Richard Palmer

NE CASC Principal Investigator
University Director, Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center
Department Head and Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering
413-545-2508

Consortium Institution: 

University of Massachusetts

Education: 

Ph.D.: Environmental Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, 1979
M.S.: Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 1973
B.S.: Civil Engineering, Lamar University, Beaumont, Texas, 1972

Website: 

http://cee.umass.edu/faculty/richard-palmer

Experience: 

Professor and Head, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, March 2008 to present
Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA September 1990 to March 2008
Associate Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA September 1985 to September 1990
Assistant Professor, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Washington, Seattle, WA September 1979 to September 1985

Research Interests: 

    Impacts of Climate Change on Water Resources

Sub areas - Surface water hydrology, climate modeling & scaling, conflict resolution, resource policy & economics, groundwater hydrology.

My goal is to determine the impacts of climate change on the hydrology of river systems and the ecological and human services that these systems provide.  Of primary importance is the impact of climate change on the timing and volume of seasonal and annual streamflows, as well as its likely impacts on the frequency and magnitude of floods and droughts.  Our research focuses on how to translate these changes in hydrology to impacts on water temperature, ecological system services, hydropower production, flood control, water supply, recreation, and navigation.

Expertise

 Water resources • streamflow • stream temperature • stream health • water supply systems • decision analysis

Recent Publications

Click on the author's name to view all of their publications in the NE CASC Library.

