Ben Livneh News

Big Ideas: What if we could help communities lessen the devastation of fire and drought?

sugl6437 — Tue, 20 Oct 2026 08:28:08 +0000

Big Ideas: What if we could help communities lessen the devastation of fire and drought? sugl6437 Tue, 10/20/2026 - 02:28

Bold ideas have shaped �鶹��ý for generations, providing hands-on research opportunities for students while tackling society’s most pressing challenges. In this video, CEAE Associate Professor Ben Livneh is one of two researchers exploring a big question: What if we could help communities reduce the devastating impacts of wildfire and drought?

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Winter never came to Colorado. What does it mean for water supplies?

sugl6437 — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 16:54:10 +0000

Winter never came to Colorado. What does it mean for water supplies? sugl6437 Tue, 03/31/2026 - 10:54

Associate Professor Ben Livneh, who’s also the director of the Western Water Assessment (WWA) at the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), shares insights on what this “snow drought” means for water availability, how it compares to past trends and what may lie ahead as Colorado approaches peak snowpack season.

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Wildfires threaten water quality for years after they burn

Susan Glairon — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 15:27:45 +0000

Wildfires threaten water quality for years after they burn Susan Glairon Mon, 06/23/2025 - 09:27

Associate Professor Ben Livneh

Years after wildfires burn forests and watersheds, the contaminants left behind continue to poison rivers and streams across the Western U.S. — much longer than scientists estimated.

A new study led by CIRES researchers, published today in Nature Communications Earth & Environment, analyzed water quality in more than 500 watersheds across the Western U.S., and is the first large-scale assessment of post-wildfire water quality.

Ben Livneh, an associate professor of civil, environmental and architectural engineering, CIRES fellow and Western Water Assessment director, was the principal investigator and co-author of the study.

Read The Conversation article Read the CIRES article

Learn about William Tad Pfeffer's research in glaciology, including glacier dynamics and sea level rise, at �鶹��ý's CEAE Department.

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Satellites reveal widespread decline in global lake water storage

Anonymous — Thu, 18 May 2023 18:52:25 +0000

Satellites reveal widespread decline in global lake water storage Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 05/18/2023 - 12:52

More than 50 percent of the largest lakes in the world are losing water, according to a groundbreaking new assessment published today in Science. The article was coauthored by Professor Balaji Rajagopalan and Associate Professor Ben Livneh, both from �鶹��ý's Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering. Fangfang Yao, a CIRES visiting scholar, was the lead author.

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Ben Livneh joins CASE Fellows program

Anonymous — Thu, 15 Dec 2022 16:25:51 +0000

Ben Livneh joins CASE Fellows program Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 12/15/2022 - 09:25

Associate Professor Ben Livneh

Ben Livneh, associate professor of civil, environmental and architectural engineering, has joined the Colorado Art Science Environment (CASE) Fellows program. The program is the latest incarnation of the Office for Outreach and Engagement's work to connect the arts, sciences and community for shared action on Colorado’s interrelated social and environmental issues.

CASE Fellows are artists from all corners of Colorado and �鶹��ý scientists who will work in teams to produce artworks that will be exhibited at the Colorado State Capitol as part of the Colorado Creative Industries Creative Capital program, May-September 2023. The exhibition, tentatively titled "Coloradans and Our Shared Environment in Times of Challenge and Change," will tell the story of how Coloradans are experiencing interrelated challenges of fire, drought, and water and air quality in their communities. The CASE Fellows aim to build a sense of connection around Colorado environmental issues by co-ideating artwork with input from communities.

More information

CEAE Associate Professor Ben Livneh joined the Colorado Art Science Environment Fellows program to connect science and community action.

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Ben Livneh Receives AGU Hydrologic Sciences Early Career Award

Anonymous — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 19:41:45 +0000

Ben Livneh Receives AGU Hydrologic Sciences Early Career Award Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 09/08/2022 - 13:41

CIRES Fellow and WWA Director Ben Livneh was announced as American Geophysical Union’s (AGU) 2022 Hydrologic Sciences Early Career Award recipient. Being selected as a Section Honoree is bestowed upon individuals for meritorious work or service toward the advancement and promotion of discovery and solution science. AGU, a nonprofit organization that supports 130,000 enthusiasts to experts worldwide in Earth and space sciences, annually recognizes a select number of individuals as part of its Honors and Recognition program.

Livneh is recognized by the global Earth and space sciences community for his tremendous personal sacrifices and selfless dedication to advancing Earth and space sciences.  Livneh's nominator, CIRES Fellow and �鶹��ý Professor Balaji Rajagopalan, described Livneh's research as fundamental to advancing our understanding of hydrologic processes and drought. Rajagopalan also highlighted Livneh's remarkable productivity, his passion for teaching and mentoring students and his humility.

AGU will formally recognize this year’s recipients during #AGU22 Fall Meeting, 12-16 December 2022 in Chicago, IL and online everywhere. This celebration is a chance for AGU’s community to recognize the outstanding work of our colleagues and be inspired by their accomplishments and stories. 

