The pond outside Emelia Harris’ house is bright orange.
A few years ago, the water source was home to a vibrant ecosystem containing a variety of fish, turtles, and frogs. The water was crystal clear. Then nearby construction resulted in run-off entering Harris’ pond.
As an Estill County, Kentucky native, Harris spent her childhood immersed in mountainous terrain and thriving wildlife.
“Growing up around the area with all the mountains, I would always go hiking, touring the hiking trails around town,” said Harris. “I just wanted to learn more about nature and all the ecosystems that surround me.”
During high school Harris experienced a historic flood that rose 41 feet at its crest. This experience as well as observing the impact of Estill County’s water quality influenced her decision to stay close to her local biosphere. Harris was accepted to Morehead State University (MSU) and chose to major in biology with a concentration in environmental science and a minor in geology.
Harris fell in love with research thanks to her geoscience professors and CLIMBS researchers, Drs. Jen O’Keefe and Md Kibria, who encouraged her to apply for Kentucky Geological Survey’s Paul Edwin Potter Internship.
“I wasn’t too sure if I wanted to go the research route with my degree until I got that internship and I found out that I love that whole process of it: the planning, the execution, the data analysis, the results,” explained Harris. “With each new project and each new class, they [O’Keefe and Kibria] always seem to try and push me more because they know what I could be capable of even if I didn’t think so in the moment.”
O’Keefe and Kibria both believed that Harris’ talent and passion for engaging with the natural world were a perfect fit for CLIMBS Project 2: Paleo-perspectives on Kentucky’s hydroclimate and geohazard history.
“We saw her deep curiosity and drive to know, coupled with an exceptional work ethic and a strong need to serve the region. We knew she’d be a good fit first for an internship, then for CLIMBS,” said O’Keefe.
Project 2 aims to understand historically how Kentucky’s climate has developed by integrating data concerning geological components such as sediments, tree rings and Harris’ focus area—water.
“What we’re trying to do is compile data and create a map over the decades of water chemistry variations throughout different counties within our study area,” said Harris.
Harris first digs through data from organizations such as the National Weather Service and the U.S. Geological Survey’s StreamStats to collect point or line data, information specific to a geographic location. Currently, she is mapping the precipitation history of many of Kentucky’s counties using ArcGIS software. After layering various water related point data in maps, Project 2 will identify trends over time to focus on certain areas susceptible to flooding.
Throughout the summer Harris will assist Project 2 in collecting core samples from agricultural fields and nature preserves in Eastern Kentucky.
“We can think of our core samples like a tree ring analysis. You know each ring is a different year. You can approach the sediment within these core samples the same way,” noted Harris. “Big flood events yield more sediment; you can gauge the area’s history based on the sediment floods bring in.”
Although Harris graduates from MSU this year, she will carry on her journey of observing and understanding water through a masters in Geological Sciences at the University of Kentucky while continuing her research with CLIMBS.
Harris recently tested the water quality of her family’s bright orange pond during a trip back home.
“The wildlife pond that we have was a pH of 4 just a few days ago. So nothing is living in there. Nothing can live in there at the moment,” she reflected. “It’s really upsetting when you see something so close to you devastated.”
While the damage done to Harris’ pond is painful, she maintains hope that her research could help build hazard resiliency in both Estill county and other parts of Kentucky. Perhaps one day the orange pond may once again rest crystal clear.
