Peer-reviewed publications by Texas A&M AgriLife and Texas A&M University System scientists
Stakeholder-informed LCLUC modeling: a state-of-the-art review: This paper, coauthored by Rosario Sanchez, Ph.D., TWRI senior research scientist, reviews 154 articles on stakeholder-informed land-cover and land-use change (LCLUC) modeling. LCLUC is critical for informing sustainable policies, but there has been limited integration of stakeholder knowledge and behavior. One notable finding from this paper is that studies with higher use of geospatial tools often had reduced stakeholder engagement. The article advocates hybrid modeling frameworks to address this issue to address this issue.
Groundwater Recharge in Crisis: Analyzing the Impact of Urban Growth on Monterrey’s Aquifer Health in the Face of the Rio Grande’s Current Conditions: Also coauthored by Sanchez, this study assesses changes in groundwater recharge potential in Monterrey, Mexico between 1990 to 2022. The authors found that more than 1100 km2 of recharge area experienced degradation in recharge potential, which they attributed to urban growth and land-use change. The paper calls for more sustainable groundwater management.
Tracing Crustal and Anthropogenic Sources of Metal(loid)s in Hurricane Harvey Floodwater Remnants in Houston, Texas: In this study, Texas A&M University researchers trace sources of metals in floodwaters from Hurricane Harvey. Beyond the immediate damage, floodwaters pose a long-term threat to coastal cities through environmental contamination. The researchers found that vehicular residue and building materials substantially contributed to metal contamination in floodwaters.
Evaluating the role of green infrastructure features in post-disaster recovery – Case Study of Beaumont, Texas after tropical storm Imelda: This study, coauthored by Texas A&M University researchers, investigates how the different characteristics of green infrastructure affected the resilience of local businesses in Beaumont, Texas after tropical storm Imelda. They found that businesses within 0.5 miles of parks, especially parks with larger areas and more complex shapes, had better recovery.
Recent research from other Texas Universities
Integrating Machine Learning and Geospatial Analysis for Nitrate Contamination in Water Resources Management: A Case Study of Sinkholes in Winkler County, Texas: In this study, University of Texas researchers examined groundwater quality in Winkler County, Texas using machine learning and geospatial analysis. They found that nitrate levels routinely fluctuated and had increased since the 2000s. They also identified changing climate and human activities as contributors to groundwater quality degradation.
Capturing Spatial Gradients of Water Color and Clarity in Subtropical Reservoirs During Drought: Lead authored by a Baylor University researcher, this study mapped water color and clarity in six subtropical Texas reservoirs during the summer. They observed five green reservoirs, indicating high phytoplankton levels, and one yellow/brown reservoir, showing clay-dominance. They found that water clarity varied widely, but most of the surface waters had low turbidity, meaning they were nearly clear. These results indicate that reservoirs have considerable variability in clarity and color.
Modelling Hydrological Indices at Ungauged Stream Segments to Classify Flow Regime: This study, from Texas State University researchers, presents a method of deriving hydrological indices in cases where there is a small sample and limited data. This method could be used to support ecological research, which uses hydrological data to assess things like habitat viability.
