Saoirse Pendlebury-Akuffo

Collect discharge measurements at 14 stream gauges on Boulder Creek and South St. Vrain using an acoustic Doppler velocimeter and wading rod methods. Clean and QA/QC 15-minute stage and temperature records in Python (pandas), flagging sensor drift and ice effects before data goes to project engineers. Build and calibrate HEC-HMS rainfall-runoff models for two small watersheds; calibrated peak flows within 8% of observed for the 2023 and 2024 storm events. Map burn-scar and impervious-surface changes in QGIS to update post-wildfire runoff curve numbers for a county flood study. Draft weekly field memos and figures used in client reports for three municipal stormwater projects. Maintain field equipment logs and calibration records so instruments pass quarterly audits without findings.

Sampled shallow groundwater wells monthly for nitrate, specific conductance, and stable isotopes following chain-of-custody procedures. Processed 600+ samples on an ion chromatograph and organized results in a shared lab database. Wrote R scripts to compare snowmelt timing against groundwater response across 10 years of SNOTEL data. Co-authored a poster presented at the AGU Fall Meeting on snowmelt-driven recharge in mountain meadows.

Built check dams, re-vegetated stream banks, and installed erosion control on restoration sites in Larimer County. Recorded photo points and survey data to document restoration progress for grant reporting.

Expected May 2026. GPA 3.7 / 4.0. Relevant coursework: Hydrology, Open Channel Hydraulics, Groundwater Engineering, GIS for Water Resources, Environmental Data Analysis, Fluid Mechanics