Geography and Environmental Studies faculty operate two research laboratories: The Forest Hydrology Research Lab and the Geomorphology Research Lab.  Both are located in Centennial Hall.

Forest Hydrology Research Lab - Lab Director Curt Holder

The Forest Hydrology Research Lab investigates the influence of vegetation characteristics in generating water for communities. Current research projects examine the extent to which leaf hydrophobicity influences canopy storage capacity in common species of the semi-arid Western United States and two sites in Guatemala. Data collected in the lab will increase our understanding of hydrological processes to inform the planning and management of vegetation cover in watersheds contributing as raw water source regions for municipalities.

For more information contact Curt Holder.

Geomorphology Research Lab - Lab Director Brandon Vogt

Geomorphology is the study of landsurfaces (landscapes and landforms) and seeks to understand processes that create and change Earth surfaces. As an interdisciplinary science, geomorphology requires that students and researchers wear spectacles that see not only the physical landsurface, but also its interconnectedness with the hydrosphere, biosphere, atmosphere, and anthrosphere. Research projects underway include mapping Late Pleistocene glacial landforms on Pikes Peak, exploring variation in sandstone weathering processes by aspect, detecting differences in sandstone composition from thin section analysis, and measuring movement of a San Juan Mountain rock glacier.

Research tools available include a Leica-Geosystems ScanStation C10 3D laser scanner, a CST/Berger 205 electronic total station, a thin-section rock saw, a drying oven, various GPS receivers, and a suite of field instruments for measurement and data collection.  Software environments available include IDRISI Taiga, ArcGIS Desktop 10, and Leica Cyclone.

For more information contact Tom Huber, Brandon Vogt, George Bolling, or Eric Billmeyer.

Leica-Geosystems C10 3D terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) at work	Students working in the Forest Hydrology Research Lab	Geologic thin section saw in the Geomorphology Research Lab