Welcome!

The Hydrology Technical Group is part of the Environmental Technology Directorate of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), located in Richland, Washington. PNNL is operated for the U.S. Department of Energy by Battelle.

Our research activities cover a broad range of water resource issues:

• We assess the impacts of climate change, hydropower, and irrigation on watershed health.
• We measure and predict the quantity of precipitation that infiltrates the soil surface and eventually recharges the aquifer.
• We measure and predict the movement of fluids, gases, and contaminants through the soil and vadose zone above the water table.
• We measure and predict the movement of groundwater and the transport of contaminants to streams and rivers, as well as to and from wells used for irrigation or remediation activities.
• We analyze complex problems involving the impacts of seasonal water availability, temperature, suspended sediment, and dissolved gases in rivers systems, especially the impacts of dams and their operation.

Our solutions to problems can range from the simple (and quick!) to the sophisticated. Which solution we use will depend on your problem as well as your needs and resources.

Check us out!