From tree rings to streamflow: reconstructing the hydroclimatic history of the Mississippi River Basin over the past millennia

Author

Brandon McDaniel, Mississippi State UniversityFollow

ORCID

https://orcid.org/0009-0004-1978-6717

Advisor

Fosu, Boniface O.

Committee Member

Mercer, Andrew E.

Committee Member

Dyer, Jamie L.

Date of Degree

5-16-2025

Original embargo terms

Immediate Worldwide Access

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Open Access

Major

Geoscience (Professional Meteorology and Climatology)

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Department of Geosciences

Abstract

The Mississippi River Basin (MRB), the largest watershed in the United States, plays a central role in shaping regional hydroclimate. This study reconstructs streamflow variability in the MRB from the year 1200 to 2005 by applying principal component regression to streamflow data from 51 gauges and the North American Drought Atlas (NADA), a tree-ring-based reconstruction of the summer self-calibrating Palmer Drought Severity Index. Verification statistics indicated strong predictive skill across the domain. These findings provide critical insight into long-term hydroclimatic variability in the MRB and underscore the value of paleoclimate records for improving water resource assessments.

Sponsorship (Optional)

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under AGS-2302669

Recommended Citation

McDaniel, Brandon, "From tree rings to streamflow: reconstructing the hydroclimatic history of the Mississippi River Basin over the past millennia" (2025). Theses and Dissertations. 6535.
https://scholarsjunction.msstate.edu/td/6535