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The traditional solution to drainage problems has been detention basins and storm water catchment systems. “Detention basins reduce the peak flow of water entering streams during a storm, but they don’t reduce the overall volume of water from the paved surfaces entering a stream,” says David Brandes, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering. “Drought watches and warnings have made people realize changes are necessary, because this water is not recharging aquifers but just going down the river. For a long time hydrology focused primarily on flooding. Now we worry about droughts, too.”
Brandes, a specialist in hydrology and environmental engineering, and James Mangarillo ’03 are working on an EXCEL Scholars project to predict stream base flow during a drought, which could determine whether water can be taken from a stream for industrial use during a drought. He is among several faculty studying nearby Bushkill Creek, which drains a watershed of nearly 80 square miles. Student volunteers conduct monthly monitoring at nine locations and automated stations purchased through grants continuously monitor flow, temperature, and conductivity at six sites. Students in the introductory environmental engineering course use the watershed as a case study, counting coliform levels and testing water quality by measuring pH, dissolved oxygen, and other indicators. Brandes and his students will measure changes over time in water quantity and quality, particularly any increases in point and non-point pollution, as development upstream intensifies.
“Students say the field exercises are a highlight of the course,” he says. “I like doing fieldwork with students. I enjoy teaching, and what I like most about Lafayette is the balance between teaching and research.”
“Working with Dr. Brandes got me very interested in hydrology and hydraulics,” says Justin Hoffmann ’02, engineer, F.X. Brown, Inc., Marshalls Creek, Pa. Hoffmann helped Brandes install and calibrate the initial automated stream monitoring stations. Under Brandes’ guidance, Hoffmann completed a detailed study of 25 watersheds across five Pennsylvania regions and characteristics affecting stream base flow, which led to his senior thesis and two conference papers. “Dr. Brandes highly influenced my career goals. His advice and guidance honed my skills and interests toward water resources engineering.”
“Not only is Dr. Brandes extremely knowledgeable, but he is also a gifted teacher who is committed to his students’ success,” says Erin O’Brien ’02, design engineer, Greenhorne & O’Mara, Mechanicsburg, Pa. “When I worked with him on my independent study project, he provided direction and assistance while also giving me a great deal of ownership of the project. It was clear he was not only concerned with the outcome of my research, but also that I find the work interesting and learn a great deal.”
Highlights
Publications: Duffy, C.J. and Brandes, “Dimension Reduction and Source Identification for Multispecies Groundwater Contamination,” Journal of Contaminant Hydrology, 48, pp.151-165, 2001. Justin Hoffmann ’02 and Brandes, “Effect of Watershed Properties on Baseflow Recession in Pennsylvania Streams,” Proceeding of the ASCE Conference on Water Resource Planning and Management, 2001.
Achievements: NSF grants, 2002-04, 2001-03; Pennsylvania DEP grant, 2001-03; board member, Bushkill Stream Conservancy; codirector, Tussey Mountain Eagle Watch; vice chair and secretary, ASCE Environmental and Water Resource Institute education and research committee.
Contact: (610) 330-5441, brandesd@lafayette.edu