Julie Scamardo
Tell us about yourself:
My name is Juli Scamardo (she/her/hers), and I am a PhD student in the Department of Geosciences at Colorado State University working with Ellen Wohl. I grew up outside of Houston, Texas, and received my B.S. in Environmental Science (concentration Geology) from the University of Texas at Austin. While there, I worked on two separate research projects: the first measuring sedimentation rates on inset floodplains in bank scallops in Virginia, and the second investigating the effect of baselevel on channel sinuosity in a series of flume experiments. Afterwards, I traded the Texas Hill Country for the Rocky Mountains and joined the fluvial geomorphology lab at Colorado State University. I started working on process-based restoration projects related to beaver reintroduction and beaver dam analogues, specifically looking at sedimentation and groundwater responses to small restoration projects across the Colorado Front Range. After earning my M.S. and being awarded an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship in 2019, I was happy to stay at CSU to work on my dissertation research.
What is your research about?
I am broadly interested in the role of geomorphology in maintaining functioning ecosystems. After defending my M.S. thesis on beaver-related restoration, I shifted my focus to drier systems. I am currently studying the connection between sediment and habitat in floodplains along dryland, ephemeral streams across the Colorado River Basin in Arizona and Utah. Specifically, I am interested in understanding whether the heterogeneity of topography, grain size, and vegetation on an ephemeral floodplain is related to the width of the floodplain, sediment supply to the floodplain, or sediment residence times within the floodplain. To study this, I am using a suite of methods that include field work, modeling, and remote sensing.
What excites you about your research?
Compared to perennial rivers, there is still a lot we do not know about ephemeral streams, which I think is exciting! One big challenge of working in ephemeral streams is their elusive flow. One of the things that excites me the most about this project is that we are developing indirect methods to study floodplain function without witnessing floodplain inundation (to date, I have yet to catch a flash flood!). By using interdisciplinary methods (including geochronology and geophysics) to understand the magnitude and timing of sedimentation on ephemeral streams, we will be able to add a piece to the puzzle of understanding ephemeral stream function. Additionally, I have been able to learn a lot about desert ecology through this research, which has really helped me see river corridors in a new light.
What broader importance does your research have for society?
Because of their temporary nature, the protection of ephemeral streams and rivers has constantly been in flux over the past few decades. However, ephemeral streams are pervasive across the desert Southwest. It is estimated that ephemeral and intermittent rivers comprise approximately 80% of Southwestern watersheds, and with a changing climate, the percentage of rivers and streams experiencing temporary flow is expected to increase. Previous research has pointed to ephemeral streams as important zones of groundwater recharge, nutrient cycling, and habitat for endemic and migratory species in arid to semi-arid landscapes. Therefore, both now and in the future, understanding how to protect ephemeral streams may be essential to maintaining thriving desert ecosystems. What areas do we need to protect? What processes need to be maintained? My hope is that my research will help answer some of these questions and will help with management decision-making in the future.
What inspired you to pursue a career in Earth Science?
I feel like there was a series of “aha” moments that led me to being a geomorphologist. I feel very fortunate that I had the privilege to vacation and explore in the outdoors growing up. I can think back to specific summer afternoons along the Brazos River near my house and vacations hiking along the Merced River in Yosemite Valley as a kid that really sparked my initial interest and curiosity in rivers. In college, I was a part of a citizen science initiative called Longhorn Stream Team where we canoed rivers across Texas and recorded water quality information. Putting a finger to the pulse of these rivers, running their rapids, researching their discharge, and recording their conductivity (among other things) heightened that curiosity about rivers. I was lucky enough to participate in an REU at the University of Delaware where I worked with Jim Pizzuto, and I think I was waist deep in my first soil pit when my most important ‘aha’ moment came. I wanted to be a geomorphologist! I am fascinated by the ability to come up with a question and then freely pursue the answer.
What are you looking to do after you complete your PhD?
I am looking to stay in a research position, either in academia or at a federal agency. Ideally, I would like to stay somewhere in the American West to continue studying a range of streams and rivers!
Given unlimited funding and access to resources, what is your dream project that you would pursue?
Wow – so many come to mind! One of particular importance to my work right now would be developing a network of stream gauges on ephemeral streams. Very few ephemeral streams are currently gauged, which limited our understanding of flood frequency and connectivity on ephemeral streams. With unlimited resources, I would want to gauge every ephemeral stream (hah!) and study the range of flow frequency and duration that exists. Additionally, I would collect monthly high-resolution topographic data to study topographic changes in floodplains, which may help us find yet another definition of what a floodplain is (what is actually reworked and how frequently?).
What else do you do? Any hobbies or interests outside of work?
Outside of research, I am the Vice President of Engagement for the Graduate Student Council at Colorado State University, where I have been working to keep graduate students connected and supported throughout the last year! I also work on a college-wide committee dedicated towards developing trainings and resources for diversity, equity, and inclusion in field work. Off-campus, I enjoy getting outdoors, cooking elaborate meals, and creating things! I have my staples of sketching and painting, but over the past few months, I have gotten into pottery. I can confidently say that I am near a critical mass of coffee mugs for one house. Lastly, a huge interest of mine is my two cats – Emma and Zia – who require a lot of attention!
Find out more about Juli’s research at: https://sites.warnercnr.colostate.edu/fluvial-geomorphology/juli-scamardo/