Broadly, my research interests include: Watershed hydrology, hydrologic controls on soil development, geospatial prediction of water movement in headwater catchments, hydrologic controls on carbon storage/release in headwater catchments, and ways to relate my work to policy decisions.
I am exploring the intersection of soil science and hydrology and endeavoring to expand this type of research to different spatial scales and and explore the possibility of using the concepts to predict spatial patterns in stream water chemistry. Additionally, I am interested in working on more applied problems such as the effects of land use change on water quality, inexpensive and innovative ways to monitor the flow and quality of water, and exploring the policy implications of my work.
Currently, I have several projects underway. I am continuing work with Dr. Margaret Zimmer at UC Santa Cruz to detect and explain differences in runoff generation across the North Carolina mountains and piedmont. The initial findings of this work can are summarized in the paper below.
Zimmer, M.A., and J.P. Gannon. 2018. Runoff processes from mountains to foothills: The role of soil stratigraphy and structure in influencing runoff characteristics across high to low relief landscapes. Hydrological Processes. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.11488
I am also working with Dr. Christa Kelleher at Syracuse university and WCU undergraduate John Morgan on questions relating to controls on streamwater temperature in headwater streams in the mountains of North Carolina. We have presented several times on this work and the initial findings are summarized in a forthcoming manuscript.
Together with colleagues at WCU (Drs. Kinner, Lord, and Styers) I am also looking at better quantifying the effects of road-draining ditches on water quality in the WNC mountains. Starting in the Fall of 2018 we will begin work supported by funding from the USGS and NC Water Resources Research Institute to develop an way to detect road-draining ditches across multiple mountain counties. We hope this work will lead to a better understanding of this regional water quality issue. Findings from the study that inspired this work, connecting a road draining ditch to downstream impacts can be found in the publication below.
Gannon, J. P., D.A. Kinner, M.L. Lord. 2016. Beyond the Clean Water Rule: Impacts of a Non-Jurisdictional Ditch on Headwater Stream Discharge and Water Chemistry. Water, 8(12), 607. DOI: 10.3390/w8120607.
Finally, I am interested in developing tools to allow students to more easily explore datasets to answer questions and/or explore concepts in classes. In 2018 I began developing a web app to explore the discharge from the WCU experimental watershed, Gribble Gap. Students can plot discharge, temperature, and precipitation in a variety of ways to explore relationships and concepts in catchment hydrology. The web app is hosted by shinyapps and can be accessed here: wcu-hydro.shinyapps.io/GribbleGap_Discharge/
I am exploring the intersection of soil science and hydrology and endeavoring to expand this type of research to different spatial scales and and explore the possibility of using the concepts to predict spatial patterns in stream water chemistry. Additionally, I am interested in working on more applied problems such as the effects of land use change on water quality, inexpensive and innovative ways to monitor the flow and quality of water, and exploring the policy implications of my work.
Currently, I have several projects underway. I am continuing work with Dr. Margaret Zimmer at UC Santa Cruz to detect and explain differences in runoff generation across the North Carolina mountains and piedmont. The initial findings of this work can are summarized in the paper below.
Zimmer, M.A., and J.P. Gannon. 2018. Runoff processes from mountains to foothills: The role of soil stratigraphy and structure in influencing runoff characteristics across high to low relief landscapes. Hydrological Processes. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.11488
I am also working with Dr. Christa Kelleher at Syracuse university and WCU undergraduate John Morgan on questions relating to controls on streamwater temperature in headwater streams in the mountains of North Carolina. We have presented several times on this work and the initial findings are summarized in a forthcoming manuscript.
Together with colleagues at WCU (Drs. Kinner, Lord, and Styers) I am also looking at better quantifying the effects of road-draining ditches on water quality in the WNC mountains. Starting in the Fall of 2018 we will begin work supported by funding from the USGS and NC Water Resources Research Institute to develop an way to detect road-draining ditches across multiple mountain counties. We hope this work will lead to a better understanding of this regional water quality issue. Findings from the study that inspired this work, connecting a road draining ditch to downstream impacts can be found in the publication below.
Gannon, J. P., D.A. Kinner, M.L. Lord. 2016. Beyond the Clean Water Rule: Impacts of a Non-Jurisdictional Ditch on Headwater Stream Discharge and Water Chemistry. Water, 8(12), 607. DOI: 10.3390/w8120607.
Finally, I am interested in developing tools to allow students to more easily explore datasets to answer questions and/or explore concepts in classes. In 2018 I began developing a web app to explore the discharge from the WCU experimental watershed, Gribble Gap. Students can plot discharge, temperature, and precipitation in a variety of ways to explore relationships and concepts in catchment hydrology. The web app is hosted by shinyapps and can be accessed here: wcu-hydro.shinyapps.io/GribbleGap_Discharge/