Where Streams Begin: Measuring Headwater Discharge at Carriage Hill MetroPark

Help us welcome University of Dayton professor Christopher Sheehan and graduate student Lauren Claas will speak on their research of small headwater streams.

Southwestern Ohio’s water-resource resilience is closely tied to the Miami Aquifer system, which is largely recharged by small headwater streams. Headwater streams make up roughly 80% of all stream channels globally, yet they have historically been among the least studied components of river networks. From 2025–2026, speakers Cris and Lauren led a team that monitored water level and discharge in three headwater streams in Carriage Hill MetroPark. Using National Weather Service radar precipitation data together with hydrological modeling, we quantified the relationships among rainfall intensity, soil moisture, and headwater stream discharge. These relationships will be used to evaluate future erosion hazards and potential changes in regional groundwater resources associated with land-use change and climate variability.