Assessing water quality trends and suspended sediment surrogates above and below reservoirs using high-frequency sensors in new mexico and southern colorado

The University of New Mexico's Office of Sponsored Projects received a $149,610.53 Cooperative Agreement from the Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), a division of the Department of Defense, under the Basic, Applied, and Advanced Research in Science and Engineering program (CFDA 12.630). Awarded on September 16, 2025, with a completion date of September 15, 2026, this agreement funds research assessing water quality trends and suspended sediment surrogates above and below reservoirs using high-frequency sensors in New Mexico and southern Colorado. The research will be conducted at UNM's Albuquerque, New Mexico facility.

This cooperative agreement supports applied research in environmental engineering and water quality monitoring, disciplines aligned with the CFDA 12.630 program's focus on scientific and technological development with long-term contributions to Department of Defense missions. The project leverages high-frequency sensor technology to generate data on water quality dynamics and sediment transport in reservoir systems, with findings applicable to resource management and environmental stewardship across the southwestern United States.