January to April 2026 Edition
Session 3: Student Section - Rapid Fire Research
Summary by Greg McLaughlin, Washington Water Trust
Maggie Egan, Abdisa Kebebew, and Sarath Suresh
Session 3 featured short research presentations from AWRA‑WA student fellowship recipients, highlighting current academic work relevant to hydrology, water quality, and water infrastructure. The session provided concise updates on ongoing research efforts and their potential applications for watershed management and planning.
Maggie Egan (Central Washington University) presented research on hydrology and geomorphology in the West Fork Teanaway River prior to restoration. Her work examines groundwater levels, floodplain stratigraphy, and recharge processes to better understand how restoration activities may influence habitat conditions and support cold‑water fisheries.
Abdisa Kebebew (Washington State University) shared research on how wildfire affects water quality in municipal watersheds. Using modeling and field data, he evaluated erosion‑sensitive areas and sediment loading to understand the effects of different fire severities on reservoir water quality, with implications for post‑fire risk assessment and mitigation strategies.
Sarath Suresh (University of Washington) presented on the use of satellite‑based tools to assess hydropower reservoir operations, using the 2018 Kerala floods as a case study. His work demonstrated how satellite data can help estimate reservoir storage, evaluate flood‑risk conditions, and identify opportunities to improve reservoir management during extreme events.
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