Palmer, R. N., Nislow K. H., Ericson A., & Backiel B. (2019).  Final Report: Reconnecting Floodplains and Restoring Green Space as a Management Strategy to Minimize Risk and Increase Resilience in the Context of Climate and Landscape Change.
Kennedy, K., Lutz K., Hatfield C., Martin L., Barker T., Kennedy K., et al. (2018).  The Connecticut River Flow Restoration Study: A watershed-scale assessment of the potential for flow restoration through dam re-operation.
Kennedy, K., Lutz K., Hatfield C., Martin L., Townsend B., K K., et al. (2018).  Connecticut River Flow Restoration Study STUDY OVERVIEW.
Booras, K., McIntyre A. R., W. Weiss J., Howells C., & Palmer R. N. (2018).  Incorporating Streamflow Forecasts with Aggregate Drought Indices for the Management of Water Supply. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management. 144(1), 04017078.
Clark, G. E., Ahn K-H., & Palmer R. N. (2017).  Assessing a Regression-Based Regionalization Approach to Ungauged Sites with Various Hydrologic Models in a Forested Catchment in the Northeastern United States. Journal of Hydrologic Engineering. 22(12), 05017027.
Demaria, E. M. C., Roundy J. K., Wi S., & Palmer R. N. (2016).  The Effects of Climate Change on Seasonal Snowpack and the Hydrology of the Northeastern and Upper Midwest, U.S.. Journal of Climate.
Ahn, K-H., Merwade V., Ojha C.S.P.., & Palmer R. N. (2016).  Quantifying relative uncertainties in the detection and attribution of human-induced climate change on winter streamflow. Journal of Hydrology. 542, 304 - 316.
Demaria, E. M. C., Palmer R. N., & Roundy J. K. (2016).  Regional climate change projections of streamflow characteristics in the Northeast and Midwest U.S.. Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies. 5, 309 - 323.
Ahn, K-H., & Palmer R. N. (2016).  Use of a nonstationary copula to predict future bivariate low flow frequency in the Connecticut river basin. Hydrological Processes. 30(19), 3518 - 3532.
DeCristofaro, L., & Palmer R. N. (2015).  Evaluating the Performance of Multiple Alternative Operating Rules under Climate Change: A Case Study of New York City. (Karvazy, K., & Webster V. L., Ed.).World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2015World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2015. 2147 - 2156.
Ahn, K-H., & Palmer R. N. (2015).  Trend and Variability in Observed Hydrological Extremes in the United States. Journal of Hydrologic Engineering. 04015061.
Anleitner, J., Palmer R. N., & Lutz K. (2014).  Managing for Floodplains and Aquatic Species: A Framework for Multiobjective Reservoir Operations. (Huber, W. C., Ed.).World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2014World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2014. 1060 - 1069.
Anleitner, J., Palmer R. N., Lutz K., & Kennedy K. (2014).  Managing for Floodplains and Aquatic Species: A Framework for Multi- Objective Reservoir Operations. Proceedings of ASCE's 2014 World Environmental and Water Resources Congress . 1060-1069.
Steinschneider, S., Bernstein A., Palmer R. N., & Polebitski A. S. (2014).  Reservoir Management Optimization for Basin-Wide Ecological Restoration in the Connecticut River. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management. 140, 04014023.
Whateley, S., Palmer R. N., & Brown C. (2014).  Seasonal Hydroclimatic Forecasts as Innovations and the Challenges of Adoption by Water Managers. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management. 04014071.
Bernstein, A., Anleitner J., & Palmer R. N. (2014).  Sustainable Water Management Using Environmental Flows in the Connecticut River,” . ASCE Journal of Water Resources and Planning Management .
Guihan, R., Polebitski A. S., Palmer R. N., & Wood A. (2014).  Value of Forecasts in Reservoir Operations Management. (Huber, W. C., Ed.).World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2014. 1041 - 1049.
O’Neill, K., Polebitski A. S., Yang Y.C.., & Palmer R. N. (2013).  Bringing People, Data, and Models Together - Addressing Impacts of Climate Change on Stream Temperature. (Patterson, C. L., Struck S. D., & , Ed.).World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2013World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2013. 1099 - 1109.
O'neil, K., Polebitski A. S., , & Palmer R. N. (2013).  Bringing People, Data, and Models Together - Addressing Impacts of Climate Change on Stream Temperature. ASCE's 2013 World Environmental and Water Resources Congress.
Guihan, R., Polebitski A. S., Palmer R. N., & Brown C. (2013).  Integrating Climate Forecasts and Reforecast Products into Reservoir Operations Management. (Patterson, C. L., Struck S. D., & , Ed.).World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2013. 1574 - 1580.
Steinschneider, S.., Polebitski A. S., Palmer R. N., O’Neill K., & Bernstein A. (2013).  Modeling the Impact of Climate Change on Hydropower Operations in the Connecticut River Basin. (Patterson, C. L., Struck S. D., & , Ed.).World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2013. 1175 - 1184.
Steinschneider, S.., Bernstein A., & Palmer R. N. (2013).  Reservoir Management Optimization for Basin-Wide Ecological Restoration in the Connecticut River. ASCE Journal of Water Resources and Planning Management .
Bernstein, A., & Palmer R. N. (2013).  Subdaily Hydropower Optimization for Relicensing in the Connecticut River. Proceedings of ASCE's 2013 World Environmental and Water Resources Congress .
Alemu, E. T., Palmer R. N., Polebitski A. S., & Meaker B. (2011).  Decision Support System for Optimizing Reservoir Operations Using Ensemble Streamflow Predictions. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management. 137, 72.
Polebitski, A. S., Palmer R. N., & Waddell P. (2011).  Evaluating Water Demands under Climate Change and Transitions in the Urban Environment. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management. 137, 249.
Eum, H-I., Kim Y-O., & Palmer R. N. (2011).  Optimal Drought Management Using Sampling Stochastic Dynamic Programming with a Hedging Rule. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management. 137, 113.
Vano, J. A., Voisin N., Cuo L., Hamlet A. F., Elsner M. McGuire, Palmer R. N., et al. (2010).  Climate change impacts on water management in the Puget Sound region, Washington State, USA. Climatic Change. 102, 261 - 286.
Traynham, L., Palmer R. N., & Polebitski A. S. (2010).  Impacts of Future Climate Conditions and Forecasted Population Growth on Water Supply Systems in the Puget Sound Region. Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management.