwater is the primary source of drinking water. Investigating the extent and impact of saltwater intrusion driven by natural and anthropogenic factors using SEAWAT (coupling of MODFLOW and MT3DMS) to model three-dimensional, variable-density groundwater flow and saltwater intrusion.

Kyle Young, ATP, LEED
Commander, U.S. Coast Guard
Instructor – Physics I/II, Computing, Private Pilot Ground School
Department of Science
U.S. Coast Guard Academy
Ph.D Student, Dept of Geoscience, University of Rhode Island

Kyle Young is an active duty officer in the U.S. Coast Guard and is currently serving as a physics instructor at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (CGA). He received his bachelor’s degree and commission from CGA in 2002, and has served numerous operational tours in the Coast Guard, including as an engineer and diver onboard a Coast Guard Polar Icebreaker, and as a Search and Rescue helicopter pilot and instructor pilot at Coast Guard Air Stations in San Francisco, CA and in Traverse City, MI. Kyle is a designated Coast Guard Aeronautical Engineer, and holds FAA pilot certifications as a fixed wing Commercial Pilot, a helicopter Airline Transport Pilot, and a Small Unmanned Aircraft System (SUAS) operator. His educational background includes a BS in Mechanical Engineering, an MS in Environmental Policy and Management, and an MS in Earth Sciences. Kyle enjoys spending time with his family, playing music, dancing with his wife, biking in all weather, and being outdoors.

Marzia Tamanna
Ph.D. Student
Program: Biological and Environmental Sciences
(Environmental and Earth Sciences Specialization)

Previous Education:
Master of Science in Civil Engineering (specialization: Hydrology), University of Louisiana at Lafayette , 2015
Masters Thesis : Dynamically downscaled NARCCAP Climate Model Simulations: An Evaluation Analysis over Louisiana.
Bachelor of Science , Civil Engineering , Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology , 2011

Marzia is a Ph.D. student in the department of Geosciences at the URI. Her research focuses on developing a set of Riparian Ecosystem Management Model (REMM) parameters for the US Midwest and US Northeast to facilitate the use of this model in these regions and improve its functionality with respect to N, P, and N₂O. She will also be involved in downscaling climate models and conducting uncertainty analysis on downscaled climate model outputs for RI.

Areas of research interest: Water resources, hydrology, climate change impact, approach to assess climate risk & uncertainties.

Khurshid Jahan
Ph.D. Student
Program: Biological and Environmental Sciences
(Environmental and Earth Sciences Specialization)

Previous Education:
Master of Science in Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, University of Dhaka.
Thesis: Hydrogeology and Hydrogeochemistry of Dohar and Part of Nawabganj upazila, Dhaka
Bachelor of Science , Geology , University of Dhaka.

Khurshid is a Professional Hydrogeologist. She worked on drinking and surface water quality and water resource management in the coastal area of Bangladesh for more than six years. During this time she did surface and groundwater assessment by quality analyses and modeling (Watershed Modeling and Single Cell Thana Model (SCTM)). Besides, she got fellowship as an young researcher from Bangladesh Centre for Advanced Studies (BCAS) and carried out research on the prospect of very shallow groundwater for drinking water supply in the saline and arsenic prone coastal areas of Bangladesh. She was also awarded SAWA(South Asian Water Alliance) fellowship funded by Netherland Government from BUET (Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology) and participated training program in Sri Lanka.

Khurshid joined Pradhanang Lab in Fall 2016 as a PhD student under the department of Geosciences of URI. Her primary research focus is to evaluate the effectiveness of improved roadside best management practices in maintaining storm water quality.

Area of interests: Drinking water quality studies, modeling, analytical chemistry, water resource and environmental management, climate change.

Supria Paul
Ph.D. Student
Program: Biological and Environmental Sciences
(Environmental and Earth Sciences Specialization)

Previous education:
Master of Science in Water Resources Development, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Dhaka-1000, Bangladesh, 2014
Master’s thesis: Impact of climate change on stream flow over Brahmaputra Basin using soil and water assessment tools (SWAT) hydrologic model.
Bachelor of Science in Water Resources Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, 2011

Supria is a Ph.D student in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at URI. Having experience in hydrology and climate change research, she is now focused to improve the water supply and disaster management of drinking supply in Rhode Island. She is currently working to develop a numerical model as well as a physical model of Scituate reservoir of Rhode Island to assess its capacity under extreme hydrologic scenarios like high flow and low flow. The Scituate reservoir is one of the primary drinking water sources of Rhode Island. In an event like flood, the reservoir experiences overspill and adverse greatly on the water supply system and urban land area. Considering similar scenarios, Supria will aim to analyze the vulnerability and resilience of the reservoir.

Area of interest: Surface Hydrology, hydrologic and hydraulic modeling, Impact of climate change on water resources, water resources management.

Hichem Hadjeres
M.S. Student
Hichem Hadjeres graduated with a B.A. in earth/environmental science and a minor in economics from Wesleyan University in 2015. He is passionate about international water management and is a clean-tech entrepreneur. Before joining URI, Hichem helped lead a water quality study researching the effects of nitrate pollution and saltwater intrusion on one of Morocco’s largest aquifers. He is currently pursuing his Master of Science with focus in hydrogeology and is researching the efficacy of innovative water treatment technologies in eliminating toxic byproducts and emerging contaminants, with the goal of transferring them to developing countries.

Graduated from my lab:
Britta Chambers , MSc (now working in EA Engineering, Science and Technology Inc. )

Undergraduate Fellows:
Tyler Phillips, Internship, URI (2015))
Sabrina Alvarez, Science and Engineering Fellow, URI (2016)
Jordanne Feldman, Coastal Fellow, URI (2017)
Husam Bahra, GEOPATHS Fellow, URI (2017)
Ricardo Verissimo, GEOPATHS Fellow, URI (2017)
Ehren Messinger, Coastal Fellow, URI (2017)

Work with us

Hydrology and environmental water quality lab is always looking for undergraduate students to take part in their own independent research or to assist current graduate students in their research endeavors.
I am interested in motivated and talented graduate students. The primary track for students (both at the MS and PhD levels) interested in working with me, is through the graduate program in Environmental and Earth Sciences (EVES).
Graduate students interested in pursuing a Ph.D. in Environmental and Earth Sciences within my research group can also explore the following funding opportunities.
US Department of Agriculture NIFA Fellowship Program (USDA-NIFA)
Environmental Protection Agency Star Fellowship Program (EPA-STAR)
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (NSF-GRFP)
If you are interested in joining my research group, please send me a letter or email me at spradhanang@uri.edu and include following:
1) a CV summarizing your academic work, and field and research experience;
2) a letter identifying the research questions you are interested in pursuing, why you want to pursue a higher degree, why you are interested in joining my research group and what you could contribute to it, and writing samples;
3) Your GPA and most recent GRE scores and TOEFL scores (for International students).

Useful links

• The National Climatic Data Center (NOAA – NCDC)
• Soil and Watershed Assessment Tool (SWAT)
• Annualized Agricultural Non Point Source Pollutant Model
• Water data for the Nation
• Gridded climate datasets
• Online resource for spatial data
• Soil Survey Geographic Database (SSURGO)
• MODIS data products
• Yale University School of Forestry and Environmental Science
• State University of New York –ESF
• Bangalore University
• Tribhuvan University