Current Research

See also:

Geomorphic Road Analysis and Inventory Package (GRAIP) Website

Geomorphic Road Analysis and Inventory Package (GRAIP) Briefing Paper

Adaptation for Wildland Aquatic Resources - Science Briefing

Precipitation Declines In Pacific Northwest Mountains - Science Briefing

Sediment Delivery In A Changing Climate - Science Briefing

Tools to Model Road Impacts - Science Briefing

Western US Stream Flow Metric Dataset

Western US Stream Flow Metric Dataset - Science Briefing

NorWeST Stream Temperature- Regional Database and Model

Climate Change, Crowd-Sourcing, and Conserving Aquatic Biotas in the Rocky Mountains This Century

2011 Climate-Aquatics Decision Support Workshop

Stream Temperature Modeling Website

Bull Trout and Climate Change - Risks, Uncertainties and Opportunities for Mapping the Future 2008

Western Watersheds and Climate Change Workshop - November 17-19, 2009

Research Interests

1. Climate change effect pathways on stream and forest ecosystems

2. Ecohydrology of climate extremes

3. Scaling hydrologic, geomorphic, and coupled ecological processes

4. Snow hydrology

5. Forest road effects on hydrology, slope stability, and erosion.

RMRS Scientist Profile Video (YouTube) - Dr. Luce describes 30 years of research looking at sediment from forest roads and the development of the GRAIP (Geomorphic Roads Analysis and Inventory Package) tool.

Past Research

Water flows through the landscape, giving it shape and life. Water is important to people for basic sustenance, economic production, and quality of life. Much of what people do on the land and to the atmosphere affects different parts of the water cycle, including precipitation, snowpack, evaporation, or streamflow. We also have substantial effects on water quality. Regulating our own influences on water requires understanding connections between what we do and the outcomes to the hydrologic cycle. It also requires understanding how changes to the water cycle affect our forests and streams. Substantial work has been done by many scientists over the years to understand the hydrology and ecology of forest ecosystems, particularly aimed at reducing the impacts of forest management on watershed values, such as clean water and healthy fish populations. As the world changes there is a heightened need to comprehend the magnitude and pathways of consequences to people and ecosystems, and to organize a response. There are many questions about what we can do that might be effective in the face of the kinds of changes we are seeing, and there is a much greater recognition of the role of hydrologic changes affecting both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Multifaceted research on how climate change affects water, how those changes affect forests and streams, and what we can do with forest, watershed, and water management to sustain a reliable, clean water supply is some of the most critical research we do.

Why This Research is Important

Current research builds off of past projects on spatial heterogeneity in snow accumulation and melt, runoff and erosion from forest roads, climate modeling, and fire effects.

Education

• University of Washington, B.S. Forest Management 1986
• University of Washington, M.S. Forest Hydrology 1990
• Utah State University, Ph.D. Civil Engineering 2000

Awards & Recognition

Featured Publications & Products

• Luce, Charles H.; Tonina, Daniele; Gariglio, Frank; Applebee, Ralph. 2013. Solutions For The Diurnally Forced Advection-Diffusion Equation To Estimate Bulk Fluid Velocity And Diffusivity In Streambeds From Temperature Time Series.
• Goode, Jaime R.; Luce, Charles H.; Buffington, John M. 2012. Enhanced Sediment Delivery In A Changing Climate In Semi-Arid Mountain Basins: Implications For Water Resource Management And Aquatic Habitat In The Northern Rocky Mountains.
• Homan, Joel W.; Luce, Charles H.; McNamara, James P.; Glenn, Nancy F. 2011. Improvement Of Distributed Snowmelt Energy Balance Modeling With Modis-Based Ndsi-Derived Fractional Snow-Covered Area Data.
• Holden, Zachary A.; Luce, Charles H.; Crimmins, Michael A.; Morgan, Penelope. 2011. Wildfire Extent And Severity Correlated With Annual Streamflow Distribution And Timing In The Pacific Northwest, Usa (1984-2005).
• Wenger, Seth J.; Luce, Charles H.; Hamlet, Alan F.; Isaak, Daniel J.; Neville, Helen M. 2010. Macroscale Hydrologic Modeling Of Ecologically Relevant Flow Metrics.
• Adams, Henry D.; Luce, Charles H.; Breshears, David D.; Allen, Craig D.; Weiler, Markus; Hale, V. Cody; Smith, Alistair M. S.; Huxman, Travis E. 2012. Ecohydrological Consequences Of Drought- And Infestation-Triggered Tree Die-Off: Insights And Hypotheses.

