Stream Thermal Regime Analysis in Western Parks

National Park Service

This project synthesized water temperature and meteorological datasets from the National Park Service Inventory & Monitoring Division, the U.S. Geological Survey, and other publicly available sources across western montane park units. Water temperature records were evaluated for long‑term and seasonal trends, and used in models to determine key environmental drivers of observed thermal patterns. These models incorporated remote‑sensing products, water‑balance models, and other environmental datasets to represent hydrological, climatic, and landscape factors influencing stream temperature dynamics. Identified drivers were then compared across diverse waterbody types, park units, and ecoregions throughout the western United States to evaluate how physical and environmental conditions shaped spatial variations in stream thermal regimes.