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Livneh interviewed by 9News on flash flooding in areas hit by wildfires

Anonymous — Tue, 19 Jul 2022 15:43:20 +0000

Livneh interviewed by 9News on flash flooding in areas hit by wildfires Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 07/19/2022 - 09:43

Ben Livneh was interviewed by Denver 9News for a piece focusing flash flooding over the Cameron Peak Fire burn scar.

The floods caused serious damage in the Glen Haven, Crystal Mountain and Buckhorn areas of Larimer County.

Livneh is an associate professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder. He is an expert in the impacts of changing land cover and climate on water resources.

In the piece, he discusses the increased risk of flooding in communities for years following wildfire damage.

Watch the story at 9News...

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After a Wildfire, What Happens to Water?

Anonymous — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 22:00:53 +0000

After a Wildfire, What Happens to Water? Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 07/11/2022 - 16:00

When Western wildfires break out, water may first come to mind as a critical resource for helping extinguish it. But what about after the flames finish?

A 2022 CU study on the growing impact of wildfire on the Western U.S. water supply found that large forest fires can significantly increase the amount of water in surrounding streams and rivers up to six years after a fire, impacting regional water supplies and increasing risks for floods and landslides. The results suggest that water and natural hazard management will need to be more prepared for wildfire impacts. U.S. wildfires — which have quadrupled in size and tripled in frequency since 2000 — are only projected to escalate.

“It is something organizations need to educate fire-prone communities about, so we can be prepared for short- and long-term impacts.”

“We’re likely going to see a lot more fires,” said Ben Livneh, co-author of the study and assistant professor of civil, environmental and architectural engineering. “Like we saw with [Boulder County’s] NCAR and Marshall fires, this is going to be a clear and present danger.”

Historically, forest-based streams and rivers increased in predictable amounts in response to rain or snowfall. However, from 1970 to 2021, those amounts declined due to warming and evaporation.

Wildfire adds another layer to the equation.

“When you bring so much fire into the mix, it fundamentally alters that relationship,” said Livneh, who also serves as director of the Western Water Assessment and is a fellow in the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES).

The study examined 35 years of data from 179 forest basins in the Western U.S. between 1984 and 2019, including 72 sites where at least one large wildfire occurred. In areas where 20% or more of the forest burned, area streamflow was 30% greater than expected, for an average of six years post-fire.

It’s the first paper to show this increase persists in all four seasons after a fire, in all manner of vegetation, topography and elevation.

This water surplus could in part be a good thing, given the overall decline in the past 40 years. But it also comes with elevated landslide risks and a need for Western communities to invest in a greater diversity of water sources, as ash-laden water is low quality and expensive to treat, according to Livneh.

Due to the uncertainty of where or when future forests will burn, wildfire is not currently factored into assessments of the effects of climate change on Western U.S. streamflow.

“It is something organizations need to educate fire-prone communities about, so we can be prepared for short- and long-term impacts,” said Livneh.

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9News features Livneh in Climate Change Town Hall

Anonymous — Mon, 15 Nov 2021 16:28:13 +0000

9News features Livneh in Climate Change Town Hall Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 11/15/2021 - 09:28

9NEWS explored climate change solutions with Colorado experts at a town hall on Wednesday.

The town hall included topics like weather, water, wildfires and what we can do to protect our planet.

The panelists were:

Becky Bolinger, assistant state climatologist for the Colorado Climate Center,
Ben Livneh, director of Western Water Assessment, and
Ean Tafoya, Colorado field advocate for GreenLatinos.

All this month, 9NEWS is talking about climate change and how it affects everything we do: from wildfires to energy to our food supply to drought.

Because of warming and drought, reservoirs on the Colorado River like Lake Powell are at their lowest level in years. Millions of people in Western states rely on the Colorado River for their water.

We're also talking about wildfires and what Colorado's forests will look like for years to come after last year's fires.

Researchers are studying the trends of warmer, drier weather in the state and the impact they could have on forest recovery.

Researchers say finding alternative energy sources is one solution to lower temperatures and control wildfire, but it could be years before we see the impact of those changes.

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Livneh featured in PBS NewsHour Documentary on the Colorado River

Anonymous — Thu, 11 Nov 2021 17:47:13 +0000

Livneh featured in PBS NewsHour Documentary on the Colorado River Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 11/11/2021 - 10:47

The Colorado River runs nearly fifteen hundred miles, winding through seven states and Mexico. It supplies drinking water to nearly 40 million people, irrigates nearly 4 million acres of farmland and attracts millions of nature lovers to scenic Grand Canyon vistas.

And it is on the brink.

A 20 year mega-drought — exacerbated by climate change — is squeezing the Colorado dry. It’s a crisis for the people of the Southwest and a “canary in the coal mine” for us all.

Join PBS NewsHour’s Miles O’Brien for a special hour-long live event exploring the relationship between climate change and the fate of the Colorado River Basin.

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