Patents

• Tonina, Daniele; Luce, Charlie; Gariglio, Frank. 2016. Method And Apparatus For Monitoring Waterbed Environment Using Temperature Measurements.
• Luce, Charlie. 2002. Magnetostrictive Precipitation Gage.
• Luce, Charles. 2004. Method For Sensing Evaporation Of A Liquid.

Publications

• Littell, Jeremy S.; Peterson, David L.; Riley, Karin L.; Liu, Yongqiang; Luce, Charlie H. 2016. A Review Of The Relationships Between Drought And Forest Fire In The United States.
• Luce, Charlie; Pederson, Neil; Campbell, John; Millar, Connie; Kormos, Patrick; Vose, James M.; Woods, Ross. 2016. Characterizing Drought For Forested Landscapes And Streams.
• Luce, Charlie; Vose, James M.; Pederson, Neil; Campbell, John; Millar, Connie; Kormos, Patrick; Woods, Ross. 2016. Contributing Factors For Drought In United States Forest Ecosystems Under Projected Future Climates And Their Uncertainty.
• Vose, James M.; Miniat, Chelcy Ford; Luce, Charlie. 2016. Ecohydrological Implications Of Drought.
• Vose, James; Clark, J.S.; Luce, Charlie; Patel-Weynand, Toral, eds. 2016. Effects Of Drought On Forests And Rangelands In The United States: A Comprehensive Science Synthesis.
• Cooke, Brian; Luce, Charlie; Black, Tom; Tarboton, David. 2016. Science You Can Use Bulletin: Road Scholars For The Western States: Protecting Natural Areas By Improving Road Management Research.
• Isaak, Daniel J.; Young, Michael K.; Luce, Charlie; Hostetler, Steven W.; Wenger, Seth J.; Peterson, Erin E.; Ver Hoef, Jay M.; Groce, Matthew C.; Horan, Dona L.; Nagel, David E. 2016. Slow Climate Velocities Of Mountain Streams Portend Their Role As Refugia For Cold-Water Biodiversity.
• Kormos, Patrick R.; Luce, Charlie; Wenger, Seth J.; Berghuijs, Wouter R. 2016. Trends And Sensitivities Of Low Streamflow Extremes To Discharge Timing And Magnitude In Pacific Northwest Mountain Streams.
• Ryan, Michael G.; Vose, James M.; Hanson, Paul J.; Iverson, Louis R.; Miniat, Chelcy F.; Luce, Charles H.; Band, Lawrence E.; Klein, Steven L.; McKenzie, Don; Wear, David N. 2014. Forest Processes Chapter 3.
• Hines, Sarah; Isaak, Dan; Luce, Charles; Young, Michael K. 2014. Science You Can Use Bulletin: Climate Change, Crowd-Sourcing, And Conserving Aquatic Biotas In The Rocky Mountains This Century.
• Luce, Charles; Staab, Brian; Kramer, Marc; Wenger, Seth; Isaak, Dan; McConnell, Callie. 2014. Sensitivity Of Summer Stream Temperatures To Climate Variability In The Pacific Northwest.
• Eiriksson, David; Whitson, Michael; Luce, Charles H.; Marshall, Hans Peter; Bradford, John; Benner, Shawn G.; Black, Thomas; Hetrick, Hank; McNamara, James P. 2013. An Evaluation Of The Hydrologic Relevance Of Lateral Flow In Snow At Hillslope And Catchment Scales.
• Black, Thomas A.; Luce, Charles H. 2013. Measuring Water And Sediment Discharge From A Road Plot With A Settling Basin And Tipping Bucket.
• Maturana, Oscar; Tonina, Daniele; McKean, James A.; Buffington, John M.; Luce, Charles H.; Caamano, Diego. 2013. Modeling The Effects Of Pulsed Versus Chronic Sand Inputs On Salmonid Spawning Habitat In A Low-Gradient Gravel-Bed River.
