Urban
Southwest Urban Hydrology (SUH) has collaborated with various nonprofits, municipalities, public schools, and others to mitigate the impacts of stormwater runoff and pollution originating from impervious surfaces. Work includes design and development of rain gardens, bio-retention basins, urban forestry solutions, and more.
Rural
Protecting rural landscapes and livelihoods often starts with the preservation of soil. SUH has assisted ranchers, farmers, Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs), and rural homeowners to remediate the impacts of forest fires, prepare communities against dangerous drought conditions, and mitigate soil erosion.
Educational
Restoring hydrological functions and conserving soil across watersheds will need to be a collaborative effort. SUH has partnered with professionals, students, and community volunteers to examine and implement Green Infrastructure at small and large scales.
Research
Green Infrastructure holds enormous promise as communities grapple with how to address stormwater pollution, urban heat island effect, and other ecological dysfunction. Much of the research and evaluation of Green Infrastructure, however, is limited to temperate or coastal climates. SUH is providing long-term monitoring of soil moisture in rain gardens to help regional planners address the challenges of drought, water scarcity resulting from growing populations, and the consequences of impervious development on runoff. A one year study (pdf) of soil moisture at curb cuts with and without rain gardens was published in Stormwater Magazine in 2017. A followup article in The Western Planner in November 2022 provided soil moisture results at the study site after seven years (link).