With an interdisciplinary team that spans over ten University of Georgia departments, IRIS projects are as diverse as the people who conduct them. Find a list of our current projects below:

Modeling for Better Erosion Control
Using combined models, Lammers et al. examined a new approach to ameliorating stream erosion: installing stormwater controls like rain gardens, which allow runoff to soak into the ground near the source, and restoring stream channels to a more stable form with vegetated banks.

The Ethics of Water Legislation in Brazil
As climate change causes rising temperatures and changes in rainfall across the planet, IRIS researcher Dr. Don Nelson is shedding light on the differing values of populations in Northeastern Brazil to inform future water management decisions.

Spotlight on Septic
Dr. Krista Capps, an affiliate with the River Basin Center, is working with resource managers from Athens-Clarke County to gain a better understanding of what is happening with the over 9,000 septic systems that exist within county boundaries.

Streamlining for Species
IRIS and partners are streamlining the consultation process involving imperiled aquatic species potentially affected by GDOT construction projects that affect freshwater ecosystems. A streamlined consultation process will ensure that species receive protections that are most important to their life stage and sensitivities.

Reducing nutrient pollution due to erosion
This research is aimed at advancing the inclusion of fluvial erosion processes and their effects on nutrient delivery via channel instability and degraded riparian functions in nutrient assessments and reduction strategies.

Evaluating Temporary Channel Obstructions
Bridge construction often calls for the use of temporary structures like rock jetties and coffer dams in river channels. However, there is no current method for evaluating the impacts of these structures on hydraulics, bank stability, and ecosystems. This research provides a tool for evaluating the influence of temporary structures on hydraulics and ecological effects.

From Septic System to Lake Lanier
Dr. Nandita Gaur is studying how nutrients travel from septic systems into Lake Lanier using tomography, which utilizes electric currents to map out the composition of the ground. These images should allow researchers to locate pipeways for excess nutrients, which impact water quality and safety. Knowing how quickly nutrients travel will help city planners better prepare for and predict levels in the lake.