• Goode, Jaime R.; Buffington, John M.; Tonina, Daniele; Isaak, Daniel J.; Thurow, Russell F.; Wenger, Seth; Nagel, David; Luce, Charlie; Tetzlaff, Doerthe; Soulsby, Chris. 2013. Potential Effects Of Climate Change On Streambed Scour And Risks To Salmonid Survival In Snow-Dominated Mountain Basins.
• Wenger, Seth J.; Som, Nicholas A.; Dauwalter, Daniel C.; Isaak, Daniel J.; Neville, Helen M.; Luce, Charles H.; Dunham, Jason B.; Young, Michael K.; Fausch, Kurt D.; Rieman, Bruce E. 2013. Probabilistic Accounting Of Uncertainty In Forecasts Of Species Distributions Under Climate Change.
• Matonis, Megan; Luce, Charles; Holden, Zack; Morgan, Penny; Heyerdahl, Emily. 2013. Science You Can Use Bulletin: Our Forests In The Water Balance.
• Gariglio, Frank P.; Tonina, Daniele; Luce, Charles H. 2013. Spatio-Temporal Variability Of Hyporheic Exchange Through A Pool-Riffle-Pool Sequence.
• Luce, C. H.; Abatzoglou, J. T.; Holden, Z. A. 2013. The Missing Mountain Water: Slower Westerlies Decrease Orographic Enhancement In The Pacific Northwest Usa.
• Vose, James M.; Ford, Chelcy R.; Laseter, Stephanie; Dymond, Salli; Sun, Ge; Adams, Mary Beth; Sebestyen, Stephen; Campbell, John; Luce, Charlie; Amatya, Devendra; Elder, Kelly; Heartsill Scalley, Tamara. 2012. Can Forest Watershed Management Mitigate Climate Change Effects On Water Resources.
• Vose, James M.; Ford, Chelcy R.; Laseter, Stephanie; Dymond, Salli; Sun, GE; Adams, Mary Beth; Sebestyen, Stephen; Campbell, John; Luce, Charles; Amatya, Devendra; Elder, Kelly; Heartsill-Scalley, Tamara. 2012. Can Forest Watershed Management Mitigate Climate Change Impacts On Water Resources.
• Luce, Charles; Morgan, Penny; Dwire, Kathleen; Isaak, Daniel; Holden, Zachary; Rieman, Bruce. 2012. Climate Change, Forests, Fire, Water, And Fish: Building Resilient Landscapes, Streams, And Managers.
• Black, Thomas A.; Cissel, Richard M.; Luce, Charles H. 2012. The Geomorphic Road Analysis And Inventory Package (Graip) Volume 1: Data Collection Method.
• Cissel, Richard M.; Black, Thomas A.; Schreuders, Kimberly A. T.; Prasad, Ajay; Luce, Charles H.; Tarboton, David G.; Nelson, Nathan A. 2012. The Geomorphic Road Analysis And Inventory Package (Graip) Volume 2: Office Procedures.
• Dillon, Gregory K.; Holden, Zachery A.; Morgan, Penelope; Crimmins, Michael A.; Heyerdahl, Emily K.; Luce, Charles H. 2011. Both Topography And Climate Affected Forest And Woodland Burn Severity In Two Regions Of The Western Us, 1984 To 2006.
• Holden, Zachary A.; Abatzoglou, John T.; Luce, Charles H.; Baggett, L. Scott. 2011. Empirical Downscaling Of Daily Minimum Air Temperature At Very Fine Resolutions In Complex Terrain.
• Wenger, Seth J.; Isaak, Daniel J.; Luce, Charlie; Neville, Helen M.; Fausch, Kurt D.; Dunham, Jason B.; Dauwalter, Daniel C.; Young, Michael K.; Elsner, Marketa M.; Rieman, Bruce E.; Hamlet, Alan F.; Williams, Jack E. 2011. Flow Regime, Temperature, And Biotic Interactions Drive Differential Declines Of Trout Species Under Climate Change Includes Supporting Information.
