Studying the interdependencies of river and human systems at Colorado State University
Recent News
9/10/25 Aleah Hahn Receives Scholarships to Support Data Extension and Dissemination
Aleah Hahn recently received two scholarships. The first is is a Rocky Mountain Hydrologic Research Center (RMHRC) Supplemental Research Funding award. The funds will support expanding Aleah’s dataset to examine if her findings about log jams could extend to differently sized rivers across Colorado.
The second is a runner-up award from the Colorado Riparian Association. The scholarship will support Aleah’s graduate studies and allow her to attend the Sustaining Colorado Watersheds Conference in 2026 and present her research to the association.
09/08/25 Congratulations, Kayla Schultz and Brady Jones!
One June 10, Kayla successfully passed her MS defense in a packed room of friends, family, and collaborators. In her research, Kayla studied three headwater tributary sites in the Kawuneeche Valley in Rocky Mountain National Park to observe the impacts of the loss of beaver dams on floodplain connectivity.
And on August 26, Brady successfully passed his MS defense on using low-technology process-based restoration (LTPBR) to reestablish natural riverine processes post-wildfire. He studied Elkhorn Creek, the headwaters of the Cache la Poudre River, to quantify the affects of LTPBR on sediment accumulation and groundwater storage.
04/15/25 New Earth Surface Processes and Landforms Paper on River-Floodplain Morphology Post-Wildfire
Check out this new Earth Surface Processes and Landforms paper, with contributions by students Aleah Hahn and Nicholas Christensen and former student Danny White. This paper examines how river beads enhance river-floodplain resilience after large disturbances like wildfires and highlights the role river beads play in preservation and restoration.
Rivers and floodplains are complex, resilient systems that have been altered around the world.
My research focuses on understanding the complexities of river systems, the impacts of human alterations, the importance of river restoration.