• Wenger, Seth J.; Isaak, Daniel J.; Dunham, Jason B.; Fausch, Kurt D.; Luce, Charlie; Neville, Helen M.; Rieman, Bruce E.; Young, Michael K.; Nagel, David E.; Horan, Dona L.; Chandler, Gwynne L. 2011. Role Of Climate And Invasive Species In Structuring Trout Distributions In The Interior Columbia River Basin, Usa.
• Isaak, Daniel J.; Luce, Charles H.; Rieman, Bruce E.; Nagel, David E.; Peterson, Erin E.; Horan, Dona L.; Parkes, Sharon; Chandler, Gwynne L. 2010. Effects Of Climate Change And Wildfire On Stream Temperatures And Salmonid Thermal Habitat In A Mountain River Network.
• Luce, C. H.; Tarboton, D. G. 2010. Evaluation Of Alternative Formulae For Calculation Of Surface Temperature In Snowmelt Models Using Frequency Analysis Of Temperature Observations.
• Troendle, Charles A.; MacDonald, Lee H.; Luce, Charles H.; Larsen, I. J. 2010. Fuel Management And Water Yield.
• Luce, Charles H.; Rieman, Bruce E. 2010. Landscape Scale Effects Of Fuel Management Or Fire On Water Resources: The Future Of Cumulative Effects Analysis.
• Rieman, Bruce E.; Hessburg, Paul F.; Luce, Charles; Dare, Matthew R. 2010. Wildfire And Management Of Forests And Native Fishes: Conflict Or Opportunity For Convergent Solutions.
• Luce, C. H.; Holden, Z. A. 2009. Declining Annual Streamflow Distributions In The Pacific Northwest United States, 1948-2006.
• Tonina, Daniele; Luce, Charles H.; Rieman, Bruce; Buffington, John M.; Goodwin, Peter; Clayton, Stephen R.; Ali, Shawkat Md.; Barry, Jeffrey J.; Berenbrock, Charles. 2008. Hydrological Response To Timber Harvest In Northern Idaho: Implications For Channel Scour And Persistence Of Salmonids.
• Rieman, Bruce E.; Isaak, Daniel; Adams, Susan; Horan, Dona; Nagel, David; Luce, Charles; Myers, Deborah. 2007. Anticipated Climate Warming Effects On Bull Trout Habitats And Populations Across The Interior Columbia River Basin.
• Dunham, Jason B.; Rosenberger, Amanda E.; Luce, Charlie H.; Rieman, Bruce E. 2007. Influences Of Wildfire And Channel Reorganization On Spatial And Temporal Variation In Stream Temperature And The Distribution Of Fish And Amphibians.
• Prasad, Ajay; Tarboton, David G.; Luce, Charles H.; Black, Thomas A. 2005. A Gis Tool To Analyze Forest Road Sediment Production And Stream Impacts.
• Luce, Charles H.; Black, Thomas A. 2001. Effects Of Traffic And Ditch Maintenance On Forest Road Sediment Production.
• Luce, Charles H.; Black, Thomas A. 2001. Spatial And Temporal Patterns In Erosion From Forest Roads.
• Luce, Charlie; Black, Thomas A. 1999. Sediment Production From Forest Roads In Western Oregon.
• Elliot, William; Foltz, R. B.; Luce, Charlie. 1995. Validation Of Water Erosion Prediction Project (Wepp) Model For Low-Volume Forest Roads.

Research Highlights

Highlight	Title	Year
RMRS-2011-01	Evaluating the Effects of Climate Change on Streamflow Scientists have developed a database of flow metrics for streams in the western U.S. under historical conditions and climate change scenarios.	2011